REVIEW: Keela Reclaim Ronas Smock Jacket

When it comes to lightweight rain and windproof outer garments, I’m looking for something packable and an item that I can slip on over a couple of layers. I usually prefer a hood to keep wind and rain away, and for climbing and mountain days, the material has to be durable against the rock. When on the bike in cooler temps, windproofing is a must and it should at least be able to keep out some of the rain and mud, should conditions go that way.

Climbers, hikers, bikers… Keep it in your rucksack permanently. It will definitely be coming with me on the bike and if you’re into running, it weighs next to nothing and you can easily throw it on over a T-shirt to take the edge off the wind and rain. Perfect for mild conditions or perhaps as an emergency item, to keep you comfortable before finding refuge in the pub.

If you’re after something with sustainability woven into it, the Ronas smock is part of Keela’s Legacy Project – a repair and reuse scheme that has been developed to include the repurposing of leftover fabric from the brand’s factory in Fife, Scotland, into garments wherever possible, helping to reduce textile waste.

There’s not a great deal to say here: the Reclaim Ronas smock is good value for money. One could always spend double on the same kind of thing, and for what it has to offer; the convenience of such a light and easily packable jacket with decent eco-credentials, it’s a good buy.

Part of Keela’s Reclaim line, the smock is made from material that might have otherwise have been binned and ultimately ended up in landfill – adding to the textile waste problem the world currently faces. It’s good to know it’s been diverted from this fate, and made into something actually very useful.

It will suit hikers, bikers and runners to mention a few disciplines. Very packable, very light. As Keela say, you really can ‘put it in your ruck sack and forget about it’.