Soft, comfortable and flexible, and a great match for mountain climbers, the Adidas Techrock Down Hooded Jacket impressed on test.

By Helen Webster

Published: Friday, 27 October 2023 at 12:00 PM


Our review: Quality jacket with some great features. Cosy, great fit and functionality.

Buy for women from Alpinetrek (£300.95 £270.86)

Buy for men from Adidas (£300.00)

Jump to product specifications

First impressions

Adidas might not be the first brand you think of when it comes to outdoor gear, but we’ve seen some impressive kit for trail running. Terrex is the sports label’s rugged outdoor division and pulling this coat out of the bag we were suitably impressed by how well thought-out it is.

Light but warm, it has all the features we would want in a jacket that’s going to be facing some cold and changeable conditions. Tough enough for the mountains, but light enough to stash away and with 800 fill power that is amongst the best in our group test. It did emerge in a flurry of feathers though, but that stopped after a couple of wears.

We liked the styling here too – though it’s odd that the men’s version comes in bright yellow and the women’s in a more subdued burgundy. We prefer brighter colours for mountain adventures, but it looked good nonetheless.

How was the fit?

Here, the fit was great. We sized up to a women’s large which is aimed at UK16-18 but that gave a nice balance of snugness over a fleece/jumper but still with room to move. It is billed as a slimmer fit so we would like to see Adidas extend the female sizing here with regards inclusivity.

The fit was close to the body although nicely shaped to suit the female body – but with room to move on the shoulders. The sleeves were long but designed with a curve in them that allowed lots of freedom of movement.

Here, you’ve got a chunky 2-way zip for added flexibility which we liked as well.

How does it feel?

A lot of thought has gone into the details on this jacket. It’s soft, flexible and comfortable but little extra touches like a fleece lining on the cuffs of the sleeves, a little stretchy line of gaitor fabric to stop draughts going down the neck and a zip garage/flap all added to the quality feel.

Does it have a hood and is it any good?

Yes, the hood is insulated and fits well around the face. There’s a toggle at the back under a hidden flap which sits flush to the head (perfect for use with a helmet) which pulls elastic to make it a snugger fit. The toggle has a chunky button that is easily operated with gloves/cold hands.

What’s it made of?

Black hooded jacket
The men’s design is available in either black (above) or preloved yellow/black

The facings are Pertex Diamond Fuse ripstop shell which Adidas tell us is 10 times stronger than traditional ripstop nylon and features 100% recycled materials. It is coated with a PFC-free water-repellent finish.

What’s it filled with?

Here, you have 90% goose down and 10% feathers. These are sourced via ALLIED which is responsibly sourced down from certified farms, cleaned with environmentally-friendly detergents. The down is also treated to be water-repellent to avoid clumping.

How durable is it?

After the initial flurry of feathers we didn’t have any problems with this jacket and from the Diamond Fuse ripstop to the chunky hardware (you get decent zip pulls and toggles here) we are confident this is a jacket that would last.

The Adidas also had a slightly more extreme test as we got caught in a heavier shower in it than some of the others and it performed admirably with water running off it – we did end up with a puddle in one of the pockets where the water ran in though, the fabric is that good!

The construction is clever here too, the top across the shoulders is one panel (no sewing) to prevent water ingress. It also has an offset construction for warmth.

How sustainable is it?

The Techrock is made with a series of recycled materials, and at least 70% recycled content. The facings are 100% recycled material and the down is sourced via Allied standards. You can find a Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement on the Adidas website. The jacket also comes with a temporary repair patch included.

Is it good value?

Yes – this is a jacket we would pay for and use time and time again.

Best used for:

Outdoor adventures where you want comfort and freedom to move as well as lots of warmth – and are likely to get caught in changeable conditions.

Facts at a glance: Adidas Techrock Down Hooded Jacket

Sizes: W XS-XL, M XS-2XL
Fill power: 800
Down type: 90% goose down, 10% feathers. Bluesign certified Allied down.
Face fabric: 100% recycled nylon ripstop, Water-repellent Pertex® Diamond Fuse fabric
Type of zip: 2-way zip
Pockets: 3, 2 zipped
Packable: yes, into one of the zipped pockets or one of the inner pockets

Buy for women from Alpinetrek (£300.95 £270.86)

Buy for men from Adidas (£300.00)

You can find more expert outdoor gear reviews in our roundup of the best walking shoes.