Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket

Review by Erin Trail

The Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket is a lightweight technical fleece that’s perfect for when you need a layer to stave off cooler temperatures.

Details

• Fabric: 94% Polyester / 6% Elastane / Pocket Lining: 100% Polyester
• Active fit with articulated arms
• Two zipper hand pockets that are pack compatible
• Four way stretch fleece
• SCUBA style hood

Fit and Function

Berghaus is entering the US market in the summer of 2026; their sizing is UK sizing, so definitely review the size chart before ordering.   I am a UK size 12 on the Berghaus size guide and found that the Staindrop Hike Jacket fits true to size.  The jacket does have slim, athletic cut, so if you want a little room for layers, you might want to size up.

My first overall impression of the Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket is how clean the lines are. The seams are a heavy, wraparound stitch.  The exterior fleece fabric is smooth and soft.  It’s a very streamlined jacket that focuses on function and ease of use.

The Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket also has a few subtle color variations that add a nice design element.  The cuff have a coordinating shade of elastic and the main front zipper and zipper pulls are in an accent color within the main jacket color family.

The inside texture of the fleece is a waffle grid pattern.  This pattern provides a solid warmth to weight ratio while being very breathable.  This fleece design makes the Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket a great option for less active use in cool temperatures and it would be a great option for high output activities in cold temperatures.

The two zippered hand pockets are high enough to not conflict with a pack waistbelt.  Even with the higher placement, my hands still felt like they were in a natural position.  I do with that the pocket inserts were sewn a little differently into the jacket.  The inserts are connected to the outer fleece at the pocket opening and along the zipper.  A nice bonus would have been to have the insert also affixed at the bottom of the pocket to the fleece, so the jacket would have an internal drop in pocket.

The hood of the Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket fits me perfectly.  The fleece tab that covers the zipper pull is a nice touch. I sometimes have a hard time with hoods fitting me well, but this one fits perfectly without being too tight or too loose.

I’ve been wearing the Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket several times a week for the past month.  I’ve mainly been wearing the jacket as a layer in the mornings when I go to the gym before work.  I also have been wearing it during the day when I’m working in my (very cold) office, and during a recent camping trip in the Colorado Rockies.

The Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket has been a perfect light layer for every one of my use cases.  It layers nicely over a t-shirt and provides just the right amount of warmth for 50 degree mornings or an overly air conditioned office.

All of the contact points on the jacket have worn nicely over the past month.  There’s no pilling or areas that are stretched out of shape.  The Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket even cleans up well.  I had a coffee spill and the jacket cleaned up after a trip through the washing machine.

All of the zippers open and close easily.  I do with that the zipper pulls were a bit larger.  I have small hands and often feel that the pull are undersized; I imagine if you have bigger hands then you’ll also be wanting the pulls to be a little larger.

The Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket is lightweight enough (approximately 10 oz) where it’s easy to toss into a pack (or strap the to the exterior of the pack) for hiking or other outdoor activities where a lightweight fleece layer would be welcome.  We are a way’s off from winter, but I envision this jacket being a great option for winter high aerobic output activities like running or fat biking.

Closing Thoughts

The Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket is a lightweight fleece zip up hoody that’s a great option for layering on cool summer mornings or for high output activities in colder months.

The Berghaus Staindrop Hike Jacket is available for both men and women. The women’s version is available in 3 colorways (Sunburst, Light Electro, and Black) and is in UK sizing ranging from 8 to 20.  The men’s version is avaialbe in 4 colorways (Dark Green, Northern Sky, Jet Black and Farne Blue) in sizes ranging from XS to 3XL.

Erin Trail

Trail Boss of Stoke

Erin Trail on her mountain bike at the World Tri Cross Triathlon World Championship race

Erin Trail on her running at the World Tri Cross Triathlon World Championship race