The Sprayway Grendel Jacket has a Gore-Tex Infinium shell that’s windproof, breathable and very water-resistant.

The ThermoSphere fill is soft and flexible. There’s 80gsm fill in the body and sleeves, and 60gsm in the hood. The fill isn’t stitched into the shell, which means no visible baffles.

This gives the jacket a plain look. It also means there are no stitch lines through which heat can escape or rain enter. The jacket isn’t fully waterproof, however, as the seams aren’t sealed.

The Sprayway Grendel Jacket design is good. The hood has a stiffened wired peak plus front and rear adjustment cords, and it really keeps the weather out. It’s not a huge helmet-compatible hood either, which suits me. My only minor complaint is that the front drawcords aren’t tethered and can catch the face in strong winds.

The pockets are roomy, the chest one big enough for a map. The bottom of the handwarmer pockets is cut off by a hip belt but they are still usable. 

The Grendel arrived after the last of the winter weather had gone. It has kept me warm in cool temperatures standing around in the Cairngorms after dark on high camps. I think it should be adequate for most winter conditions. In a few months, I’ll be finding out. 

The Sprayway Grendel Jacket sizing is generous, the Medium being bigger than some of the Large size jackets I’ve tested.

Look at how the Sprayway Grendel compares to other jackets in our guide to the best synthetic insulated jackets