Musto Ladies Training BR2 Jacket: review

Our reviewer liked all the elements of this smart waterproof jacket and found very little to dislike about it... apart from the price

When I first saw this jacket I absolutely fell in love with the bright Kingfisher blue colour and the black detailing around the pockets. When I picked it up it felt very lightweight and I was concerned that it wouldn’t live up to its ‘waterproof’ claims – very few jackets do in my experience, with leaking across the shoulders and in the crease of the arms being typical problem areas.

However after wearing it during an hour-long jumping lesson in rain that varied from drizzle to downpour, neither of these areas were a problem. The outside material was soaking wet and I did feel a little damp when I took the jacket off, but I think that was partly because the rain had worked itself way down the inside of the collar at the back of my neck, and partly because I had been working hard and had got rather warm, despite its breathable properties.

The stylish softshell outer is combined with a microfleece inner, which is both warm and windproof, making it an ideal choice for autumn and spring. I wouldn’t describe it as warm enough for the depths of winter, although it is warmer than I first expected it to be, but it’s ideal for the changing seasons and has become my go-to jacket of choice when it’s damp or windy, but not icy cold.

There is a warning not to use the outer pockets for items you want to keep dry. However there is a pocket with a vertical zip on the inside chest area, so you do have somewhere safe and dry to store your phone. I’ve found the outer pockets fine for keys and the like.

The jacket is a size 8 and I’m an 8/10 so I would say it’s fairly generously sized as I could comfortably wear a t-shirt plus a fitted jumper/sweater underneath. Because of the microfleece lining, I found tops with some ‘slip’ were most comfortable to wear underneath and helped avoided bunching of the microfleece lining around the wrists. The wrists have adjustable Velcro fastening with good quality rubber tabs, that haven’t got clogged with hay and shavings.

The material is quite stretchy, making it very comfortable to ride and do yard work in. When it first gets wet the outer puckers slightly, which looks quite unusual (see pic below), but it is quick to dry from damp, which is another benefit.

I typically do not like wearing a hood, however this jacket has challenged my views on this. The thin hood is very easy to pull out of its pocket within the collar and has a clever stiffened peak, which helps keep the water off your face. The elastic can also be adjusted via toggles ensuring that it doesn’t blow off at the first gust of wind – I guess that’s Musto’s sailing experience coming to the fore there. Equally, you don’t have to remove the jacket to tuck it securely back into the collar, which is another bonus.

It have found this jacket has washed well, although I should warn you that it does look very strange (think screwed up dish rag) when you get it out of the washing machine! Don’t panic (as I did the first time) – it will look fine once it’s dried out, although it does take quite a while to do so. Washing following the instructions doesn’t appear to have affected the waterproof qualities of the jacket.

So do I think this jacket is worth it’s price tag? I think it’s fair to say that it isn’t cheap. But you’re paying for Musto’s knowledge and experience in using technical fabrics to combat the worst the weather can throw at you, as well as the fit and the label. It’s worn well during a six-month testing period, and still looks like new. So yes I think it is (and if you can find it somewhere to buy it discounted in a sale, then I’d recommend you snap it up before it sells out…)

Verdict

It is a quality jacket with clever technical elements that make it ideally suited to the changing seasons