Ridgeline Pintail Explorer II smock – review

Ridgeline’s Pintail Explorer smock became a firm favourite with stalkers and bushcrafters. It’s light and warm, very quiet to wear, and you can stuff it in your rucksack until you need it.

Now Ridgeline have updated and improved the design to create the Pintail Explorer II.

Nigel Winkle from distributor Highland Outdoors explains “We’ve given it a bit more of its own identity with a nice angled pocket on the front, but we’ve also added a bit more functionality.”

“There are two magnetic closures on the pocket flap so it closes nicely. Under the flap is a waterproof zip so you can put your binoculars inside, or anything else you’re carrying.”

The coat is totally waterproof, with sealed seams and Quiet-Tex fabric rated at 10,000mm hydrostatic head, plus there are elbow patches for those times when you’re leaning on the ground.

Breathability is important in a stalking smock, and this one has an MVT rating of 10,000g/m2/day. To improve breathability, and also make it easer to get the smock on and off, there’s a two-way side zip. That allows you to vent any buildup of warm air when you’re walking up a hill.

Another useful feature is the fixed hood, with a bendable wire inside the peak and three points of adjustment.

“All in all it’s a nice looking garment, it’s quiet and easy to wear, and with these extra features it’s something you can wear almost anywhere,” says Nigel. “I tested it myself when I went to New Zealand and it performed excellently, with just a T-shirt underneath, or a mid-layer as well when we were up in the alps in the snow and rain.”

The Ridgeline Pintail Explorer II smock is priced at £144.99. Find out more at the Ridgeline website.

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