Weight: 834g Price: £111.96 RRP Available Colours: Black/Red & Black
Transparency Statement: This product was provided by Keela free of charge to review.
My eight year old son, Ethan has been joining me in the hills more and more lately. He loves the outdoors, and it’s a great way to spend time together. His existing jackets from Trespass and Mountain Warehouse had let him down a few times, being more aimed at light water repellency than full water proofing. As I have had the Keela Munro for a while now and knew I could depend on it, I was glad to be given the opportunity for Ethan to review the “Mini Munro” – the child’s version of the Munro jacket.
I own the regular Munro jacket in two sizes, one for the hills with a little room in it, as well as a tighter fitting one for a neater look during greenway and lowland walks. I bought both jackets online (during sales), and I’ve been very pleased with them, so it was great to hear that the Mini Munro uses the same construction and materials – just in a smaller size.
On The Quality of Children’s Outdoor Clothing
It’s typical for children’s outdoor clothing to be of weaker construction than adult clothing. The materials, liners and attention to detail tend to be cheaper and less effective, and the clothing tends to be much cheaper. I can see the thinking behind this, children grow out of their clothing and many of them won’t be spending extended periods outdoors in harsh weather.
That said – I’m glad to see Keela turning that trend on its head with the Mini Munro. The jacket uses their system dual protection liner (more on that later) for effective perspiration management and waterproofing – just like the adult Munro. It has the same features, such as the two way double zip, pockets, storm guards, elasticated cuffs and adjustable hood. It has the same general shape, with the scooped back and relaxed fit. The main difference is of course – it’s smaller.
I’m a huge fan of this approach. I’d rather my son had a solid coat he can rely on, so that we can continue walking for hours when the weather turns bad. Getting soaked through a flimsy coat would only dim his enthusiasm for hillwalking- something I’m keen for us to keep doing together.
The relaxed fit means it’ll take some time to truly grow out of, and when he does – it’ll have plenty of life left in it for use by younger family members.
Overview
The Mini Munro has the same relaxed fit as the adult Munro, with plenty of room for a fleece or other insulating layer when stopped for an extended period (such as at camp). Like the adult Munro, it is a very warm jacket. Ethan found little need for a fleece or other insulating layer while moving, as heat builds up in the jacket quite nicely, especially with the storm baffles closed and the jacket zipped up to the chin.
There are strips of reflective trim on the chest and arms, as well as two reflective strips running up the middle of the hood. This is a worthwhile addition, ensuring that your little one gets seen when out and about on dark autumn/winter evenings.
On the right arm there’s a little rubber stamp with the co-ordinates of Sgurr Dearg’s inaccessible pinnacle in Scotland – a nice touch that speaks to the jacket’s Scottish pedigree.
The hood has the same shock cord adjustment at the sides and back as the adult jacket, so you can get the right fit. Ethan liked how the hood could be pinched in tight enough to keep it from blowing back in the wind, while still leaving a little bit of space. The hood has the same stiff wire overhanging peak as the adult Munro.
The hem has a drawcord also, which Ethan likes to keep cinched in quite tight. There’s also a waist cord, for that “cinched at the waist, wide at the hips” classic hill jacket fit.
The cuffs are velcro closures with elastic on the inside to stretch. I’m a huge fan of closing the cuffs tight to avoid heat loss and properly keep the rainwater out. Ethan is too! The elastic means you can give the cuffs a stretch when removing the jacket, rather than needing to open and close the cuffs. It’s a small touch but a worthwhile one. The microfibre lined pockets are comfortable and soothing for cold hands.
All these little choices do add to the weight of the jacket, much like with the adult Munro. The Mini Munro is substantial at 834g, but Ethan has never complained about it feeling too heavy while wearing it.
System Dual Protection
Earlier I mentioned the System Dual Protection liner used in much of the Keela range – including the Munro. System Dual Protection uses a durable outer fabric to provide water proofing, behind which lies a hydrophilic (water attracting) laminate. As the wearer walks and sweats, the sweat condenses on the hydrophilic layer and runs down and out the hem. Unlike competing technologies which rely on sweat evaporating through the face fabric – SDP continues to deal with sweat after the outer face fabric has wetted out in prolonged heavy rain. Keela has a more detailed explainer on their website here (click to open)
Thoughts From The Trail
Ethan and I have been getting out regularly in our matching Munro jackets in all kinds of weather, from dry, but cold and windy days, to torrential downpours lasting several hours. On days where we’ve known to expect heavy rain, Ethan paired the Munro with waterproof trousers and a wicking full body base layer underneath.
One of our trips involved four hours of walking in a forest park during Storm Amy. The rain was heavy and persistent. We put the System Dual Protection liner through its paces that day, as we were still walking and building up heat after the face fabric in our jackets had wetted out. The only moisture in our base layers at the end of the day was whatever sweat was passing through the wicking layers at the time we took our jackets off.
Careful selection of base layer is key to how this jacket feels. The SDP liner can deal with sweat and keep your child from feeling clammy, but it doesn’t magically stop them from sweating in the first place. An ordinary cotton t shirt will hold onto whatever sweat is produced, whereas a polyester or merino base layer with good wicking qualities will ensure as little as possible of it remains in the base layer, giving the liner a chance to do its job and shift the sweat away from them.
We also spent some time on Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains. One trip to Donard took place the day after Storm Amy. It was bright and dry, but still extremely windy at times, with strong gusts hitting us once we got above the tree line and headed towards the Glen River crossing.
Ethan really noticed the benefit of the Mini Munro’s effectiveness against the wind on this trip and was glad of the warmth that builds up in the SDP liner’s air gap. He referred to it as a “cosy bubble of protection” – which is exactly the sort of thing I’d want for him when heading into the hills in autumn and winter. The Regatta waterproof overtrousers he wore on this trip weren’t remotely as effective against the wind, and he mentioned his legs felt cold in the sustained high winds as we approached the Donard/Commedagh Col. The contrast between the two made it clear the Munro was doing a solid job.
On days where we wanted some hill miles without much travel time, we opted for the Belfast hills. We had a couple of rainy days on Cavehill and a sunny, but windy seven mile circular route up over Cavehill and Collinward. When it’s dry and mild, Ethan would opt to take the Munro off and put it in his bag – this is a very warm jacket, and he wouldn’t be using it to defend against summer showers. When we were up at McArts fort and walking over to Collinward however, he was glad of the protection from the wind – doubly so when we were stopped to drink or eat lunch.
The protection during rest stops is particularly important for a child. Ethan isn’t always the most communicative about how he’s feeling during a hike and if a child gets cold during a rest stop, they can be reluctant to get moving again. Ethan likes to cover a lot of miles and will routinely walk for 7-12 miles with me. That means stops for fluids and meals, where it’s vital to retain heat. Accomplishing this with the coat he’s already wearing makes for a lot less faff than having to remove and add layers all the time.
I’ve found that during a longer day when you’re burning lots of energy, keeping yourself warm and dry is of an even higher priority. On a day where an adult is walking to exhaustion, weather that might otherwise seem a trivial inconvenience can become quite draining. The same is true for kids – over an even shorter distance.
Ethan now relishes getting out on a rainy day. It’s like a more intense version of looking out the window on a wet day from the warmth of your sofa – you’re out in the wind and rain, but protected from it. The Munro has become one of his trip non-negotiables, along with the obligatory rest stop for a hot chocolate.
Conclusion Summary
The Mini Munro is a robust, protective jacket for use during the colder months. Its performance during prolonged wind and rain is first class. Like the Munro, it’s packed with features, quite warm and quite heavy. The Mini Munro has helped me get Ethan out hiking more often in weather that otherwise would have discouraged him. From a parental point of view, it’s also reassuring to know there’s no compromise in his protection should the weather turn foul.
When Ethan eventually grows out of this jacket, a younger family member will be the happy recipient, and I’ll buy him one in a larger size without hesitation.
The Mini Munro jacket is available direct from the Keela Website here.