When we were asked to review the Didriksons Hamres Jacket, we jumped at the chance! We are massive fans of Didriksons, having kitted out our son in their Boardmans waterproof suit for the last few years. If you fancy a look, you can see our review of that set here.
The Hamres jacket is completely different to the Boardmans jacket we are used to, so we were curious to see how it would stand up against the changeable UK weather, and if our son would stay warm enough, dry enough and happy enough.
A few technical bits to get out the way; The Hamres is a lined jacket and the material is water and windproof. It’s packed with features, listed below which makes it a decent investment especially when you consider they’ve added an ‘extend-a-size’ stitch. Now call me cynical, but I was surprised at this. Most companies would force your hand to buy bigger sizes for your kids, who are known to grow quickly. Your kid has grown? You like our product? Great, now buy another one. But not Didriksons. They’ve only gone and put in a seam at the arms that can be cut away to increase the size, to grow with your kid. Genius!
Technical features:
- Zipper with cover at front
- Adjustable cuff
- Adjustable hem
- Adjustable hood
- Chin guard
- Detachable hood
- Extend size – This garment is constructed so that you can increase its arm length as your child grows.
- Glove security loop
- Inside elastic cuffs
- Reflective patches on hood, sleeves and back
- Big pockets which are big enough to load with any treasures found on walks…
The Hamres is a really high quality, stylish jacket but after testing it out, we can assure you that not only does it look good, it does the job really well too, from trips to the supermarket to puddlesplashing in torrential rain. Our son fell over in a rather deep puddle last week, no joke it was more like a swim, but he jumped up and was completely dry on the inside. We are talking proper immersion here, so we were impressed with the jacket. Our son was still getting over muddy water up his nose, but the jacket was ready for action again straight away.
For our multiday adventures, we would probably stick with the Boardman set as our favourite for our son. The main reason for this is the cuff design. The Hamres cuff is softer fabric while the Boardmans is a tighter elasticated cuff with waterproof lining extending up inside the arms and legs. It provides us with the security of knowing that the waterproofs will be dry and functional even with very deep puddles, or if our son dips his arms in the water when we are canoeing. This is important for longer trips, where wet waterproofs can have more severe consequences quickly.
We believe Didriksons have delivered again with the Hamres jacket. Not only is it highly functional, in that it will keep your child warm and dry whatever weather or play is thrown at it. It is also a very stylish coat which is packed with great added value features such as the arm length extending stiches. We will be using the Hamres a lot over the winter, for day trips out to the mountains, smaller walks and playing in parks etc. We highly recommend this jacket!
Disclaimer: Thank you to Didriksons for providing us with this jacket to test. All opinions are our own, honestly formed through significant testing in a wide range of conditions.
An Outdoors Family 
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