Minx hesitates to utter an over-used word like 'revolutionary' but Gore has made the lightest version of Gore-Tex yet. Active Shell (AS) is waterproof, yet breathes so well you'd swear you were wearing a showerproof.

Some of the Minx Girls were lucky enough to get some of the early test samples of this jacket to try - and as they arrived in time to make the most of this last rainy summer they were tested through the worst possible combination of weather to dress comfortably for- warm and wet. It's usually impossible to get a balance and ordinarily we would take our chances with rain rather than arrive home with a jacket running in sweat. Unpleasant and unladylike to mention Minx knows, but just reporting the facts here... And the fact is that we were blown away by how well this fabric and this jacket perform - to the extent it became second nature to grab it off the peg before heading out at the merest hint of rain.

A characteristic of the AS fabric is that it's nicer next to the skin than classic waterproof shells, so can easily be worn over bare arms. The styling is deliberately pared down to reduce weight and maintain a small pack size and it has one large zipped rear stowage pocket. The cut is close but not too skinny and the clean lines are emphasised by the deep (and rather lovely) curve of the back hem. Impeccable construction detailing and reflective accents complete the features.

Minx likes: Minx doesn't just like, Minx LOVES...