Climbing equipment review: OMM Kamleika Smock and Pant
When we first went to view the OMM range last year I was really impressed with the fabric of the Kamleika Smock and Pant. I had never seen a fabric like Gelanots before, and I instantly loved it. The Gelonots fabric is an elastomeric (stretchy synthetic fabric) and is waterproof, with fully taped seams and highly breathable. The one thing that really stands out about the Kamleika Smock is that it doesn’t make any noise when you wear it, unlike other Gortex or Paclite jackets. OMM claim that the Kamleika is probably the softest and quietest waterproof top on the market, and I’m inclined to agree. So if you’re active and you don’t want to sound like a crisp packet when you’re on the move, you should definitely take a look.
The technical features on the Kamleika Smock consist of a roll away hood with a peak and adjustable face draw cords, which means that you can tighten the hood to fit your head so you’ll get freedom of movement, as the hood will move with you. There is also some reflective detail on the sleeve that is visible from the side and rear of the jacket, it’s very subtle, but this sort of feature comes in handy in the winter when the evenings are darker. 
The Kamleika Smock is lightweight at just 300g (medium) and it packs down to 0.9 litres. At £109.95 I think that it’s a great alternative to a Paclite and if you’re an active person looking for a waterproof jacket at a good price or if you think that the Gortex is out of your price range, it ticks those boxes. The Kamleika comes in a smock and a jacket version, but the smock is slightly more fitted than the jacket. I know a few people who own the smock version and they use it for a variety of activities, such as climbing, walking, running and mountain biking, so it’s a very functional jacket. If you like the feature and technology of the Kamleika Jacket, you should take a look at the Kamleika Pant too, they’ve got the same great fabric and technical features.
If you like the looks of either of them you can buy them here:
