7 UK Outdoor Clothing Brands Robbing You Blind (And 3 That Are Worth Every Penny)

Overview

The video argues that a well-known logo often costs more than a jacket’s performance warrants. It compares prices, waterproof ratings, owner-survey results, manufacturing locations, and repairability. Its strongest recommendations are a UK-made Barbour Bedale, Páramo, and Keela.

These are the video’s assessments; some manufacturing-cost figures are estimates rather than verified product costs.

Brands and Products Criticized

Mountain Warehouse — Pacer Waterproof Jacket

• Listed at £44.99 and discounted to £29.99, with “fully waterproof” marketing. Its stated rating is 1,500 mm, which the video says is suitable only for light-to-moderate rain.
• The video’s benchmarks are 5,000 mm for staying dry all day and 10,000 mm or more for serious use.
• In a Which? survey of 25 brands, Mountain Warehouse placed second from last. The video also cites a 2017 advertising ruling concerning waterproof claims for its boots and a sale banner.
• Cheaper alternative: Decathlon’s NH500, at £24.99, is quoted at 5,000 mm with fully taped seams.

Karrimor — Sierra Waterproof Jacket

• Sold at Sports Direct for £34.99, against a claimed £89.99 “was” price. The video questions whether the higher price was ever a meaningful regular price.
• It has a 10,000 mm waterproof rating, but owners in the cited Which? survey gave Karrimor 3/5 for moisture protection and 3/5 for durability.
• The video says Sports Direct bought the Karrimor name after the company went bankrupt, and presents the brand’s current reputation as resting more on its old name than its former heritage.
• Alternative: Regatta’s Birchdale 2 is described as costing about £30, with 20,000 mm waterproofing and taped seams.

The North Face — Nuptse Down Jacket

• Costs £315, uses 700-fill goose down, and is made in Bangladesh.
• The video estimates its production cost at roughly £20–£40. This is an estimate, not a disclosed cost.
• Alternative: Decathlon offers an 800-fill down jacket for £89.99. The Nuptse has lower fill power at more than three times the price.
• The Nuptse has also been seen at £157.50 in a large retailer’s sale, which the narrator uses to question the credibility of its full list price.

Patagonia — Better Sweater and Torrentshell

• The Better Sweater costs £140 and uses recycled polyester fleece, with Fair Trade-certified manufacturing. The video acknowledges that these materials and labor standards can cost more, but argues that they do not explain the full retail price.
• The Torrentshell costs £180 and is made in Vietnam.
• In the cited Which? comparison, Patagonia owners spent an average £219 on waterproof jackets versus £51 for Regatta, but rated them 76% versus 77%. Patagonia received 3/5 for value/benefit in the survey as described.
• The video respects founder Yvon Chouinard’s climate-focused transfer of the company, but argues that the company’s environmental mission is separate from a jacket’s performance.

Arc’teryx — Beta AR

• Costs £600 and uses a three-layer Gore-Tex Pro construction. The video acknowledges that it is technically serious kit, but considers the price excessive.
• It says the fabric is made and dyed in China and the jacket sewn in Vietnam. Using an industry rule of thumb, the narrator estimates a production cost of about £150; this is not a published cost.
• The Beta AR has been sold in Arc’teryx’s outlet for £420.
• Alternative: Alpkit’s three-layer Definition costs £249.99, has a 30,000 mm rating, and is presented as suited to Scottish winter conditions.

Berghaus — Deluge Pro and Paclite 2.0

• The Deluge Pro costs £120 at John Lewis and is made in Thailand. The Paclite 2.0 costs £150; outdoor magazine The Great Outdoors reportedly found it less breathable than the best models in its class.
• In the cited survey, Berghaus owners spent an average £134, compared with £51 for Regatta, while both were rated 77%.
• The video also warns that Berghaus’s owner, Pentland, has links to retailers including Blacks, Millets, and Go Outdoors, so in-store recommendations may not be fully independent.
• Berghaus has British roots, but the narrator argues that its current products do not necessarily reflect that heritage.

Barbour — Products Vary by Model and Origin

• The video criticizes the Barbour Icons Bedale, priced at £299 and made in Moldova, because it shares the Bedale name and price with a version still handmade in South Shields. It says the origin may not be obvious until checking the internal label.
• Other examples include the Loden vest, which costs £169 and is made in Vietnam, and the Active Fleece, which costs £139 and is 100% polyester.
• The video argues that these products should not automatically be assumed to be British-made just because of the brand’s heritage. It notes Barbour’s substantial sales and profits to dispute the idea that overseas production is simply necessary because the company lacks resources.
• Important distinction: The narrator also recommends a different, UK-made Bedale, described below.

Products Recommended

Barbour Bedale Made in South Shields — £299

• This is the UK-made Bedale, not the similarly priced Moldova-made Icons version. The video says to check that the label states “Made in Great Britain.”
• In the Which? survey, Barbour waterproof clothing received 86% and was named a recommended brand.
• Barbour has waxed and repaired jackets since 1921. The video says about 70,000 waxed jackets are returned each year for rewaxing, repair, or recycling; the company also repairs quilted jackets by hand.
• Its main advantage is longevity and repairability. Barbour recommends annual waxing, which owners can do at home or have done by the company.

Páramo — Cascada Waterproof Jacket, £280

• Ranked first among 25 brands in the cited Which? survey, with 88%. Owners awarded it 5/5 for water resistance, breathability, and durability.
• Its system uses a water-repellent outer layer and a “pump liner” that moves moisture outward, rather than relying on a peeling waterproof membrane. The garments can be washed and treated at home.
• Some owners reportedly said their jackets had lasted over 10 years. The video estimates that the £280 cost works out to roughly £25 a year for owners who keep them for several years.
• Around 80% of its equipment is made at a Colombian factory that employs vulnerable women. The video says Páramo has been free of PFC chemicals since 2014 and employee-owned since 2022.
• Downside: The upfront price is high.

Keela — Pro Sport, £164.95

• Made by a Scottish company whose Glenrothes factory previously produced outerwear for other brands, including Berghaus. The video emphasizes the factory’s experience and its history of developing seam-sealing techniques.
• Keela does not publish a waterproof rating, explaining that standard breathability tests are performed in dry conditions and may not represent real weather. The narrator suggests looking instead at testing and professional users.
• Its clothing is used by Police Scotland, the Forestry Commission, mountain rescue services, and the military.
• The Great Outdoors reportedly called the Pro Sport the best budget jacket, and The Independent said it passed waterproofness, windproofness, and breathability tests. Keela also received a 2008 Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation, described in the subtitles as a Royal award.
• It costs about £15 more than the Berghaus Paclite 2.0. During the pandemic, the Glenrothes factory reportedly made 750,000 protective gowns.

Buying Advice from the Video

• For waterproof jackets, check the rating. The video recommends at least 5,000 mm for all-day protection and 10,000 mm or more for serious use; 1,500 mm is presented as the minimum threshold for a product to be called waterproof.
• For down jackets, compare fill power—700 is described as average, 850+ as premium—and the down-to-feather ratio: 80:20 is good; 90:10 is better.
• Check the inside label for the country of origin, and consider who owns the brand. The outside logo and heritage story may not tell the whole story.
• When a jacket has no published waterproof rating, the video recommends checking who tested it and who relies on it professionally.

Overall Verdict

The video’s main recommendation is to judge outdoor clothing by performance, independent owner feedback, origin, and repairability—not by the logo or the claimed original price. It especially favors Páramo for waterproof performance, Keela for tested practical value, and the South Shields-made Barbour Bedale for repairable longevity.

It advises caution with the other brands’ specific products, while showing that even a criticized brand can have a better-performing or better-made option than another item under the same name.

Different Views and Sources Cited

There is one main narrator. The video also relays findings or opinions from Which?, The Great Outdoors, The Independent, owners in surveys and reviews, and professional users such as police, forestry, and mountain-rescue teams.

The narrator acknowledges Patagonia’s founder’s climate initiative and Barbour’s heritage, but distinguishes those points from the performance and origin of individual jackets.