Buffalo Mountain Shirt

Pertex 5 Shell with AquaTherm pile lining, overhead garment. Ideal for hill-walking including winter, climbing, trekking, and general outdoor activities. As with all overhead garments sizing is important.

Site	Price	Postage	Total
	£100.00	£5.00	£105

   User Reviews

General comments: Best bit of kit on the market. Forget layering, all you need is your Buffalo and a waterproof for when it gets really nasty. Plenty of options for ventilation or increased warmth via zips, Velcro closures and an internal "compression" strap. The winter version is great too.

Pros: Windproof, shower-resistant, warm - year round wear for Scottish conditions.

Cons: Can be a bit warm on that day in July when the temperature gets over 70.

General comments: Great all-in-one layering system. The design of the mountain shirt is such that you wear it next to your skin. I was a little concerned at this at first as it seemed quite warm and was worried what to do if I got too hot. Fortunately the jacket has plenty of ventilation so unless you are out in very hot conditions it is fine next to the skin. The jacket has excellent wicking properties and the outer windproof shell is very breathable so it is great to wear as an active layer. The mountain shirt is also great to wear instead of a fleece on cooler evenings and will provide a great deal of warmth when required, which is enhanced by the windproof layer. The windproof shell is also showerproof but will only really hold off very light showers and you will still need a full waterproof jacket to go over the top. At a price of around £100 I feel that it represents good value for money, as it is essentially a base layer and mid layer in one garment. Build quality is superb and mine has lasted years, although wearing it next to the skin can increase the amount of washing required!

Pros: Great jacket, excellent ventilation and suitable for all but the warmest conditions

General comments: This one of the products that put the a small Sheffield outdoor company on the Map. The Mountain shirt, often referred to simply as a 'Buffalo' uses the DP system to help keep you warm even when the garment is wet. The outside shell is made from Pertex 5, which is windproof up to 35-40mph as water resistant up 0.5cm per hour. The pile lining serves two functions, to keep you warm and wick moisture away from the skin. Although designed be worn directly on the skin very few people do, I find a high wicking T-shirt does the job pretty well. In cold winter conditions the Buffalo rules, fantastically warm in all conditions. In milder weather I have been caught out and found myself sweating bucket loads don't underestimate how warm this garment actually is. Venting can be achieved using a system of underarm two-way zip; although simple this system is high effective. Two large pockets cover the front of the Mountain shirt, one of which contains webbing belt which will the pull the mid torso area tighter. Sizing is important with all buffalo kit, pick the smallest size you can without it feeling restrictive. Unlike most top bear in mind you'll probably have very little on underneath it, so don't try one on top of a jumper!

Pros: Highly functional garment. Does exactly what it's supposed to.

Cons: Can be difficult to get hold of.

General comments: The buffalo is one of the first bits of kit I ever bought. This was before the term softshell was used everywhere and the buffalo was all you needed. Mine is a lovely green and has worked for me for years. The Pertex outer is sufficient at keeping rain at bay and is windproof in all but the most horrid gales. I have got mine soaked through and was still warm with only a base layer underneath, granted I was on the way down off the hill so have not experienced a full day under a damp buffalo as I always carry a waterproof. The inner pile lining is very warm and as such this only comes out in the colder months, the ventilation is good with large side vents to let out the heat if you get to hot. There is a large front pocket, which swallows up lots, and the cuff tabs allow for a tight seal. I opted for the optional buffalo hood for the winter months but did begrudge paying the extra for it – it works well though and the Velcro attachment keeps it on in windy conditions. The drop tail is long enough to cover your bum which is refreshing considering most jackets these days don’t. these days my buffalo makes way for my snazzy new softshell, but it has given me years of service and still will

Pros: good fit and brilliant design

Cons: Could be too warm for some people. There are so many new softshell deesigns to choose from it may look quite ancient for some

General comments: I've owned my Buffalo Mountain shirt for a couple of years now and when it wears out (probably in about 10 years!) I just hope I can get another one. I was previously an enthusiatic member of the 'layering club', normally wearing a wicking base layer, fleece and waterproof shell in all months of the year so it took some persuasion to switch to one of these. The first time I was out walking in it I wore a Helly Hansen Lifa Sport underneath as I just couldn't bring myself to only wear the one piece of clothing, I also carried my waterproof - I was far to hot. Whenever I use it now I wear just the Buffalo against my skin and nothing else. It's wicking properties are superb and therefor if it gets wet it dries very quickly. I do still carry my waterproof shell with me but seldom wear it, the ability of the Mountain Shirt to keep you comfortable when wet is brilliant.

Pros: Very windproof, warm when wet, wearable across a wide temperature range, excellent wicking ability and hard wearing. Cost is nothing when you consider that this will replace your base layer, mid layer and (99% of the time) your waterproof shell.

Cons: Seperate hoods of different sizes is a good idea and cancels out the need for a volume adjuster. That said, the design of the hood is a little basic and hasn't (as far as I can see) really changed for many years despite these moans from many people.

General comments: My "buffy" is definitely in my top ten all-time outdoor gear list. Way back in 1994 I was a sceptical first time user of the system but was rapidly converted by two events - trying to stay warm in a robust and simple jacket on Territorial Army exercises, and cycling across Europe to Croatia via the Alps. There has been no looking back. Rather than repeat the tech specs listed in other reviews I can illustrate its flexibility with a couple of examples from that 3000 km cycle trip - it practically never left my body. The pile wicked sweat away from the body efficiently, whilst any rain that did fall gradually migrated down the jacked to the cuffs and hems, and dried off quickly while we cycled. Bizarrely if the jacket was too warm, even when vented, I just put a base layer on underneath and this helped me cool down! I am the proud owner of Buffalo mits and a hat to match the jacket in extremes of climate and continue to use it for biking, hiking, camping and general padding around. I have had my latest mountain shirt for 7 years and despite many imitators and innovations on the market I have no intention of trading this baby in. This was probably my best buy - and it's made in the UK as well!

Pros: Robust, versatile, great bit of kit.

Cons: Extremely hard to fault - occasional snags on the side vent zips when opening with one hand

General comments: An immortal piece of kit. I've owned a Buffalo for nearly 10 years - the same one. I wear a very thin short sleeve base layer under mine as it can be a bit all or nothing for ventilation. Used primarily in winter, it's in it's element. Buffalo claim that it's the only layer you need in a Scottish winter, but in my experience a cag is needed over the top in the worst of weather. Great general wear for camping and bothying. The construction and fabric are tougher than they look, and if you do manage to tear it, repairs are easy. It dries quickly - you can wear it straight out of a spin dryer! My only criticism is that the flaps over the side and chest pocket zips invariably snag. In common with a lot of users, I soon sliced them off - with no perceptible effect on performance. It's comfortable in a range of conditions, washable, simple and tough - what's not to like?

Pros: Tough, warm, simple and effective piece of kit.

Cons: Storm flaps snag on the zips.

General comments: I bought my Mountain Shirt some ten years ago and it's seen extensive use all over the place from watching rugby matches to the Wales to the Alps and has performed admirably in all cases. As mentioned by countless other reviewers, it's designed to be worn next the skin but, like others, I prefer to wear a thin baselayer under it. No real reason except that it just doesn't feel quite right to be out in foul weather wearing only one layer! The full-length side zips give massive versatility of ventilation - I've even used this while mountain-biking and because of the zips you can control your temperature quite effectively. The zips do have a tendency to snag however, which can be a bit of a pain in the bum! The tunnel pocket across the stomach is very useful though it tends to get stuck behind a harness or waist belt, while the chest pocket, unlined, is pretty much a perfect fit for an OS map. Highly recommended if you like to be just a little bit different!

Pros: Individual, warm, easy to moderate your temperature.

Cons: Don't forget to wash it. The smell from the fibre-pile can become pretty high!

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