ISPO Award Winner 2025: Mountain Equipment Super Oreus Jacket

The Super Oreus was born from a clear ambition: take the breakthrough success of the original Oreus Jacket and push it into expedition-grade territory. The development team wanted a synthetic belay jacket capable of matching high-end down in warmth, comfort, and packability, yet maintaining full reliability in soaked, freezing, or storm-bound environments.

Product Developer Dr. Matt Fuller explains this intent: “With the Super Oreus, we wanted to prove that a synthetic jacket could finally match down for warmth, comfort and packability. This is the next step in that journey.” For Mountain Equipment, this meant rethinking the very limits of synthetic technology and how two insulation layers could interact to create a measurable leap in performance.

At the heart of the Super Oreus is its unique double-layer AETHERM™ Precision Insulation. Developed entirely in-house, AETHERM™ weaves extremely fine fibres through a heat-reflective scrim to maximise thermal retention while maintaining breathability. Field and laboratory tests show that two full layers interact to almost double CLO without doubling weight or bulk - an unprecedented result in synthetic insulation.

This puts the Super Oreus in rare company. Warmth levels approach the brand’s Kryos down jacket while staying lighter than the Citadel jacket and fully synthetic. In –20 °C climate chamber tests, it consistently outperformed comparable synthetic belay jackets and exceeded expectations for its weight category.

The jacket’s true character emerged in field trials. Over two full Scottish winter seasons with Plas y Brenin instructors and alpine test days with Tom Livingstone the Super Oreus earned exceptional feedback. Dave Evans, Head of Mountaineering at Plas y Brenin, summarises: “After two winters of use, it’s simply the best synthetic belay jacket we’ve ever worn, unbelievably warm for the weight.”

More durable and weather-resistant than the original Oreus, the Super Oreus features a DRILITE LOFT 10D shell engineered to shed wind, snow, and spindrift. Seam-free shoulders improve comfort under packs, the helmet-compatible hood adds security on harsh belays, and the alpine cut maintains mobility without excess fabric.

Long exposure to cold and repeated belays define the environment the Super Oreus was built for. It retains loft when damp, dries rapidly, and packs smaller than many mid-weight synthetics. Whether waiting out sever weather or climbing into a whiteout, the jacket delivers dependable warmth.

AETHERM™ insulation is made from 100% recycled polyester and is fully recyclable at end of life. The jacket is PFAS-free, produced under Fair Wear principles, and built for long-term durability supporting both responsible consumption and performance longevity.

• Double-layer AETHERM™ insulation for unmatched warmth-to-weight efficiency
• Fully synthetic reliability in wet, severe mountain conditions
• More weather-resistant and durable than the original Oreus
• Warmth approaching high-end down jackets in lab tests
• Proven performance in Scottish winter and alpine testing