Our Stroma Jacket was released at the start of March 2019, and we sent Fiona Outdoors one to review before it came to the market. We really believe in this jacket, and two years of our heart and soul is in it, so we really hoped Fiona loved it as much as we do!
Stroma Outdoor Jacket Review
I have been testing a range of Findra cycle clothing. Findra is an award-winning Scottish activewear and outdoor brand with a reputation for innovation. One of Findra’s newest products is the Stroma Technical jacket. It is named after the Island of Stroma in Scotland.
The Stroma Technical Jacket has been designed using an eco-friendly textile that is made from recycled plastic bottles and coffee grounds.
The hi-tech yarn is environmentally friendly, de-odorising, fast drying and naturally UV resistant.
Eco-friendly S.Cafe® yarn
Eco-friendly S.Cafe yarn is the result of award-winning innovative technology, which dries and mixes repurposed coffee grounds with recycled plastic bottles to create pellets. These pellets are then melted down to create fibres which become the yarn.
S.Cafe yarn has been developed into a number of performance fabrics, one of which, the P4Dry, forms part of FINDRA’s Stroma Jacket.
It makes up the next-to-skin membrane backing of the jacket – the inner layer – and improves the jacket’s functionality.
Using coffee grounds in this way creates a print layer that is fast-drying, controls odours and wicks moisture away, reducing the condensation rate, which all improve the jacket’s performance as well as creating a more sustainable product.
Findra founder Alex Feechan is proud of the unique fabric used in the Stroma jacket. She says: “The fabric is in keeping with Findra’s sustainable, innovative ethos.
“Our customers have been asking us for a jacket since we started out and it has taken us two years to create it.
“The jacket has also been tested by elite mountain biker Lee Craigie, so it’s been put through its paces. Lee wore the first version and we made improvements based on what she had to say.”
Other features include:
- Relaxed unisex fit
- Lightweight and soft-to-the-touch fabric
- Four-way stretch fabric
- 10,000mm waterproof rating with a breathable outer layer
- 2 concealed front pockets and a further pocket on the back
- Hem drawcord adjuster
- Soft stretch fabric extended cuff detail with thumbhole
- Dropped back hem
- Concealed back pocket
- Fully taped seams throughout
- High neck with zip guard
- Shoulder protection print detail
- Hood with structured peak and drawcord adjuster.
- Two colours: Teal and Nine Irons
- £159.
I have been wearing the Findra Stroma for mountain biking. It has been tested in the rain, cold, warm rain and at night.
I like the fit of the cycling jacket. I have a size small and it offers a fit that is comfortable but not too baggy. (I am usually a UK10).
The length of the jacket at the torso and also the length of the arms are great. The back hem covers most of my bum when I am on the bike and the sleeves are plenty long enough to reach over the top of my gloves.
I was even fine to use the thumb-hole cuff inset while riding. This is fairly unusual because normally the thumb-holes cut into my hands. Findra have managed to make a jacket that fits me almost perfectly.
It is a comfort/relaxed fit so if you are looking for a tight fitting style of jacket this is not for you. It’s a jacket that allows for extra layers underneath and is also flattering if you have any bumps and bulges to hide (if you know what I mean?!).
The jacket is versatile and could be worn for walking or going to the pub, as easily as it can be used for cycling.
Other features that I like are the taped seams. I wore the jacket during heavy rain showers and it kept me dry. I didn’t end up sweaty either so it means the jacket is breathable, as stated. Note that I rode the bike in fairly warm rain and I would have expected to end up with wet inside the jacket form sweat but I didn’t.
The jacket performs really well, offering a good balance of weight-to-waterproofing-to-breathability-to-durability.
I am not sure if the jacket is treated with DWR (durable water repellency). I suspect it is because the rain droplets rolled off the outside of the jacket. DWR does wear off with wear and washing and so you need to re-waterproof it with specialist products. This is easily done in the washing machine.
The fabric feels fairly lightweight and soft. I think it would be fine to wear the jacket on bare arms if it was really warm and wet weather. Findra have described the jacket as “super lightweight” but I disagree with this. It is quite lightweight but not amazingly so.
What I would say is the jacket fabric feels durable and long lasting. If a jacket is too lightweight it might be liable to tear or wear out.
The fabric is also soft and non-rustling. This is great. Noisy jackets can be annoying when you are cycling, especially on a windy day.
I like the eco credentials of the jacket. Fabric that is made from recycled plastic bottles and coffee seems like a great idea to me. And clever!
Overall, the jacket is easy to wear, fits well and very easy to like. The colour Teal is nice, although when I wear it with my teal coloured mountain bike I do feel a little bit too “matching”! I also like that the company is Scottish.
