Best photographers' vests and jackets: 6 tested

Best photographic vests and jackets: 6 tested

Paramo Aspira Smock - £290

We tested the ladies' version of the Paramo Aspira Smock, but there's a smock available for men too, costing £300.

Both are offered in a range of colours, with our test product featuring an attractive blue design with silver reflective piping. If you want something even more striking, ladies can opt for the hot pink instead, while men have the choice of more muted red, green and blue hues.

Available in sizes ranging from S-XL (and XXL for men) the Paramo Aspira Smock features a generous cut that enables multiple layers to be worn underneath while maintaining freedom of movement, and draw cords around the waist and hem enable you to customise the fit to suit your shape.

Designed with the more intrepid outdoor enthusiast in mind, the jacket boasts a number of features to enable climbing accessories such as helmets and harnesses to be worn, with a large adjustable hood that easily provides plenty of protection, whatever headgear you're wearing.

The integral wired visor does an excellent job of keeping rain at bay - a particular bonus if you wear glasses.

As well as being stylish and practical, we found the Paramo Aspira Smock to be warm and fully waterproof, protecting us from the worst of the British winter weather. The insulation offered is very effective, although this makes the smock more suitable for cold weather use alone - we suspect it'll be too warm for milder conditions.

There are plenty of good-sized pockets, including two internal 'dry' chest compartments for you to stow your memory cards, filters, GPS device and/or other accessories.

Upper arm vents provide a means of temperature control, while the two-way zip on the front of the smock offers further ventilation and easy, one-handed access to the internal pockets.

In addition to a range of other pockets that are quick and easy to access, removable foam pads around the back offer protection and airflow, keeping your back cool if you're wearing a camera backpack.