The Radical 2 makes no excuses for being a utility jacket, you can tell straight away that it means business and belongs on the hill, not on the high street.
Breathability comes, in part from the large stretch panels under the arms, these run all the way up under the armpit to give maximum breathability to that particularly hot and sweaty area. The inside of the panel has a smooth and cosy fleece lining so although you're increasing breathability in a key area you aren't sacrificing too much on warmth. The panels have some stretch to them and the jacket has the right cut to enable you to move freely in the backcountry without getting unduly hampered by your clothing.
For warmth there's a fill of either 60g or 90g of Primaloft Silver Insulation Active depending on the area of the jacket, with the warmer areas of the body getting less insulation. The thin layer of insulation along with the trim cut makes the jacket feel 'athletic' to wear. We were impressed by the ability of the Primaloft Silver Active insulation to breathe on tough climbs, but it also managed to keep us warm during rest stops where we used the hood with its cosy fleece backing to help take the chill off. Talking of the hood, it's very well designed. With the zip fully zipped there's excellent protection from the elements, with only a small area around the eyes and nose left exposed, this doesn't sacrifice anything to comfort around the chin either.
The Radical 2 weighs a shade under 380g so when it gets hot it isn't a burden to stash it in your pack. It isn't designed to be stuffed into its own pocket but we've still used this method to compact the jacket down, you could also use a dry bag or similar.
This jacket has clearly been designed with a purpose in mind and this translates to real world use where it excels. Its £200 price tag is towards the upper end of mid-range but when stacked up against its features and performance we think it's well worth the investment.
