Mountain Warehouse Exodus Kids Softshell Jacket Review: a solid everyday coat for school and outdoor play

I’ve been using the Mountain Warehouse Exodus softshell jacket for my kid (11–12 years, navy version) for a full school term now. This is the jacket that lives on the hallway hook and gets grabbed for the school run, football in the park, and random rainy weekends. So it’s not been babied – it’s had mud, drizzle, light rain and a fair amount of shoving into a backpack.

First clear thing: this is not a full-on winter parka and it’s not a proper hiking shell for heavy rain. It’s a mid-season, everyday softshell that sits between a hoodie and a thick winter coat. If you expect it to replace a padded winter jacket in January, you’ll be disappointed. If you want something for autumn, spring and mild winter days with a jumper underneath, it makes much more sense.

My kid is not careful with clothes, so I was looking for something that could handle rough use without me panicking every time it hits the ground. In that sense, this jacket does the job. The fabric feels tough enough, the zip hasn’t failed, and the colour hides dirt pretty well. It’s the kind of thing you’re happy to let them wear to the playground without thinking about it.

Overall, my first impression after a few weeks was “simple, practical, and decent for the price.” Not a miracle coat, not luxury gear, but a pretty solid everyday jacket that fits what most parents actually need: something warm enough, water resistant enough, and cheap enough that you’re not terrified when it gets trashed at school.

For me, this jacket sits in a sweet spot between cheap and overkill. It’s not the rock-bottom budget option, but it’s also far from the high-end outdoor brands that cost double or triple. Given the build quality, comfort, and how often my kid actually wears it, I’d say it offers good value for money. It does the basic job of a mid-season kids’ jacket without fancy tech or branding pushing the price up.

What you’re paying for here is mainly: a decent softshell fabric, a comfortable fleece lining, a reliable zip, and a design kids are okay to wear every day. Plus the 2-year warranty, which is a bit of extra peace of mind. Compared to cheap no-name jackets we’ve had before, this feels more robust and better put together. Those cheaper coats often have zips that break in a few months or seams that start to go; I don’t get that vibe here.

Could you get something warmer for the same money? Possibly, if you go for a padded jacket instead of a softshell. But then you usually lose breathability and comfort for active play. Could you get something more waterproof? Yes, but then you’re probably moving into lighter, less warm rain shells that need layering underneath. This one sits in the middle: a practical all-rounder for school and casual outdoor use.

If your child already has a heavy winter coat and you’re looking for a reliable everyday jacket for the rest of the year, the price makes sense. If you’re trying to buy just one jacket to handle deep winter and heavy rain, you’ll probably feel it falls short and isn’t worth it. So the value depends on expectations: as a mid-season, daily-use layer, I’d rate it strongly. As an all-in-one solution for every type of weather, it’s not the right tool.

Design-wise, it’s pretty straightforward. The navy colour is plain and neutral, which for me is a plus. It goes with school uniform, sports gear, jeans, whatever. If you’re tired of loud prints that your kid loves for two weeks and then hates, this is safer. My kid didn’t complain about it once, which is already a win. It looks like a standard outdoor jacket, not babyish and not overly sporty either.

The cut is regular fit, not too slim, not baggy. On my 11–12-year-old, it sits just below the hips, so it covers the lower back when they bend over but doesn’t hang too long. The sleeves are a good length – they don’t ride up when arms are raised, which matters on bikes or when climbing. The cuffs are simple, no velcro adjustment, but the fit is snug enough that wind doesn’t shoot straight up the arms.

I like the clean front zip with the chin guard. When fully zipped, the chin doesn’t get scratched, and my kid can do it up alone without fighting with the fabric. The pockets are slanted and easy to access, and they’re zipless, which is both good and bad: easy for kids to stick hands in quickly, but not secure if they’re carrying small valuables. Personally, for school use, it’s fine – I’d only worry about zippered pockets if they were carrying keys or a phone all the time.

In terms of looks, it’s nothing fancy, but that’s exactly the point. It’s discreet, practical, and unbranded enough that it doesn’t scream logo. If you want a fashion piece, this isn’t it. If you want something that works for school, trips, and general outdoor use without drama, the design is spot on. My only small gripe is the lack of a visible reflective strip – for dark winter evenings, that would be useful. You can fix that with a clip-on reflector, but it would have been nice built-in.

From a comfort point of view, my kid actually reaches for this jacket without me nagging, which says a lot. The inside fleece is soft, no itching, and the seams don’t rub anywhere obvious. The chin guard is a small detail but useful: when the zip is all the way up, it doesn’t dig into the neck. That means they actually zip it properly instead of leaving it half open “because it scratches”.

The fit is true to size in our case. My kid is average height and build for 11–12, and the 11–12 size fits with a bit of room for a hoodie underneath. It’s not overly wide, so it doesn’t look like they’re swimming in it, but there’s enough space to layer. I did see some people say it runs a little small, and I can see that if your child is tall or on the bigger side, you might want to size up, especially if you want it to last more than one season.

In terms of movement, it’s good. The jacket doesn’t pull at the shoulders when the arms go up, and my kid has played football, cycled, and climbed on playground equipment without any complaints. It’s lightweight enough that they don’t feel restricted, but not so thin that wind cuts straight through. On windy days, it does a pretty good job of blocking the chill without overheating them like a bulky padded coat would during play.

Breathability is decent for a softshell. It’s obviously not as airy as a plain sweatshirt, but my kid doesn’t come home drenched in sweat after running around. For school days where they go in and out of buildings and then run around at break time, it seems like a good compromise. If your child runs very hot or you live somewhere much warmer, it might be a bit too much, but for typical UK/European spring and autumn weather, comfort is one of this jacket’s strong points.

The outer material has that softshell “scuba” feel – smooth, slightly stretchy, and a bit rubbery to the touch. It’s 96% polyester and 4% elastane, so there’s a tiny bit of give but don’t expect high stretch. It’s not like a sports legging; it’s more of a firm, structured fabric that holds its shape. In the hand, it feels tougher than a hoodie but softer than a stiff raincoat.

Inside, you get a fleece lining that’s soft and comfortable against the skin. It’s not a heavy pile fleece; it’s a medium-weight layer that adds warmth without making the jacket huge. My kid wore it with just a t-shirt underneath on 10–12°C windy days and was fine. When it dropped closer to 5°C, we added a sweatshirt underneath, and that combo worked well. I wouldn’t send them out in near-freezing temps with only this jacket, though – it’s a layer, not a full winter solution.

The fabric has a DWR water-repellent coating, which you can see in action: light rain beads up and rolls off. After a few weeks of use and a wash, it still held up in drizzle. But like all DWR coatings, it will fade over time and needs reproofing, which the care label actually mentions. So if you’re expecting “put it on, forget about it for 3 years and still fully water resistant”, that’s not realistic. It’s more “wash on 30°, re-proof every so often if you care about the water resistance”.

Overall, the materials feel solid for the price. Nothing premium, but definitely better than the cheap supermarket jackets I’ve tried, where zips feel flimsy and the fabric snags easily. Here, the zip feels sturdy, seams look clean, and the fabric hasn’t pilled or torn so far. The only thing to keep in mind is that it’s more of a softshell with fleece than a padded coat, so if you’re looking for a thick, insulated jacket, this isn’t the right type of material for that.

Durability was my main concern, because kids are hard on clothes. After a school term of use – roughly three months of daily wear, getting thrown on the floor, stuffed into bags, and worn in the park – the jacket still looks in good shape. No tears, no loose seams, and the zip is still smooth with no snagging. That matches what some long-term buyers say about using it for years without the zip failing.

The outer fabric resists snags and scuffs pretty well. My kid brushed against trees, fences, and playground equipment, and I don’t see obvious pulls or fraying. The navy colour hides dirt decently, which is handy if you don’t want to wash it every single week. When I did wash it at 30°C on a gentle cycle (as the label says), it came out fine: no shrinking, no colour fade, and the fleece inside stayed soft.

The only thing to watch is the water-repellent coating over time. After a few washes, like all DWR-treated fabrics, it will start to lose some of its beading effect. The care instructions say to wash with a re-proofer and avoid softener, which is standard for this kind of jacket. If you follow that, you keep the performance longer. If you just chuck it in a hot wash with softener, don’t be surprised if it stops repelling water well.

Given the price range and the 2-year warranty, I’d say durability is one of the strong points. It feels tougher than a lot of supermarket or bargain kids’ coats I’ve tried. It’s not indestructible – if your kid drags it on concrete daily, it will show – but for normal rough kid use, it holds up well enough that I’d be happy to buy the next size up when they outgrow it rather than because it fell apart.

Let’s be clear: this is water resistant, not fully waterproof. In real life, that means it handles drizzle, light rain, and short showers just fine. On normal school runs (10–15 minutes outside) in light rain, my kid came back dry on the upper body, and the water mostly beaded off the surface. After about 20–30 minutes in steady rain, you start to see the fabric darken and slowly take on some moisture, especially around the shoulders and arms.

On the wind side, it does a good job. We had a few properly windy days, and the jacket cut the wind far better than a hoodie. My kid didn’t complain about being cold, and with a sweatshirt underneath, it was enough for 5–8°C windy conditions. The softshell fabric acts like a barrier without feeling stiff, so it’s a good choice for exposed playgrounds or walks by the sea where the wind is the main problem.

Warmth-wise, I’d put it in the mid-range. On its own, it’s fine for around 8–15°C depending on the child. Below that, you’ll want to layer. Above that, if they’re running around a lot, they might get a bit warm but not unbearably so. It’s definitely better suited to autumn, spring, and mild winter days than to deep winter. If you live somewhere with harsh winters, this is your mid-season coat, not your only jacket.

For outdoor activities like light hiking, school trips, or just general park time, the performance is good enough for most families. If you expect full waterproofing for hours in the rain, you’ll need a separate rain shell. But for the way most kids actually use a coat – in and out of buildings, short walks, random showers – this strikes a decent balance between warmth, wind resistance, and not being too bulky.

The exact model I have is the Exodus Kids Water Resistant Softshell Jacket, 11–12 years, navy. It’s a regular-fit, long-sleeve softshell with a fleece lining and a full front zip. The weight is around 0.34 kg, so it’s light enough for kids to carry in a backpack without complaining, but it still feels more substantial than a thin windbreaker. It’s officially listed as water resistant, wind resistant, and suitable for colder weather, which I’d broadly agree with, within limits.

You get two side pockets with slanted openings. They’re decent size: my kid can fit hands, a small snack, or a phone without it falling out. There’s no inside pocket or chest pocket, so if you want loads of storage, this isn’t it. The collar is a simple round/stand style – no big high storm collar, but it comes up enough to protect the neck a bit when zipped fully.

Inside, there’s a fleece lining that runs through the body and sleeves, but it’s not super thick. Think of it as a medium warmth layer, not a fluffy winter fleece. The outer fabric is a polyester blend (96% polyester, 4% elastane) with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating. So rain beads and rolls off at first, but it’s not a full-on waterproof shell with taped seams. For normal drizzle and short showers on the school run, it’s fine. For standing in heavy rain at football practice for an hour, you’ll push its limits.

The brand advertises a 2-year warranty, which is decent reassurance for a kids’ jacket at this price point. Between that and the huge number of reviews (4.6/5 from thousands of buyers), you’re not gambling on some random no-name product. In practice, it feels like a straightforward, functional kids’ coat: no fancy tech, no gimmicks, just a basic softshell built for everyday use.