For the most part, I think the age of the 聯bombproof” waterproof-breathable jacket, whether it uses Gore-Tex or one of the new laminates such as eVent, is about over. They聮re the Brontosauruses of the Late Outerwear Age, and the newer, more-evolved species聴soft shells and lightweight hard shells聴are slowly taking over the planet.
Marmot Essence
Essence shell
I mean, why not go with a soft shell such as an REI One ($130; www.rei.com), which will work in 80 percent of the weather you bump into up to hard rain or snow? Then, when the stuff really hits the fan, throw on the Patagonia Grade VI ($299; www.patagonia.com). Sure makes sense to me. You can even save some scratch and buy a Marmot Essence Jacket for $150 (www.marmot.com). It may not last as long as the Grade VI, but the price makes up for that. Either way, you聮ve got a lighter, more flexible outfit that will keep you more comfortable than the old long underwear/fleece/hard shell kit. Now it聮s long underwear and soft shell most of the time, and hard shell only occasionally.
Is there still a place on the planet for big-time Gore-Tex jackets such as the Arc聮teryx Theta AR ($450; www.arcteryx.com)? Sure. The extra heft of such a piece does come in handy at times聴winter climbs of peaks such as Mount Rainier, for instance. And I聮d certainly still be inclined to take one up Denali. When I climbed that peak several years back, I lugged along an almost laughably heavy Mountain Hardwear three-layer, heavy-duty Gore-Tex jacket that they no longer make. It must have weighed close to three pounds, but Lord, I came to love that jacket. When things got nasty I could seal that thing up, pull the goggles over my eyes, cinch the hood, and I felt like I was in a terrarium looking out at a gawdawful storm but otherwise untouched by it.
But except for cases such as that, I’m all for lightweight jackets.
The votes are in: , including the year’s hottest shell.