Marmot Cerro Torre Jacket - Men's - 2006 BCS

I am a traditionalist. Having started climbing in the mid-1960s I tend to distrust some of the new very light weight gear. In the Pacific Northwest rain gear gets pushed to the extreme. My last parka came from REI and was made from what was called Xtreme Gore-Tex. It never lived up to its name. The matrix fabric would get wet and the feeling of dampness permeated the interior of the jacket. It was a great disappointment.
The Cerro Torre has definitely restored my faith in Gore-Tex. I have spent several days in drenching downpours without any water penetrating the jacket. When I moved out of the rain the exterior of the jacket was dry in a few minutes. Nothing got wet.
The hood, sleeves, and zipper closures are superb.
This is a tough jacket that will stand up to the rigors of the Northwest. It slightly heavier than the others on the market, but I suspect it will still be fully functional when they have been replaced by their owners. I am of the school that believes a $400 jacket should last as long as its warranty, a lifetime.

I forgot to mention that (in my opinion) Marmot has adjusted their sizing over the past couple of years. The medium Cerro Torre is almost the same size as an old Marmot Annapurna size large. If you plan to wear this with a heavy fleece or down layer underneath, then you should be alright ordering your regular size. If you plan to wear it with thin to medium layers underneath, then you may want to order one size down.

I picked up this jacket for my brother and he raves about it. It's essentially an updated Pillar jacket, but with a few improvements that make a big difference. The fabric feels really tough, yet has a soft hand. It's very well designed - even some of the same details that they've had for a while are just a little nicer - improved map pocket/"flash pocket", thinner storm flaps, improved pack pockets, etc. They've even added a wire to the brim that makes it shapeable. The only complaint (from me, not from my brother, mind you) is that the pit zips are single-sliders vs. double-sliders. It isn't a big deal, but it can't save much on weight, so why lose the option. Lastly, we use our gear for serious outdoor pursuits - mountain climbing, skiing, and (my brother) with the local Search and Rescue team. He's used it a bit this fall, but he really looks forward to using this jacket this winter.

Excellent in the rainforest and top of volcano.