Mountain Hardwear Epic Jacket - Men's - 2009 BCS

This thing is solid. Good quality materials, and more importantly great rain protection. It's a little warm, but the pit zips pretty much solve that problem. I love this jacket!

I borrow this jacket from my brother-in-law every chance I get because it's so freaking light and sheds rain better than duck! super good looking too. light

While I can't attest to how this jacket does in the rain, I can address several concerns with this jacket. There are quite a few reviews that say "this jacket will rip if if brushes against a twig," or "not very tough at all." I don't know what these people are talking about. First time I wore the jacket out, I wore it as a windbreaker for a ride. I stumbled on a jump trail, and hit it too hard. The third jump, I didn't get my front wheel high enough, so I endo'ed into the landing zone. I landed on my right shoulder and rolled about 3 times down the jump. While my shoulder is tore up pretty good, there isn't even a nick on my jacket. And it definitely should have torn. So while I can't address how the Epic does in the rain, I can tell you that this is one tough jacket...I love it.

let it be known that i have a steepandcheap.com addiction! apparently i had too many of the 3 Floyds Dreadnaught IPAs on the previous Saturday, because this jacket just showed up at my house on thursday. i completely forgot i ordered it. HA! glad i did. apparently i only paid fifty-something for it. 14oz (as labeled here) seems a little heavy. its crazy, bordering uber, light. as the reviewer below said, it sheds water like a quarter inch coat of turtle wax. i havent figured out how to do it yet, but supposedly it packs into its own pocket. i always just cram it into the mesh outer pouch under my pack cover in my Osprey atmos 65. the cinch cord on the back of the hood is the most functional thing i have encountered in a piece of gear in a while. for those of us who hike more than climb, it pulls the semi-rigid bill of the hood back so you can actually utilize your peripheral vision. full zip brings it to my lower lip. great great great jacket. exceptional. i have yet to wash it since it holds into that campfire/pine needle smell quite well...you be the judge as to whether or not that is a good thing. zipper pockets are functional. underarm zips vent well as they tend to do. i got it in a nice grassy green color. havent used the waist cinch cord yet. i am sure its fine. 6'3" 204. got an XL for layering purposes. could not be happier with this jacket...i should mention that this jacket gave me a gearection.

I have had this jacket for a few years. It replaced a North Face raincoat that had gotten too small for me. Perfect for the rain, especially on warm to hot days because it is so thin and light. On colder days, all it needs is a fleece midlayer. I love it because it weighs nothing and I can take it anywhere. Its also pretty good for spring skiing. I've washed it a lot and could use a new DWR coat but that is the only problem. Sheds rain like a pro.

I really like this rain jacket. It is very lightweight and does an excellent job of shedding the rain. Packs down small and has pit-zips to keep you from overheating on summer days.

The jacket breathes well and has been durable. Nice looking jacket too.

also vents really well for the price (better than my older patagonia torrentshell)...i am refuse to spend $300 on a rain jacket. exactly the opposite of the plastic rain slicker your mom dressed you in as a kid. impervious to normal trail errata including thorns...got into a patch of thorns (navel to nipple height)... i had a scratch on the chest i noticed later. no damage to jacket. just thought i should note this is not gore-tex...if you couldnt tell by the price.

I got mine at a steal of a deal and I am known to be hell on gear, and it seems to be holding its own. The water proofing is starting to fade but is has seen SEVERAL torrential downpours for hours at a time. The seam seal around the hood seperated at on point, but has yetto affect the performance. It is not breathable when totally zipped up but crack the vents and you are good to go. The material has been very abrasion resistant for the year I have had it. Overall I would say its a good jacket.

I have a few rain shells, and this is my lightest (and favorite) to take out on warmer trips. I'm a huge Gore-tex Nazi, but come on, we don't always need the hardcore shell. This packs into nothing and has a great fit. love it!

I've had this jacket a few months now, and it is by far my favorite rain jacket. I've had several by EMS and others by TNF, and no other jacket breathes like this does. All the other jackets I've had get all humid and sticky on warm rainy days. This jacket does not. Also the hood is by far the best I've seen. The wide reinforced brim blocks the rain from your face. The jacket also maintains it waterproofing for a long time. My EMS jacket I had for almost a yr, lost its original waterproofing after about the 3rd wash. The TNF jacket feels like it didn't even get to the 2nd wash before the waterproofing failed. This jacket had gone through the wash I don't know how many times, and still feels as though it is brand new.

I went around to a few stores looking to try this jacket, and tring the Marmot Precip (disliked) and the Patagonia Torrentshell, but couldnt find the Epic, and I didnt like how the MH Typhoon fit. I love the light weight, pit zips, and the 3 pockets. I especially like that the chest pocket is a welded in and waterproofed zipper. My one and only dislike about this jacket is that when you roll the hood up, the laminated hood makes the rolled-up hood try to straighten out. Now, I suppose it's worth this to have the laminated hood, but i wish they could have found a way to roll it up differently. I will definetley be keeping it, because it is a thousand times better than the $15 field & stream raincoat I am replacing, that is also a size too large and is annoying in high winds. All in all, it is a great jacket, especially if you can get it at the sale price of ~$70 that it used to go for. I used the online web chat with Backcountry, and they were really great and helpful with a lot of questions. I'm pretty sure this just became my go-to website for any outdoor items I purchase online. Shipping is very reasonable and fast, I wanted my gear quick and 3-Day Air was only $3 more than ground ship, which was only $8 to start. Quick note also, I did like the Torrentshell when trying it on in a store, but I just preferred the MH, but if you dont want a laminated brim, and a collar that will roll up without the above mentioned downsides, check the torrentshell out.

Also, when the Epic gets some epic action, I will be back with pictures of the Cyprus color.

Una chequeta que cumple con mis expectativas. Lo que más me gusta es el bolsillo estilo Napoleón, muy cómodo y útil. También se agradece el velcro para amarrar el gorro.

Great for most activities, in torrential rain you mine as well pack it up and put on the swimsuit

Great for most activities, in torrential rain you mine as well pack it up and put on the swimsuit

6'2", 160 lbs, this jacket is a bit large around the torso, but would allow ample room for layers in late fall/early spring. Sheds water like it's going out of style while feeling as light as paper. Very breathable, even during a 100 degree, 75% humidity day.

Just like the title says what an awesome jacket. I love how lightweight and packable the jacket is. Its also extremely tough. I live in Southwest Wyoming where the sagebrush is as tall as me(I'm six foot) Most jackets rip walking through the brush not this one. Highly recomend it.

Just like the title says what an awesome jacket. I love how lightweight and packable the jacket is. Its also extremely tough. I live in Southwest Wyoming where the sagebrush is as tall as me(I'm six foot) Most jackets rip walking through the brush not this one. Highly recomend it.

Got this and returned a Norrona Falkentind... The Falkentind was not worth what I paid, and I purchased this as a low cost replacement.

Going from a GoreTex Paclite jacket that retails nearly 5x as much as what I paid for this gave me some concern. So far, I don't regret it at all. Shed water well this morning and stayed dry even in "medium" rain (not quite a downpour).

My only complaint is that the sizing seems to be off compared to other MHW jackets... Small is good for me in Norrona, Arc'Teryx, TNF, (most) MHW, and so on... yet, this one was just too tight in the pits and short in the sleeves. Body fit well otherwise. Returning it for a correct size. I'm 5'9 and about 140 lbs.

I was torn between this jacket and the Marmot Precip, and I ultimately decided to go with the Epic. As a convenient twist, I got a Precip as a gift the same day my Epic arrived. The jackets are pretty much identical, but this one allows much more mobility for a tall skinny dude (6'2, 150lbs--sleeves don't ride up and are articulated well), covers better (2" longer at the back), and the hood allows better visibility. The material is beautifully waterproof, and the jacket weighs next to nothing. The Epic will be a staple in my pack for many years.

I love this jacket. I disagree with some of the reviews on its waterproofing. This jacket has held its own in every rainstorm I have ever been in. I think the arm vents provide great ventilation, but if you want more, you can unzip the chest pockets, which ends up being a great position with a pack on. This is a very light weight jacket with great functionality. The best part is its ability to pack up really small. Great jacket for backpacking!

5'11" 150lbs-ish and medium fits me fine. My only gripe is that the collar-area buttons seem spaced kinda funny, and on the tight side when worn over another garment (monkeyman fleece). It is very light though, and stands up to the wind/snow very well.

I used this most of the winter paired with the Monkey Man fleece jacket. Kept me dry and blocked the wind, just what it is supposed to do. Excellent freedom of movement and worked great for snowboarding. Haven't tried it out in a good rain storm yet, but am sure it will do fine.

I love this jacket. I've had it for 8-10 months. It's great for rain and snow. I havne't had a leak yet. Can't beat for the money.

This is a pretty good rain coat. Ive worn it in the bahamas during a very torrential downpour. It kept me dry, yet was light enough to keep me cool. The only downside i have with it is u might want to layer during those colder storms, as it is very thin.

Just received this jacket and as luck would have it, it was raining!...It's pretty sweet; light weight, breathes, and looks good!...I'm 6'4 and around 215lbs (+or- a few) and went with the XL; sleeves are plenty long and overall length is perfect for taller folks...Girth-wise it leaves enough room for a fleece underneath for colder days but doesn't look like a duffel bag...I tried out the Marmot Precip a while back and so far I'm liking the Epic much more.

My wife bought me this coat for a recent trip to Italy, we encountered quite a bit of rain but this coat kept my dry the entire time! It was also great for travel because it is so light and can stuff down into small pockets for easy access.

great jacket right here. fits perfect, the hood is big enough. the only thing about the hood is that there is no drawstring that comes down around the neck, so in some pretty mean wind, the hood can be blown off even if you have in cinched down. its perfect when i put my mountain hardwear monkey man on underneath. one of the warmest jacket systems i've ever worn. Would highly recommend this jacket for rain and as a cold weather shell.

So far this jacket has done everything I've expected from it. My last jacket was simply just a shell; no pockets, no ventilation, which can leave you just as uncomfortable and wet during a summer rain. The pit zips are a little awkward to operate when you're wearing it, but it's completely worth it in order to have the ventilated option. As far as waterproof capabilities, the conduit silk material seems to hold up pretty well. I actually have been using it more for work (landscaping) than on the trail, but it has seen its share of abuse and dirt and still repels water pretty well. Other notable features are the two zippered hand pockets, zippered breast pocket, waist drawcord, velcro cuffs, and the hood drawcord which is simply a single cord you pull at the very top of your head, rather than two cords on either side of your face like on some jackets. All in all, the quality of material, weight, features, and the very affordable price at backcountry.com make this jacket a great choice for any potentially rain-soaked adventure.

Great jacket, I bought this one to replace the same model that must be 5 yrs old. The old one is showing signs of wear to the white lining in a few areas, but is still as dry as it was when new. So I grabbed a great deal on this one to keep until the old one retires.

great jacket, very breathable, very rain/snow proof. Second Epic jacket, the only reason for replacement was a serious snowboard accident.

Ultra light + weather proof. Best fit & design for your buck.

This jacket sheds water like a ducks back. Great year round jacket, very light weight, but very well constructed. I see no reason why this jacket would not last a lifetime if taken care of. Fits true to size.

Not much I can say that hasn't already been said, but overall this is a great jacket. Does a great job of shedding water, and is light weight. The hood fits well and once you adjust it, stays on in the wind and turns with your head. Not going to hold up against an all day downpour, but its good for a couple hours in light to moderate rain. Also its really comfortable. For sizing I'm 5'8 140 and I got a medium which I can wear but a small would probably fit me better.

Jacket had a loose fit and great for the price but I returned it and got the Arcteryx SL worke better for me.

I bought this specifically for winter backpacking: I cannot attest to waterproof in heavy rain, but I can say it is conduit which I trust. The Ark Ripstop is much thicker than my MH Quark so I never worry about damaging it. At 5'8" and 150lbs, the medium is a good fit with room to layer (slightly snug with a down puffy on, but I usually don't wear that combo) At the SAC price, you cannot go wrong with this jacket. BTW, if you look into the hood in the pic you will see a darker piece of fabric with the MH logo: that is the strap that holds the hood in place when folded down and creates a collar. It seemed awkward at first, but I have come to love the simplicity.

I got this jacket two days ago and it happened to come on a day when it was raining, so I hit the trail. The water beaded up pretty nice at first, then it started pouring and the left sleeve started to soak a bit. Just a small area but it seemed as if the waterproofing was not effective in that area for some reason. I have to say it was some pretty heavy rain and I stayed pretty dry. For as light weight and packable as this jacket is it meet my expectations. However today I went out with it, and I made slight contact with a branch and it ripped a tiny hole in the wrist area of the left sleeve. The rip didn't go through both layers of material, just the outer. The inner white lining was still in tact. I was very disappointed that it wasn't very durable. I do still like the jacket and backcountry is taking this one back, and yes I ordered another one because even though it had some durability issues it really kept me pretty dry in a downpour and it will be a nice light weight rain coat for backcountry trips. For the money it is a good solid rain coat.

I spent a week on a canoe trip in spring 2 years ago with this jacket. It rained all week and I did not get wet inside once. I still use this jacket all the time and it has no signs of wear other than the velcro around the hands is getting kinda fuzzy (warn out but still works). I have brushed up against tons of branches and spikys that should have ripped it but haven't. I completely stand by this jacket (cause its lasted longer than any of my other rain jackets).

I'm 6' 215 and the large fits perfectly. Good looking jacket, and the pit-zips aren't too disappointing. I'm constantly frustrated with pit-zips in general, and these aren't too bad. I'll comment again once I've been able to use it in the rain.

I live in Oregon, where it rains what feels like every day, and i haven't gotten wet wearing this thing since i bought it two years ago. Its great to hike in, wear around town or go to the game in and it looks good!

I bought this jacket about a month ago when it was on sale for around $80. I'm a college student in Washington, and I love this jacket. Protects me from the rain, you can literally shake the water off of this jacket. I've always been a Mountain Hardwear fan, so this jacket is great.

Just purchased the Epic Jacket on sale and I got to say for the quality of product the price was amazing.

Super light weight, I have worn a friends before in some heavy rain and the thing kept me bone dry. So after getting some first hand with it I had to have my own. I would defiantly recommend this jacket to others.

Size is about right, loose fitting to accommodate layers, and the hood has a perfect shape

I wore this jacket for my first time yesterday on a hike when it was raining for about two hours. Needless to say everything in my sealed pockets got wet, and my shoulders got wet. Even though the price point is attractive the product doesn't live up to what it is supposed to be...a freaking rain jacket! I wouldn't use this jacket as a Ski/Snowboard shell either because its not windproof. This jacket would be best used as a cool fashion accessory to wear when it looks like it might rain, but if you get caught out in it you're going to get wet. Bottom line is there are better products out there for around the same price; it just sucks that Mountain Hardwear has jumped on the bandwagon of selling stuff that doesn't perform the way it should. You might as well go spend $30 on an Sierra Designs Rain Jacket that will perform just as well or better than this joke of a Rain Jacket.

Works well, packs small enough, mtn hardware quality!

Despite the fact they say the free shipping will take 7 to 14 days it was here 3 days after I ordered it. Sweet. I returned the large and I got a medium. They tend to run large. I'm 6' and weight 170 and the medium fits over a thick fleece and still has a lot of room to move. Haven't tried it in the rain yet but I"m sure it'll do better than me cotton/nylon Columbia jacket.

Can this jacket be rolled up reasonably small??..I want to carry it in a backpack....

Nice jacket

Yes, it Is VERY light. but seems well built. Has a nice sealed seam interior liner. (white/gray).

The hood rolls up and can be velcroed down- i dont do that.

I have the XL- it seems a tiny bit large for me- I am 6'2 around 200- the arms are PLENTY long- even for me- that usually is a problem for alot of long sleeve stuff with me.

I did get it cheaper locally, but It was a sale and seems to be around $120 wherever i looked.

Waterproofing dies off fast because it is just coated with water repellent spray as opposed to being a durable water repellent, which you do not need to reapply. This jacket is not breathable, contrary to what the product description says, and I would have to undo the underarm and full front zip in order for it to not be a sweat box while hiking. Decent for price, but I would pay a bit more for a better product. Also, hood is not compatible with a helmet

Mountain Hardwear does not stand behind their product. Every time I wore this jacket it leaked and I was wet. I decided to send it in to Mountain hardwear for repair. They told there was nothing wrong with the jacket and then proceeded to explain to me the finer points of condensation. I am well aware of the difference between condensation an water leakage. I work in a gear store and make recommendations all day long on what products people should buy and I will not recommend Mountain Hardwear any more. Buy from a company that will stand behind their product, like Patagonia.