Mountain Hardwear Tenacity Descent Jacket - Men's - 2006 BCS

Great jacket but cut too short for me.Got cold drafts up my back...The Arcteryx Theta Ar solved all my problems jacket wise.

I've been looking for a shell to replace my ancient North Face for too many years. Nothing really impressed me as enough of an improvement to justify the $. Then I saw the Descent on a guy at Snowmass and it looked so good I stopped him to check it out. He raved about it, so I made the plunge and ordered one. I have absolutely no regrets. It fits and moves great, protects, vents, etc. It is equally at home both resort and back-country. It is fairly light for a full protection jacket, not minimalistic, but definitely not over-techy either, just the right blend for me. For super-light/minimal days I just pull out my old Marmot Precip.
Only 1 minor gripe is the detachable hood. It works fine, but I'd prefer an connected hood which is lighter and simpler since I never remove the hood anyway. I knew this going in, but it wasn't a deal breaker since every other aspect was spot on.
Over-all, this is a really clean design, very well made, great looking and versatile shell that I highly recommend.

This jacket is very well constructed. I liked the features and the style. However, it didn't fit like I hoped it would. I'm 5'10", 140 lbs. and a small was a bit too short but baggy under the arms. Especially for backcountry, I'd prefer something a bit longer and more fitted. Overall, a good jacket from MH, just didn't work for me.

This is a great jacket, but it IS too short. I'm 5'9" and weigh 165lbs. The guy who is 5'11" said it didn't cover his bum. Since I'm shorter, I figured the XL, which he bought would be OK. Nope.
If you buy this jacket for skiing, you better have a pair of bib pants.

I purchased this jacket as a replacement for my MountainHardwear Exposure 2 jacket. The main reason I chose this jacket is that it is lighter in weight, more packable, and doesn't "soak up" water like the Exposure 2. Also, I did look into the The North Face Mountain Jacket, but I couldn't find an old style one that wasn't used. As I get older, I am wanting lighter, more functional gear, especially when I am "Packrafting" my Alpacka Raft- you must chose very lightweight stuff due to size restrictions with the pack for multi day trips, etc. The Tenacity Jacket is totally waterproof. It "Sheds" water, just like a high quality shell should. It is not zip in compatible, even though I have heard people save this. I am 5' 11'' 190 lbs. and I bought the XL size. It is a "snugger" fit than the Exposure was, but I can still get my MH fleece (can't remember the name of that one) underneath. They fit and rides good together. The hood on the Tenacity is removable, and it has multiple adjustment points and moves with your head, for the most part. The pockets are many and well thought out. I especially like the interior IPOD port on the left side/inner pocket. Nice touch. It has a removable powder skirt, again, another nice touch as I don't wear the powder skirt unless I'm on the slopes. For packrafting and hiking it would be excess- nice to remove it. The jacket has clean lines and is simple, yet very usable. The soft fleece lined chin guard is nice too. The only warning I have is that the jacket is shorter than expected, and probably isn't your best choice if your ONLY going to use it for snowsports, as it doesn't really cover your bum. I plan on using it as a multi-purpose shell, and I plan on keeping this one.

I looked at a number of ski jackets from Mountain Hardwear, North Face and Cloudveil before settling on the Tenacity Descent. I fall between medium and large and the Tenacity Descent fit the best. The features are usable in the real world... lots of pockets, great powder skirt, functional hood, etc. Little things like the lift ticket ring on the hem shows that Mountain Hardwear pays attention to detail. The jacket is not inexpensive, but I expect that it will last for a number of years. Thanks Mountain Hardwear.

I love the jacket. I took it for a test drive on a ski trip this past weekend. It functioned great as a shell, keeping me warm and dry. I love the choice of pockets. The hood is great...it popped it up for lift rides and down to cruise. Great design. The only negative I saw was that I'm almost between the L and XL even though my measurements place me firmly in L. As another reviewer noted, the jacket is cut a bit shorter than I would like...but that's to be expected for the "athletic" cut of this type of jacket. All in all, highly recommended.

I forgot to say that I have used this shell on several AT outings. Going uphill, it opens up very well/easily to ventilate. It's like turning the AC on when the extra long pitzips get opened up. I've also experienced some pretty violent blizzards with it, and it seals up awesome and won't flap around in the wind. Just cinch the hood and bring on the blizzard b/c it cinches perfectly around your head so you can turn your head and still see out- instead of seeing the side of the hood. I got this thing a week before going up into the Tetons, and it was a very wise choice. The only buyers remorse I have is not being able to wait b/c it went on a drastic sale barely a month after I got it.

Bomb proof materials and construction as always from Mountain Hardwear. I've made several rough runs through the trees and the jacket shows no signs of wear, except for some green stains. All the details show a lot of thought was put into the shell. Only one item is not well-planned for the true backcountry enthusiast; the jacket is jacket length (short) enabling use of a harness, but the pockets are not the usual Mountain Hardwear chest high slanted pockets, so they are not accessible beneath a hip belt, and actually rub like crazy underneath one. Otherwise the jacket is perfect. It's an efficient fitting cut, with enough room for a mid and base layer. In the pow, even with the skirt zipped in, you'll need some high back pants or bibs to keep out the cold stuff.

I've owned at at least 8 different ski and snowboard jackets. Been on a quest for the perfect 1, and viola, at last. The Mountain Hardwear Tenacity Descent is the best, period. Pockets where there should be pockets, smooth zippers, ferociously protective of the elements, and the tiniest of details addresses (drop-down lift ticket hook; earphones passageway; easy-to-use vents). I recommend this jacket 100%. Worth every penny.

I only tried this jacket on before returning it. This is a very well made jacket which features a two-way front zipper (two sliders), something I particularly like. Unlike the Arc'Teryx jackets, it has useful pocket space. It was short in the back, though, and not as practical as the Marmot Resolution, which I purchased.