This is an excellent shell - one of the best, and worth every penny. It kept me completely dry during rain, snow and hail storms on Kilimanjaro and Rainier. It's also perfect for walking my dog in the rain. I now own three of them. Love the bright colors.

This is the first rainjacket I have owned - other than those generic Target types that come in a plastic bag. It was very pricey but it held up to the So.CA downpour last month. The jacket is very well constructed. I can wear a sweater underneath and still move freely, and the hood is very roomy. I only wish it had hand pockets. I still have to take it out on a rainy hike for the ultimate test, otherwise, I give it a high thumbs-up.

I noticed the other review refer to this as a great "rain jacket". While I'm sure it functions great as a rain jacket - there is SO much more it has to offer. I spent a sub -20 degree windchill, snowy day at 13k feet - winds so bad I could barely stand straight - and while every other part of me was freezing, my core stayed completely warm. The Alpah SV is in my opinion the best you can get for your dollar in the technical shell category. The design is slim fitting, but flexible enough to allow full movement for climbing, skiing, ect. Virtually zero wind gets through this jacket and the hood is large enough to fit over a helmet.