Mountain Hardwear GTX 2.5 Jacket - Men's

This is a hard review for me to write because the reality is I'm considering getting rid of this great jacket. The jacket itself is great - very durable, vents fairly well, and for once, it is actually waterproof. The problem for me is that it is 25 ounces which is fairly heavy for a piece of gear which rarely gets used (although no more heavy then many other more mainstream jackets). There are also more breathable fabrics in the form of eVENT. Unfortunately, for everyone who claims eVENT is the world's greatest fabric which allows you to breathe, there is someone else who will tell you that they got damp in a rainstorm while wearing it. To me, it's a trade off because at the end of the day I expect my rain gear to keep me dry or else there is no sense in having it. If I'm damp, it should be because I didn't ventilate the jacket properly, not because it leaked. Many people also incorrectly assume dampness means the jacket leaked or smothered them. The reality is that if the jacket didn't leak, which if the jacket is built correctly it really shouldn't, then the user is probably failing to use the wrist cuffs, zipper, and armpit zips correctly to get the jacket to breathe. My point here is that this is a great jacket with the only negative being it's weight. If you aren't an ounce-counter, then this is the jacket for you. By the way, if you want to have more fun camping/hiking, become an ounce counter. Nothing kills the experience more then a heavy pack which makes you miserable.

better than i expected - all the features i wanted and more. i had been wearing a north face for years and this was a nice upgrade and a lower price. great pocket placement and the plush YETI fleece is fierce. i haven't put it to the test on the slopes, but has done great in wet weather this year.