Have mountain pant and this one, I would suggest trying hard to get them on sale as they are expensive for cotton pants in general; but, with that said, I love MK pants. I like this twill pant more than the original and wear it more. If you iron it well, then you can wear it to work and be more comfortable than anyone else there but it still works great for casual days. I live in MN and like that these pants are warmer than most other brands of khaki pants. I also like the softer fabric of the twill than the original mountain pant. If your not planning on scuffing the daylights out of your pants on rocks etc get these pants instead of the original mountain pant, as I bet you'll get more use out of em. Oh yeah they fit great over boots so look better than most pants if you want to wear with beefier shoes

Layers under a shell really well as the exterior is slick sort of slippery nylon. This thing is lighter, warmer and more compressible than almost all fleece, get one to replace your old fleece and you won't regret it. For anyone serious about getting into wilderness where they will need some warm layers this is a good purchase. Minor issue for backpacking, handpocket zippers are right at hipbelt height.

I suggest you try it on before ordering if possible. Fit is great, I'm almost 6' and 175 lbs (I'm atheltic and not overweight at all) and the large really fits well. I have some other jackets from popular outdoors brands (patagonia, cloudveil) and their mediums fit me perfectly. So if you're my size you may want to try both a medium and a large on somewhere or cunsult with backcountry customer service who sometimes can help with getting you sized on internet or help with ordering both sizes and getting mailorder returns (they have been great).
While I haven't bushwacked with the jacket, I would suspect the shell fabric wouldn't hold up. Be warned and wear something burly over it before getting into anything thorny.

eVent more breathable than similar gore products, stretch works well, hood like a ninja/balaclava style thing, nice wire brim, sweet weight. Bottomline this jacket performs well. Some small gripes. 1. for a price like this montane should put something soft right around the face and lips like tricot or fleece or something, it's really just less comfortable having your face on the shell material and the lining is the traditional three layer type of semi scratchy stuff. 2.) The main zipper has an awfully large rain flap in addition to the waterproof zipper so that it makes it hard to use the zip. FYI for us Americans the zipper will seem backwards, but one can get used to that part. 3.) This shell fabric seems thin in order to be lightweight. My concern is stretch reinforced around elbows+pockets+cuffs but not shoulders. I wonder if packstraps will wear on shoulders over time, haven't had long enough to tell if this will be a problem.

UPDATE as of november 2010 now- LOVE THIS SHELL HAD FOR A YEAR NOW AND WHILE THE CHIN FLAP NOT HAVING SOMETHING SOFT STILL BUGS ME SOMETIMES; I CAN SAY THIS JACKET JUST WORKS REALLY WELL, DWR COATING IS GREAT AND IS MORE BREATHABLE THAN MY PRIOR GORE TEX XCR SHELL. A GOOD DEAL WHEN AT SALE PRICE!

Very water resistant, Very wind resistantIf you like very athletic fit this has it. It also has very soft backing throughout.I have a cloudveil serendipity with schoeller dynamic fabric to compare it to.Downsides not as breathable as schoeller dynamic or some other softshells, but as a result it does handle nastier, windy, rainy weather somewhat better.Other downside is it's not as stretchy as some softshells. It has some stretch but not like shoeller fabric in the serendipity. I picked it up at a stellar sale price and am overall very happy with it.

Was looking at this on a great sale price and tried it but am disappointed to say the fit was the reason it needed to be returned. This jacket is very narrow in the waist and hem. It's made for someone shaped like a "V". I am an atheltic 26 y.o. and medium in patagonia, arcteryx fits me perfectly but not this one so be careful. Otherwise, the jacket looks great, e-vent awesome, reinforced shoulders, light weight, pockets a bit low for technical athletes that will wear a hip belt, but best deal out there for the price if it fits you.