I'll be working all day every day, all summer on a large lake in NH (Winnipesaukee) as a field biologist. Would this be a good jacket to handle heavy rain/wind? If not could anyone else recommend something around this price range? Thanks!

Yes this jacket will keep the rain out for everyday use. The only difference between the Proshell and Paclite the durability. They are different materials, but they work the same for keeping water out. I have worn this jacket in some heavy spring rains here in the Southeast. One in particular last for 7 hours, and it was really coming down. My boots started leaking, but my OR Foray Jacket and Pants held strong. If you are working hard and sweating while it is raining heavy the sweat vapor won't be able to escape fully... So some moister will collect inside the jacket, but it isn't rain coming in. You will really have to working up a good sweat for this to happen, but that will be the case with any rain jacket on the market.

This Jacket is great for hiking and being outside all day. As for being on a boat all day long, all summer, i'm not sure Gore Pac-lite is your best bet. It IS Gore, but I would recommend something more like the gore pro-tec. It'll handle the harder surged of sideways water better. That said, I used this jacket on a boat out of Seward alaska just after I bought it and it stood up perfectly to the rain and wind. Had I done that every day though I imagine it might have worn it out by the end of the summer. I've used this jacket for a couple years now as my main rain jacket hiking, camping, and fishing, and everything else in alaska and it holds up realy great. It's starting to feel a little less stiff, like the fabric is loosening up, but i've retreated the jacket with nikwax wash in and it's still going strong. If it's not torential downpours i'd say this jacket would be fine, but if you're going to be out in the rain every single day, i'd get something like a hard shell with Gore Pro.

This would be a good all day every day rain shell. Gore-Tex will keep rain and water out. Also, the hood will be effective in keeping out the weather. I feel this is something you could use everyday.