Backcountry

Rustler GORE-TEX Stretch Jacket - Men's

I Dig it the Most

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Size Bought:

M

Height:

5' 9"

Weight:

185

I?d been ogling this jacket for many months, but the price kept me at bay (In my mind, $500 clothing should increase my IQ, or make me toast, or...). I finally succumbed to a sale offering, and put aside my desire for robotics to be included with anything that costs over $200. This jacket checks nearly all the boxes in my mind, and now I can attest to the fact that most of my expectations have been met. I've had two days of resort skiing in varying temperatures, but no active snowing. Here?s how I feel this jacket lives up to the features of my ideal jacket. 1. Be waterproof Yup 2. Be breathable I?ve used in temps from about 10 ? 45 (F) and though I had to lose layers underneath, I never felt suffocated by the shell 3. Be trim enough to not look like apparel from the mid-nineties, yet roomy enough to layer underneath I originally bought a large, thinking my adoration of cookies and beer would require it, but the thing was capacious. I exchanged it for a medium which both fits well and has room for s/s base layer, l/s base layer, and a decently puffy, 800 fill power down jacket or vest. For reference, I have what I would call, classic 47-year-old dad bod. A formerly athletic build ravaged by the aforementioned cookies and beer to yield a bit more belly than was once thought possible. 4. Not restrict movement Even with all the layers on board the jacket has never bound across my shoulders or back 5. Be purely a shell (i.e. un-insulated) Yup, with the super-cool exception of the insulated phone pocket, which just barely fits my gigantic Samsung phone (when will phones begin to trend smaller again?) 6. Have enough pockets to make Kvothe jealous Yup, I usually ski with a pack to drop/add layers and to Sherpa for the unprepared heathens with whom I ski and my wife. I left it at home last time out, and still had plenty of space to tote all the extras 7. Zip asymmetrically to keep the zipper out of my mouth when fully zipped up This is one of those esoteric, ?maybe it?s just me? things, but I really think this is the way all ski jackets should be made. The fact that Backcountry added the additional neck gusset with venting is just cherries on top. I LOVE this combination of features. The execution is good, but could be better (I think). Backcountry has some small magnets at the chin/neck to hold the excess material back when not in use and also to hold that same part of the jacket against the other ?side? when it is in use, but zipped down to allow for the use of the venting. The magnets are not really up the task, so I added a snap and it works a treat. 8. Have bi-directional zippers for the pit-zips and main zipper No, but I?ll let it slide?I guess?sheesh 9. Have mesh backed vents (i.e. pits, torso, etc.) No, but I?ll muddle through somehow 10. Have a hood that accommodates a helmet without turning me into the Michael Keaton Batman yet is adjustable to customize the fit around my misshapen bean (helmeted or not) Yup, big ?ol hood with enough adjustment to cinch the thing down around my un-helmeted head while I ate lunch. Coupled with the neck gusset, there is plenty of room to avoid having to turn at the waist to see from side to side. 11. With proper care, last long enough to hand it down to grandchildren No comment, yet