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I think my rain jacket has finally seen it's last day so I'm in the market for a new jacket. What would you choose as your next rain jacket if you were to have to buy one today? I'm looking for something waterproof/breathable, rugged and not worried about price. I've always been an Arc'Teryx guy but open to change (I've heard good things about OR and Patagonia?)
Thanks!
Last edited by Steve E (7/27/2017 12:03 pm)
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hi steve
i have a hydrofoil jacket from m.e.c. and fjallraven karl wax trousers. large enough fit for base layers
The North Face Summit Series Gore-Tex Pro. Was less expensive than Arc'Teryx when I was in the market and is my go to jacket in the backcountry. Waterproof, highly breathable, bug proof, durable, etc... I'd get another one in a heartbeat.
Good luck in your search.
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Marmot Essence
I purchased based on good reviews, it's light and compactness for backpacking.
I used it this past May during that rainy weekend at the beginning of the month. I was bone dry in it and my TNF Venture pants.
I've used it in other rain and warmer conditions, next to skin and it breathes really well.
Overall I am really pleased with it; my one qualm is the lack of side pockets (it only has a left chest pocket) but, like I said one of the reasons I purchased it was because of it's weight. A trade-off I suppose.
Don't be stuck on one brand... I used to do that, but have since broadened my horizons and I'm better off for it.
Edit: I see you wanted durable (rugged); I wouldn't go with this specific Marmot jacket for durability.
Last edited by breed85 (7/27/2017 12:09 pm)
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Hey Steve
So what I wear and what I would buy if price didn't matter are 2 different questions.
For a jacket I wear either a Marmot Precip..Good decently priced jacket.
or a Level 6 Bonavista Jacket .
The Precip jacket is lighter and more breathable and the Level 6 jacket is warmer and offers better range of motion, so easier to paddle in.
My pants are from Borah Gear in the US. Very light and do about as good a job as can be expected keeping you dry while being very breathable and light.
If money were no object for a jacket I would likely buy an Arcteryx Beta SL If I wanted to stay really light maybe an OR Helium II or Rab Flashpoint.
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I have the OR Aspire jacket (it's womens, but I'm sure there is a men's equivalent) and I'm really pleased with it. The pit zips go all the way to the waist and you can undo from the armpit or the bottom of the jacket. It's great for me to accommodate my large hips but is also great to accommodate a backpack hip belt so the rain doesn't collect at your waist if you are hiking.
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Money no object then Arc’teryx Zeta LT. It's pretty awesome. Next two would be the marmot precip which is a fantastic value or the marmot minimalist which is a bit more beefy version of the precip(different material but fits the same-the precip is a marmot proprietary fabric while the minimalist is goretex).
I can also vouch for the fantastic customer service from marmot. We have some arcteryx stuff but haven't yet had to seek customer service out which I guess is a vote of confiedence in the brand itself.
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Thanks for the input so far guys....I've checked out every suggestion made so I appreciate the suggestions!
I did give a hard look at the Precip jacket but I think I'm looking for something a bit beefier...
What's the consensus on the quality of North Face gear now? I know in the past it was considered to be more technical, high-end however I've heard that over the years they have lowered quality to offer more affordable items to the masses?
I have read about varying opinions on the actual performance of Gore-Tex...I think I lean towards it because I tend to use my hard shells for everything from back-country winter tripping, to late fall/early spring canoe trips, to downhill skiing to wearing to work on a rainy day. I do like the durability of the better quality Gore-Tex as I have had good experiences so far. My Arc'Teryx jacket is almost 15 years old and is still functional, however it's certainly reaching the end of it's life.
At this point I think I'm looking hard at 1 of two jackets:
Patagonia Pluma:
Arc'Teryx Beta AR:
I would also consider the Beta SV (Severe Weather) but I don't know if it would be a bit overkill. I do use the jacket in summer but mainly just if I'm sitting around camp in a downpour
I also like a couple of the OR jackets like the Furio or White Room....
Decisions...decisions 
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The Beta AR is on sale here right now.Crazy cheap for this jacket..
NO returns on this site because of the deals.. so you had better be sure Steve....
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Wow thanks for that link ShawnD, much appreciated! That is a crazy deal eh?
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There is also the New(ish) Columbia Outdry series. They have good reviews so far.
They look funny, but no DWR means no perfluorocarbons.
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I'm with Claire. OR rocks. I dont even look at other brands.
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If you're looking for something a bit beefier, take a look at the Bass Pro Shops 100 MPH jacket or the SIMMS line. Both are high quality products that have stood up to a lot of abuse.
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I've decided to send my Arc Teryx jacket back to see if they will warranty it. It is an old jacket but the only reason I'm looking to replace it is because the seam tape is coming off in a bunch of spots. Arc Teryx has a good warranty (part of the reason I was willing to shell out the $700+ to buy it in the first place) so I figure I'll wait to see if they can repair it before I move on and buy a new one. I'm not sure if they will or not so if not I'll look more into the suggestions here. Thanks again everyone!
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I have a north face resolve rain jacket. Really nice and light. Enough fit to wear warm base layers in the fall of the year. Almost 100% waterproof. Only time i ever got wet under it was while fishing in an almost downpour for 3 hours. The shoulders of my base layer got a bit wet but thats it. For the price it is pretty great. I got it on sale for $79.99
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***An update***
I know Arc Teryx has a good warranty so I emailed them and decided to send it off for them to have a look at. I thought maybe they could repair it for a fee or offer a small discount off a new jacket. To my surprise they have offered to ship me out a brand new jacket! I could pick whatever one I wanted but if I wanted an upgrade I'd just pay the difference. Needless to say I'm super impressed with this level of customer service. I love Arc'Teryx gear and own a fair bit of it. It is not cheap but it's held up very well for the most part and they obviously stand behind their products.
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