REI Co-op  XeroDry GTX Jacket - Men's

This jacket has many features I have been seeking in a rain shell. It is lightweight, compressible, has a well-designed hood, a chest pocket, adjustable cuffs, ventilation through the hand pockets, and is composed of high-quality fabric that is supple yet stout. I assessed its performance by using it for rain protection during a multi-day backpacking trek in the VA mountains. It rained every day during the trek and, at times, poured for sustained periods. These conditions allowed me to determine if the jacket’s traits and features perform as designed. Throughout the trek, there was no detectable water intrusion through the Gore-Tex sealed fabric and there was a high level of wind resistance. The storm flap inside the main zipper prevented water entry through the zipper increasing the water seal. The hook and loop tabs on the sleeve cuffs allowed me to close the sleeve openings during heavy rain and open them when greater air flow was desired. The upper chest pocket provided a waterproof haven for important electronic devices. The mesh lining of the hand pockets served a dual purpose by allowing escape of water from wet hands and a source of ventilation during light rain periods. During periods of limited rain and increasing temperature the jacket did not make me feel overly hot. This suggests the jacket is breathable and allows for heat escape. The two adjustment options on the hood allowed me to achieve a good fit over my cap and stay in place during windy periods. The contours of the hood allowed for good peripheral vision and the integrated visor provided face protection when not wearing a cap. In addition to providing rain protection during the day, the jacket proved to be a good camp coat and helped me stay warm during cool nights. Though soft to the touch, the jacket fabric seems very durable. The coat was exposed to many thorns and abrasions during the hike, yet those insults were barely detectable during post-hike inspection. This indicates the jacket is tough and likely durable over the long-term. In sum, the many design features of this jacket perform as intended making it a very good rain protection shell. It will be my jacket of choice for future backpacking treks. I can also see using it for rain protection during a broad array of other outdoor activities. This is a very good rain jacket at an affordable price, so I recommend others give it serious consideration seeking rain protection gear.

After having mine for about 8 months I took a trip to Seattle. I spent about 30min in the rain, then came back inside, by which time the entire jacket was covered in water on the inside. This wasn't perspiration - I wasn't sweating, it was water than had been absorbed into the face fabric and then passed through the GoreTex membrane and was visibly wet on the entire inside surface. Fortunately REI has an excellent return policy and I returned the garment for a full refund.