Marmot  Minimalist Jacket - Men's

I really wanted to love this jacket - the Minimalist was going to be my durable, storm proof shell layer for outdoor activities. BUT, I was extremely disappointed and shocked when, on its first encounter with water - a light sprinkling with a garden hose for less than 10 seconds, the face fabric failed miserably. While most of the fabric repelled the droplets as expected, water seeped in immediately along the shoulders and hood. Is this normal for a brand new, DWR-coated, GoreTex fabric or is my jacket an unfortunate lemon? I spent quite some time researching this jacket and I felt I found the perfect value-optimized rain shell but I am not confident it will hold up in rainy weather.

This is my second Marmont product -- disappointed in both. Marmont "lifetime" gaurantee kind of explains how long you will be on the phone trying to work out a solution. The most recent purchase is this blue jacket. Ok for short periods in a light rain, but no bueno in a heavy rain. It is possible this product is not intended for heavy rain use, if so, my bad for not reading the product description more carefully. Light weight and easily packable, it could benefit from speed velcro closures on the front wind flap and side pocket flaps. I like the chest pocket mucho. Overall rating -- meh. It helped that when I bought it, it was on sale.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Don’t waste your time… this jacket will fail you and you will be disappointed. The 2nd time wearing this in light rain, the jacket became completely soaked in through the shoulder seam area. Even buying this at 50% off, I’m still upset. Compared to the previous model, the angled zipper design makes it difficult to access the side pockets. The drawcord on the hood is a pain to adjust. I couldn’t get it to loosen without taking the entire jacket off. The single pull drawcord at the waist is also less user-friendly than the previous version and I don’t believe will last long. The older model had dual tensioners which made for easier adjustability.

This legendary Marmot was supposed to be my durable, stormproof shell, but despite loving the fit and design, it failed miserably when subjected to water. Not rain, just a light sprinkling from a garden hose for less than ten seconds! While most of the face fabric repelled water as expected, key areas around the shoulders and hood absorbed it immediately. I want to give the Minimalist a chance (I researched it and the reviews are great), so is my brand new jacket an unfortunate fluke - like maybe the DWR was not applied evenly - or is this common for this jacket?

The fit of the jacket is good, with enough room to put some extra layers underneath it. But at the most important part the jacket fails in mine opinion: that is the waterproof and breathability. In lighter rain for about 30-60 minutes it will keep you dry. But longer time or heavier rains, the jacket starts to let water through, especially at the shoulders and arms. Walked couple of hours in rain and was soaked. Breathability is poor as well. When start sweating, the inside of the jacket get wet quickly. Unless the zippers under your arms. I expect more from this jacket for its price. Especially because for it's Gore-Tex, which claims to be waterproof and breathable.

I've worn this jacket on a lot of adventures. From multi-day rain storms in the High Uintah Wilderness Area, to Florida tropical storms, this jacket comes with me whenever I need some quick protection from the weather. It has not disappointed me in wet conditions. GoreTex just works. The hood has a great fit because of the adjustable draw cord, and pockets are well placed. It can feel pretty hot inside when the temperature and humidity are high, but maybe I need to experiment a little with the pit zip ventilation more. And IMHO this is a good looking jacket. I am 6' 2" 190 lbs and the LARGE fits great.

I used it regularly for 5 years until I recently lost it on a bike packing trip in the mountains and missed it so much I purchased a new one. I've used it both working outdoors and recreationally hiking and biking. This jacket has proven to be a great all season rain/snow shell.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] From casual rainy days around town to chilly days out on the boat , these jackets are truly great. I have been using the minimalist jackets for years! I Look forward to adding the pro version to my collection :)

Love this jacket. I’m a whitewater rafting guide. Use it during rainy days and in the winter when snowboarding. Keeps me warm and dry no matter the conditions.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Been using Minimalist for about 5 years now, from cycling to running to everyday stuff. Very versatile jacket, can't recommend it enough.