Mountain Hardwear  Stretch Ozonic Jacket - Men's

THE most comfortable rain jacket I've had. Basically a soft shell jacket with a waterproof membrane. Build quality is top-notch, and the face fabric is soft and stretchy unlike any rain jacket I've tried. So far no durability problem after two full year of regular use. I've gone through hikes where I had to go off trail through some serious spiky bushes which I thought was gonna destroy the jacket. Checking the jacket after the hike I was unable to find any significant wear. If maintaining and properly washing the jacket one in a while, the jacket also seems to be sufficiently waterproof for most drizzles, but does seem to be more prone to wetting out than other more hardshell-like rain jackets. However, It’s worth noting that wetting out doesn’t mean leaking, and moisture level is probably already too high in pouring weather. Get this jacket if you plan on wearing it regularly as a wind-rain shell/soft shell on hikes rather than a dedicated severe weather hard shell.

Mountain hardware really skimped on the zipper. Because of that, it’s extremely overpriced. I had the older model with the plastic zipper last about 9months before the zipper broke and then another 6 months before the repair became unrepairable. The newer version I spent a lot more to replace it with feels cheaper in every way. The material is thinner and the zippers are the same size as ones you might find on a pillowcase - they’re absurdly small. You want to find a brand that’s resisting the race to the bottom, mountain hardware is not.

Warning - this is not a "Rain" jacket for a PNW downpour or trudging through a Jakartan forest. That said I've had mine for years and it LIVES in my pack. I LOVE it. Its with me on every backpacking or hiking trip in the Sierra, Rockies, or Olympics* (In Aug. & Sept :-p*) What its not - Its not a Lets go walk in a heavy downpour for 4 hours rain jacket. Its not Maritime foul weather gear. Its ultra light material is wonderful, stretchy, soft and quiet. BUT with those traits come with poor DWR performance, early wets out, and it's not durable - you have to be careful with it (like you would a MH Ghost Whisperer). But for a the standard 30-45 min afternoon shower in the Sierra at 4:30pm it will keep you dry while you stand under a tree and eat a snack. It will block the wind and cloud moisture while you're crossing the Pyrenees on the first day of the Camino de Santiago. It will keep you toasty over a fleece while summiting Mt. of the Holy Cross and it will break the wind on that 22 mi. run along Sol Duck's Seven Lakes Basin. It's not going to be highly durable. Its DWR will need revitalizing often and it wets-out quickly. But it's like 10oz and breaths like crazy! So you gotta make a decision - what kind of rain jkt do you want vs. need. Think of it as the best high breathable ultra light windbreaker other that offers great light rain/drizzle protection. Is it breathable - YES, HIGHLY Is it waterproof? - News flash, this is 2026. "Water Proof" is subjective. Mine is at least 10 years old and still going strong. I have the pants too and while I almost never wear them when I do... they are just as nice as the jkt.

Nice jacket. Breaths well. Moves well. I would recommend