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Reviews > Clothing > Jackets and Vests > Marmot Precip Jacket > Owner Review by Michael P. Smith

MARMOT PRECIP JACKET
BY Mike Smith
OWNER REVIEW
July 05, 2009

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Michael P. Smith
EMAIL: michael.patrick.smith@gmail.com
AGE: 25
LOCATION: Colorado Springs, CO
GENDER: M
HEIGHT: 6' 1" (1.85 m)
WEIGHT: 185 lb (83.90 kg)

I’ve been backpacking since I was a kid and have spent my entire life in the outdoors of Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia, and all surrounding states. Upon moving to Colorado two years ago, I have begun extensive backcountry backpacking under harsher conditions. In addition to backpacking, I’m an avid runner who tallies up quite a bit of mileage. Because of this, I prefer fast ascents with lighter gear.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: Marmot
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Manufacturer's Website: http://marmot.com/
MSRP: US$99.99
Listed Weight: 13 ozs / 369 g
Measured Weight: 13 ozs / 369 g
Other details:

FIELD USE

I've used this jacket on countless excursions in which it performed admirably:

Longs Peak Summit Climb, CO:
We started our hike at the trailhead around 9,000 feet (2743 m) in a torrential downpour/lightning storm. The entire trip up to a boulderfield around 13,000 feet (3962 m) I stayed bone dry, including hiking through forests and scrambling over boulders. The pit zips allowed plenty of breathability and I didn't sweat up a storm as we climbed. The next morning we made the final climb to the summit and encountered significant winds. The Precip blocked the winds enough so I only had to wear a t-shirt and a midweight layer. All in all the jacket saved me and didn't weight my (already heavy) pack down.


Steamboat Springs Springtime Skiing:
I spent a weekend at Steamboat's 2009 Closing weekend for some late season skiing... All three days I skiied in a healthy mix of rain, sleet, and snow. Because the temperatures weren't extraordinarily low, I chose to wear my lightweight shell, the Marmot Precip. The Precip kept me dry for a good portion of the time; I stayed fairly dry skiing and even doing a little hiking. I did notice however, that after about three hours of a steady downpour, water started to slightly permeate through the jacket. My shirt underneath did get wet, but this was only after a couple hours of steady rain. The Precip was still a good choice as temperatures were higher.


Mt. Democrat Summit Climb:
We started our hike at 12,000 feet (3658 m) with fair weather and no need for a jacket. Within five minutes the rain rolled in and I pulled out the extremely packable Precip. It packs up almost the size of a softball and thus can be stored in even small Camelbak's on easy 14ers. As we approached 12,500 feet (3810 m), we started to cross snowfields and the rain turned into steady sleet. The Precip repelled it all successfully. At around 13,000 feet (3962 m) we hit heavy snow the rest of the trip. Again, the Precip handled it all expertly and I stayed bone dry. The hood was a great feature as it blocked the wind and snow coming in higher up on the peak.

THINGS I LIKE

-Extremely light
-Extremely packable (to the size of a softball)
-Breathable (especially with pit zips)
-Has better-than-expected waterproofness
-Attached hood functions well, allows some adjustability with velcro strip on back
-Draw cord allows some adjustability
-Wrist cuffs are adjustable
-Colors look great asthetically

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

-Hood does not pack away (roll into collar)
-Water permeates after extended use (after about 2 hours of constant rain)
-Cut is not fitted - excess fabric in chest is bukly and gets caught on gear

SUMMARY

The Marmot Precip Jacket is a workhorse waterproof shell at a killer price, ideal for lightweight backpacking or general all-around use.

SIGNATURE

Mike Smith

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Read more gear reviews by Michael P. Smith

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