The Montbell Rain Trekker Jacket is a 2-layer Gore-Tex Infinium rain shell that’s loaded with options however nonetheless exceptionally light-weight and inexpensive. Weighing simply 7.8 oz in a males’s XL (6.9 oz in a measurement medium), it’s an ideal seam-taped jacket for 3+ season climate with a three-way adjustable hood, entrance brim, velcro wrist-cuffs, a water resistant entrance zipper, and two hipbelt appropriate zippered chest pockets. These chest pockets are a fairly uncommon factor on rain jackets designed for hotter climate use, however they’re extraordinarily precious should you wish to deal with your rain jacket pockets as an extension of your packing system.
Specs at a Look
- Weight: 6.9 (Males’s M) – Ladies’s sizes accessible
- Weight Examined: 7.8 oz Males’s XL
- Kind: 2-layer, waterproof/breathable
- Membrane: Gore-Tex Infinium Windstopper
- Outer Material: 20D Nylon Ripstop with DWR end
- Helmet Suitable: Sure
- Hydrostatic Head: 30,000 mm
- MVTR: 43,000 g/ m²/ 24hrs
The Montbell Rain Trekker is a light-weight however fully-featured seam-taped rain jacket. I’ve been utilizing it since this spring for rain and for wind safety in cooler climate, normally layered over a fleece midlayer. Whereas the Rain Trekker is billed as a water-proof/breathable jacket, I haven’t been blown away by its capability to vent water vapor. It’s ample so far as this stuff go. I actually accumulate perspiration when carrying it, however in case you have low expectations about waterproof/breathable materials, you’ll by no means be dissatisfied.
The principle purpose to get a water-proof/breathable jacket as a substitute of a silpoly or silnylon one boils right down to the match, options, and seam taping that are normally far superior for mountain climbing in mountainous terrain. If you understand how to handle wet-out with midlayers, so it doesn’t chill you, otherwise you solely use a water-proof/breathable jacket as a hardshell in winter when the precipitation is strong, then a water-proof/breathable jacket is smart to put on.
Moreover its low weight, the options on this jacket that basically rock my boat are the hood and its three-way adjustability, the velcro wrist cuffs, the seam-taped building, and the outside material which is quiet to put on and doesn’t have a shiny floor that you just discover on a few of Montbell’s different rain jackets just like the Versalite. If the Rain Trekker had pit zips, it’d be an much more fascinating jacket.
The Hood
Good hoods are exhausting to search out on rain jackets. This one is outstanding as a result of it may be adjusted in 3 ways.
- The scale of the face opening could be adjusted to dam wind from coming into round your face. That is achieved with elastic cords which Montbell tunnels by the higher chest in order that they are often adjusted whereas carrying gloves. They use the identical system on different jackets and it’s good.
- There’s a velcro tab within the again than can be utilized to boost or decrease the entrance brim. The brim will not be bendable however does stop the entrance of the hood from flopping down over the eyes.
- A rear cordlock allows you to alter the hood quantity to assist cut back flapping within the wind.
Whereas the Rain Trekker hood is helmet appropriate, these changes additionally allow you to tailor it simply for non-helmet use. I’ve a small hat measurement and I don’t have any downside shrinking the hood to a extra formfitting measurement.
Hipbelt Suitable Pockets
The Rain Trekker has two chest pockets that may be simply accessed whereas carrying a backpack. I like maintaining hats and gloves in these pockets so that they’re straightforward to placed on or take off after I’m mountain climbing. However they’re additionally giant sufficient to carry a folded map, compass, telephone, or snacks.
Most rain jackets don’t have chest pockets like these, as a result of they’re really not designed for hikers who put on hip belts. I like these pockets as a result of I can entry or put away regularly used gadgets that you just actually can’t simply put into backpack shoulder strap or hip belt pockets. Each of those pockets are fairly giant and still have water resistant zippers with zipper garages on high to forestall water streaming down your chest from leaking in.
Wrist Cuffs
The jacket additionally comes with wrist cuffs, that are half elastic and half velcro, so that you stop wind and water from leaking up the arms or wrap the sleeve round glove/mitten gauntlets. I’ve additionally discovered them straightforward to make use of after I pull the jacket sleeves as much as vent my wrists since this can be a good technique to regulate physique warmth.
Suggestion
The Montbell Rain Trekker Jacket is a really light-weight 2-layer Gore-Tex Infinium rain jacket that’s good for 3+ season use. I prefer it as a result of it’s so light-weight, however nonetheless fairly “technical”, with a extremely adjustable hood and hipbelt-compatible pockets that complement my model of mountain climbing. I fee it as a 3+ season jacket as a result of I’ve discovered it a bit too cool to put on in winter and like a thicker and hotter exhausting shell for winter use.
For those who’re questioning how this jacket compares to the Montbell Versalite Rain Jacket (hyperlink to evaluate) which I additionally advocate, they’re really fairly related, besides that the Versalite has a shiny exterior material and lengthy pit zips, that are fascinating for venting physique warmth so that you perspire much less. That stated, they’re each very good rain jackets and actually are best-in-class.
Disclosure: Montbell donated a jacket for this evaluate.
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