I purchased this jacket on sale from Patagonia, and was excited to try it out. I wore it a few times...mostly in cold (and not too damp) conditions, including a summit bid on Mount Meeker in Colorado. The jacket performed well up to this point. I wore the jacket out in Montana during a rain/snowstorm during a 6 mile hike, and, disappointingly, the jacket wet out much more quickly than I think it should have. The DWR finish did not seem to wear off, it just seemed that the jacket got soaked after having been out in drizzle/mist/slush for about 4 hours. I was expecting that one could go longer in damp conditions without the fabric wetting out. Anyway, the jacket is windproof, and stayed dry in anything but very wet conditions. The fit and material qualities were top notch. However, I ultimately decided to return it to Patagonia, as I am in need of something more waterproof. Patagonia promptly refunded my money, and I found a very good deal on an Arc'teryx Beta AR jacket ($269).

Customer Service

Patagonia's customer service is quite good, and (in general) I have found their products to be of high quality.

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Arc'teryx Beta AR (will review later)
Campmor Camptech High Peaks Parka

I purchased this jacket in 1993 because it rated one of the best in a shootout with similar jackets. 8 years later, I find myself wondering if I should upgrade. I have put the Super Pluma there hell and high water without any complaints. Not one. The shell works perfectly in a heavy rain as well as in a 5 degree snow storm. I never leave home without it.

I plan to buy the same jacket again, 8 years of abuse proves it's craftmanship.

Customer Service

Never had a service problem, the jacket never failed...

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None

great lightweight shell! only problem i have had is when it is zipped up all the way, the hood is restrictive around my neck. if i have the hood on then it's ok but with the jacket zipped all the way up and the hood down it just dont fit right. other than that i think this is the best lightweight non gor tex shell around!! i only gave it 4 stars because of the hood thing,

Customer Service

patagonia cust svc rocks!!

Similar Products Used:

various other jackets....

Great jacket for an all around bad weather. I keep mine behind my truck seat so it's handy when ever needed. Tough material, stands up to abuse.

Customer Service

Patagonia is tops in customer service. Several years ago I had a pair of baggies that had the zipper break right off the first week. I took them back to the store where I purchased it (North American River Runners in Hico, WV), the manager pretty much told me "tough, shi* happens". I called Patagonia, told me the guy sounded like a bozo, just send the shorts back to them and they would replace ASAP. They stood by their product even when one of their dealers wouldn't.

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great jacket - this is my "civilian jacket" par excellence when not ski patrolling - light when it needs to be, comfortably layerable for max warmth; never a hint of a leak even in mid-atlantic "winter" precip.

Customer Service

Patag. service came as advertised - I purchased this within months of a design change that added pitzips. It could get a little toasty w/o the zips, 'specially when climbing Tuckerman's. They exchanged it for the newer p-zip model, no questions asked.

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None

I have had my jacket for trhree years. Its light weight allows you to layer up or down. It is perfectly rain and wind proof. Light weight, durable and can be easily compressed to fit in a day pack. Its waterproofing is still going strong after lots of use.

Customer Service

I call Patagonia a lot for suugestions on outdoor wear for hiking, XC skiing and mountaineering. They have allways been very helpful and there suggestions are alsways correct.

Fantastic jacket! Just what you need to keep you and the elements apart, while keeping the weight down and the packability high. The finish on the fabric is noticably nicer than a lot of the competition out there. It feels both supple and strong, with a boardiness that is just rigid enough to shed water well. Did I say "fantastic jacket"?

Customer Service

Patagonia's service is supreme.

Similar Products Used:

TNF, Mont Belle, Marmot, Helly Tech

This is a great all around jacket. It is scalled down to the bare minimum, but provides all the protection you need. It packs light and small, but will stand up to snow and rain. The material does a great job with vapor moment (sweat). I have soaked this jacket and dried it out on my body within an hour. It is always in my pack!

Customer Service

I don't think there is another company that can compare with Patagonia for customer service. Not only are their employees helpful and knowledgable, but they use and abuse their product. Patagonia also stands behind their product, no questions asked.

Similar Products Used:

I have similar jackets from The North Face.