Mountain Hardware Epic Jacket Review

The Epic Jacket is a lightweight, waterproof, breathable jacket that provides protection from the rain in the summertime and can act as an outer, protective layer in the wintertime or whenever it's too cool for a shell alone.

The Epic Jacket is made by Mountain Hardware and is constructed from their "Ark Ripstop" fabric  with their "Conduit SILK" coating.  That's what makes it waterproof, yet breathable (comparable to Gore-Tex material).  The fabric is rip-resistant and should be able to withstand some pretty heavy-duty use.  I've worn it when bushwhacking and I've yet to poke a hole in it or tear it on the branches.  The jacket itself only weights 13 ounces so it almost feels like you're not even wearing it when you have it on, which is another nice feature.

There's a bit of an athletic cut to the shell, with the bottom slightly more narrow than the shoulders.  This makes the jacket fit more to your body and allows for more natural movement in the jacket.  I've actually found it to be one of the better fitting shells that I have had.  I can pretty much do anything in it without too much trouble.

Venting for the jacket is provided through the mesh pockets (which can be zipped open or closed) and through the pit zips underneath each sleeve. For storage, in addition to the two front hand pockets, there is also a chest pocket with a water-resistant zipper that provides a dry, secure area for small items.  For comfort when you have the jacket fully zipped and the hood on, there is a chin guard in the jacket that is lined with micro-chamois, which gives your chin a smooth little place to rest.

My Thoughts

I'm glad I found this jacket in the discount shelf at LL Bean one weekend.  It's turned out to be a great buy.  It fits well, is comfortable, is waterproof yet breathable and it looks good.  If you're in the market for a shell jacket, definitely check out Mountain Hardware's Epic Jacket.