1) Helly Hansen Convergent
The Basics: $275; Comfortably fitted Helly Tech jibbing jacket
In Depth: With the hip style of a workwear canvas field coat, this hybrid insulation jacket buttresses the company’s proprietary waterproof/breathable Helly Tech in the shell with light insulation in the back and chest. Plus, the jacket is adorned with pockets to carry everything from an iPod or a cell phone to a hat or sandwich.
800-435-5901; www.hellyhansen.com.

2) Mammut Fly
The Basics: $399; Gore Paclite sobec stretch in a tough, light package
In Depth: This shell exemplifies the recent re-embrace of Gore’s lightweight laminate Paclite as a fabric for challenging pursuits like light-and-fast alpinism. The Fly stands out as a professional grade shell that can take wear and tear but is light enough that you’ll never think twice about carrying it on an alpine rock climb. Laminated-on honeycomb-pattern reinforcements and zippered venting ports providing access to mid-layer pockets are two of this shell’s clever highlights. 802-985-5056; www.mammut.ch.

3) Lowe Alpine Ice Light
The Basics: $300; an all-Gore-tex XCR jacket well suited for those hard on gear
In Depth: XCR, Gore’s premium-grade laminate, is the breathability and durability benchmark against which all other waterproof jackets are measured. In the Ice Light, Lowe has fabricated a shell out of XCR that is light, can absorb punishment and yet comes in at a sweet price.
877-888-8533; www.lowealpine.com.



4) Columbia Ice Dragon
The Basics: $240; a waterproof shell for snowsports
In Depth: The perfect complement to Columbia’s XLV (see “Soft shells,” page 60), the Ice Dragon is a member of Columbia’s performance Titanium line. Made with the company’s proprietary three-layer Lazer Rip XP, the jacket features attachment points that snap into a variety of Columbia’s modular insulation layers and soft shells for when it gets cold. 800-622-6953; www.columbia.com.

5) Ground Adverse EVX
The Basics: $399; a state-of-the-art mountaineering coat from a new company
In Depth: Formed by industry vets, Ground is an upstart company that has hit the ground running. The Adverse is its most formidable jacket, intended for ice climbing and extreme mountaineering. The company uses eVENT, a Teflon-based laminate (like Gore-Tex) with excellent breathability, to keep inclement weather at bay. Cool features found on this shell include a zippered lumbar pocket and removable foam pads that protect the shoulders and elbows. 800-553-9370; www.groundwear.com.

6) Outdoor Research Zealot
The Basics: $199; the lightest Gore jacket on the market
In Depth: Admittedly not a garment you’ll want to use to stack wood, the 7.7-ounce Zealot will leave you scratching your head with its lack of mass. Pull this shell out when the rain hits on a trail run, a mountain bike trip, or while bagging a peak. The only embellishment on this smart, minimalist shell is one chest pocket. 888-467-4327; www.outdoorresearch.com

7) Marmot Rim
The Basics: $180; Marmot’s modestly priced, PreCip Plus multi-purpose shell
In Depth: Marmot, a cutting-edge company that uses a variety of waterproof/breathable materials in its shells, has hit a home run with the Rim. Handsome and well-proportioned, the Rim is made with fabric coated PreCip Plus, which is fully waterproof yet breathable. Originally created as rain protection, the “Plus” variant of PreCip has proven itself to be a solid winter performer too. And you have to like the price.
707-544-4590; www.marmot.com.

Last Updated: Mar 6th, 2006 - 07:37:06
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