User Review: Marmot Men's ROM Jacket

When I originally went on my way to buy a soft shell jacket, I was aiming for a mountain Hardware--perhaps the Optimo or similar. Due to necessity, and the fact that my store was sold out of MH Optimos, the salesperson convinced me to try out the ROM.

For the first while, I wasn't sure. I wanted heavy duty water resistance, but breathability as well. If I have to choose, I'd rather be a bit damp from the rain then soaked to the bone with sweat.

I'm happy to say the ROM does this just fine. It's warm enough, especially if you are hiking or walking briskly, and it stops wind dead. Furthermore, I don't know how they did it, but they made it pretty water proof. I tested this jacket out in the shower just last night and was able to withstand 5 minutes of water and there wasn't a trace of dampness on my shirt underneath. Tonight, I plan to test it until it DOES leak. There was a bit of leaking near the zippers of the pockets, but that wasn't the biggest issue.

Other then that, the price, comfort, and imperviousness to wind--along with it's high water resistance--makes this jacket a solidly good buy for me, especially when compared to the $500.00 optimo I was originally going to buy. Keep in mind the Optimo is a totally different jacket--but it would have been an "overbuy" for my needs; the ROM fits my needs perfectly.