Mountain Hardwear G50 Jacket

I bought this jacket almost 2 1/2 years ago. I still love it. It fits small - I almost universally wear a medium. I needed a large with this because it was vertically short in the torso and arm length.

The things I love about this jacket:

The fleece lining makes it warmer than a basic shell. It's a fantastic 3 season jacket, and excellent in winter with a base and mid layer. It breathes very well and has enough adjustability in the neck, waist and zippers to regulate body temp. The zippers are taped and gripped - meaning waterproof zippers that are easy to open/close with one hand. The side pockets are wide and deep - I can hike with two 32oz bottles in each without them falling out. The cut is wonderful for my build - 5'9, 145lbs and thin. The cuffs are doubled-up to make it extremely comfortable in cold/windy weather and fits snug and smooth. The body of the jacket has a kind of wrap-around quality to it, so even though I prefer a narrower fit for mobility it can comfortably cover many layers. The waterproofing coat is easily renewed in the dryer and with Revivex soft shell waterproofer. This jacket is waterproof if taken care of. Again, the cut of this jacket makes it extremely mobile - I've done everything in this jacket: hiking, climbing, sports, commuting, partying, etc. I still haven't been able to harm this jacket. No cuts, tears, burns or loose stitches.

Things not so great:

This is not a typical waterproof shell. It can wet-out easily in downpour. I live in the Pacific Northwest and have hiked with this jacket in day-long showers. It remains waterproof but loses its breathability. This can be frustrating in constantly rainy conditions. Also in rainy conditions the neck cuff isn't enough to keep water from going down the back of the head - but this is how the jacket is designed - get a jacket with a hood if you need the permanent head protection. And the inside sleeves on my jacket have begun to "pill" a bit, probably because I've abused the hell out of this jacket.

Overall:

I still rate this 5 stars considering all the crap I've put it through, and it still comes out like new with each (infrequent) wash and waterproofing. It resists wear and tear, is easily renewable, and has an extremely mobile cut that is hard to find in jackets of this kind. I imagine this jacket would also be fantastic in snow sports, but I haven't done any downhill in it. Waterproofing in general doesn't last more than a few weeks of constant water. This is relatively normal. Replenish it often, even if just to pop in dryer (if it's clean). Hope this helps!

Top-notch soft-shell.

The cut and fit of the jacket is fantastic, allowing for full range of movement without opening up to unwelcome drafts down the neck or along the waist, but without bulkiness. A light- to mid-weight soft shell, this isn't a jacket to keep you toasty sitting still in colder temps, but it absolutely shines when combined with a proper baselayer during active events.

Fine finish an good detailing, such as double storm flaps along zipper, well-placed and very good weatherized zippers, complemented by the proprietary Conduit SL WP/B membrane.

Awesome softshell. The conduit softshell material is great. This jacket fits great. It's not too long so it doesn't get in the way of your harness while climbing. It's extremely windproof and waterproof but the seams are not sealed so it leaks a little bit. But it'll withstand fairly heavy rain but if it's pourin I'd grab a hardshell. I'd definitely recommend this jacket to anyone looking for a less expensive softshell but doesn't want to sacrfice performance.

I've been using this jacket for high aerobic activities in the winter such as XC skiing and backcountry touring and it's simply amazing. It's very light (comparable to my Polartech 200 fleece jacket). It's wind/waterproof and it provides great range of motion with its stretchy fabric.

My other jacket is an Arc'teryx Gamma SV and it's seen much less action since I got this G50.