Mammut Prussic Jacket

A super light wind jacket, that packs so small and light, you'll never need to leave it at home. The jacket has been discontinued, but an updated version is available... the Mammut MTR 201 Micro Jacket.

Had been looking to upgrade my 12-year-old Patagonia Helium windshirt, with something lighter and more packable. Had looked a several, and was trying to make a decision, when I ran across some of these on a clearance rack at my local REI store. After looking at it, and trying it on, I was seduced by the excellent price, so went for it.

I've now worn it on a few outings, including chilly bike rides and a blustery fall climb up Mount Tallac. The fabric is somewhat translucent, and looks like it wouldn't do much. But wind-resistance is quite good, and breathability is reasonable.

On my recent hike up Mount Tallac, we had high winds most of the day, including 25+ mph gusts, and it provided excellent protection. There are mesh panels underneath at the armpits, which I think is what makes it breathable. While I got a little damp on the sunny, steep slope, I didn't feel uncomfortable.

The fit is good, though the sleeves are slightly long. I sized it up to allow for layering underneath. There are some interesting micro-fiber "finger gaiters" at the end of the sleeves, though I'm not sure how practical they are.

This is a somewhat minimalist jacket, but does have a adjustable waste gasket when you need to batten down the hatches. There is a single chest pocket which you can use to pack the jacket up when not using it. It packs down pretty small, and at 3 oz, there's no reason to leave it at home. I don't know yet how the 10 denier ripstop polyamide fabric will hold up the long term, but the quality of construction looks solid with good clean stitching.

The downside of this jacket is, that it is no longer available, but there were several on the clearance rack at my local REI store. The jacket has been replaced by a updated model called the "MTR 201 Micro Jacket," which is available online in several places. 

All in all, I love this jacket so far, and if you find it somewhere, it should be a great deal!

11-18-14 Update:

Still enjoying this jacket, and have used it quite a bit for both cycling and hiking.

The only thing that bugs me, is the sleeve cuffs. They only have elastic on the bottom (palm) part, and then have this so-called "finger gaiter" on the top of the cuff, with no elastic. This causes the cuff to fit quite loosely, and when cycling, wind blows up under the sleeves a little bit. 

I think if they could put elastic all the way around the cuff, and still have the "gaiter" there (not sure this is a really useful feature).

Still very happy with the ultralight protection it provides overall though.