MontBell U.L. Thermawrap Parka

The U.L. Thermawrap is surprisingly warm, has a snug fit, and is thin enough to squeeze under a trim rain shell-wears more like a shirt than a jacket. I'm not sure what the exact weight is, but it's well under a pound.

I often find myself hiking in heavy rain, so I have always avoided down-filled products. However, this is the first jacket I've found that provides the right combination of lightness, compactability, and insulation with synthetic materials.

I have not had the chance to test it in truly bad weather, but I can say that at around freezing, the jacket is warm enough to wear with a t-shirt so long as one is exerting some amount of energy. The hood is well-designed with a rounded crest that acts to wrap around the head without feeling tight. Moreover, under a rain shell the hood provides excellent insulation for the neck and head. Feels real nice when the wind is kicking up on a ridge, rime is blowing around, and you want to enjoy the view.

This is not the jacket for dead-of-winter wilderness adventuring, but it is just about perfect for what it is: a super lightweight, synthetic jacket for layering.

I want a sleeping bag made of this jacket.

EDIT 6/2016: This jacket survived about four years (actually, it's still in use as a grubby, just-in-case jacket for a friend). Long story short, don't take this type of product in a cave, it will not survive :)