Mountain Equipment Lhotse Jacket

A fully waterproof, Goretex Pro shell with a great fit that will suit most leaner body types.
Would recommend to anyone who wants a reliable waterproof for hiking, climbing, or just staying dry around town when it's really wet.

I have had this jacket for a number of years now and it is by far the best waterproof I have owned. Here is my review which will hopefully help anyone in the market for a new waterproof have some food for thought :)

Lets start with how waterproof it is...Very (not failed me once yet and have been in some pretty serious monsoons). This does mean that the breathability could be somewhat hampered. However the addition of pit zips has helped this and unless you are wearing it in pretty hot conditions you should be fine :)  

Its fit is excellent. It is the Mountain Equipment "alpine fit". This essentially means that the cut is designed for alpine conditions allowing the arms to be raised above the head whilst still keeping the mid-section covered and unexposed. I find it also means that it has a nice snug fit and generally moves well with the body. The waist can be tightened with drawcords as well as a fully adjustable hood which is also helmet compatible.

The coat has three external pockets and one internal pocket. External are nice and high on the body so that they do not get in the way of waist strap or climbing harness use. Chest pocket is on the left hand side and is also very roomy. All the zips work well and don't get caught on anything which is a real pet hate of mine. This also applies for the main front zipper which is flawless and has a neck guard at the top so you don't get anything else caught in it.

Finally the internal pocket is very useful for phone sized items that you want nice and secure. The cuffs are Velcro and very sturdy so close tightly around wrists or if wearing gloves. 

As for durability it has two different fabrics. One which is used over the shoulder and the arms, and another used for the rest of the body. This means the places where the most wear and tear could occur are protected and so far I have had zero problems with any tears or snags in the material!  

As expected from any hard shell it is also fully wind resistant, but does not offer much warmth compared to most other garments.  

Would highly recommend to anyone that wants a serious hardshell jacket for any bad conditions!