Under Armour Storm Moonraker GORE-TEX Jacket

Gortex says it all, this jacket is totally waterproof. Excellent storm collar and hood. Huge pit zips for ventilation.

After waiting all summer to test out the Under Armor Storm Moonraker Goretex jacket I finally got a chance during my Tour of Mont Blanc hiking through France, Italy, and Switzerland. Knowing that rain could be an issue in September in Europe I knew I would be bringing along a wind and rain jacket.

Living in dry California opportunities to test three different jackets I had received don't come along very often in the summer. In order to figure out what jacket to take on the trip, I had to resort to the shower test. Putting on some swim trunks and a cotton tee shirt, I tested the three jackets under an outdoor shower for 20 minutes each. The Under Armour jacket provided the most protection, so even though it wasn't the lightest of the three, I rolled it up and packed it in my 35-liter backpack. 

Being able to hike hut to hut was new for me and my wife and the hike started out with four days of perfect sunny weather. Upon reaching Rifugio Bonatti along the Val Ferret above Courmayeur, Italy, the weather took a turn for the worse. Waking up to pouring rain, I knew it was test time for the Storm Moonraker jacket.

Kitted up with rain pants over running shorts and a thin long sleeve running top under the Under Armour jacket, I donned my pack and started down the trail. Over the next four days, I would be wearing the same outfit as it rained on and off in various strengths from a downpour to a drizzle.

The Under Armour Storm Moonraker Jacket performed terrific during all those days. Rain would simply bead up on the GORTEX jacket just like it does on a freshly waxed car. With the hood up and the front zippered to the top, the storm collar and hood kept me completely dry. I especially appreciated the long sleeves with storm cuffs at the end as they kept water from seeping into the fabric tops of my waterproof gloves.

When the wind picked up and the temperature dropped into the 40's I continued to be very comfortable. During spells of intermittent rain when the temperature would climb a bit, it was easy to open either the top, bottom, or both ends of the 15-inch pit zips to allow heat to escape. When it would momentarily stop raining I would unzip the front of the jacket for additional ventilation.

The waterproof zippers worked very smoothly and not a drop of water ever got by them. Two front pockets were large enough to hold my route card in one and both of my gloves in the other. While the jacket did breathe quite well, my back would definitely sweat in the area that was in contact with my backpack. The only feature I didn't take advantage of was the audio port on the inside of the right front pocket.

After the trip, while sightseeing, the jacket was good looking enough to wear as a town coat, providing wind and rain protection plus some warmth. For reasons I can't explain, the Storm Moonraker GORTEX coat is only available on Under Armour's Canadian website.

 Details: 

• Fabric: Gortex with waterproof zippers
• Weight: 13.4 oz.
• Cost: $459.99 CDN