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The 7.5-oz. Marmot Crux Jacket
By Michael Lanza
Shop for a rain jacket for the backcountry and you’ll see shells for adults ranging in price from well under $150 to over $400, in weight from less than half a pound to over a pound—and just as huge and confusing a range of opinions on them from reviewers and consumers. I’m going to make the choice simple for you. I’ve tested dozens of rain shells over the past two decades, at all price points, from many brands you know and don’t know. Hiking through soaking rains all over the world has shaped what I look for in a jacket.
Here are my picks for the five best rain jackets available today, ranging in price from $275 to $425—with great deals available right now on some of these top-performing shells. I think you’ll find one of them is just right for you.
How do I choose a rain jacket for the backcountry? I follow four simple criteria:
• Don’t spend more than necessary for what you’re doing—i.e., your activity level (how much you sweat) and where you go (how much rain you’ll see). Think about how often you’ll actually wear that jacket.
• There’s no reason a three-season shell should weigh much more than a pound, period.
• At a bare minimum, any shell, whatever the price, should fit you, shed steady rain, have a hood that keeps precipitation off your face, and breathe at least well enough that you’re not just as wet from perspiring in it as you would be not wearing it. Otherwise, you’re wasting your money.
• If you’re spending upwards of $300 or more, don’t settle for anything less than a jacket with great fit and exactly the performance and features you want.
With those criteria in mind, I’ve put together the list below of the five best jackets I’ve tested and reviewed at this blog. I think one of these five will be the right rain jacket for your dayhikes, climbing excursions, backpacking trips, and other outdoor adventures.
The 5 Best Rain Jackets For the Backcountry
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Arc’teryx Zeta LT Jacket
Arc’teryx Zeta LT Jacket
$425, 12 oz.
When you really need a high-performance rain shell for ultimate comfort and functionality in consistently wet and challenging conditions, the Zeta LT really nails it. From its superior weather protection and breathability, to the new C-KNIT technology from Gore-Tex making the jacket more supple and quieter than traditional hard shells, this one’s a winner for hard-core users.
Read my complete review of the Arc’teryx Zeta LT Jacket.
BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog by clicking either of these links to purchase a men’s Arc’teryx Zeta LT Jacket at backcountry.com or a women’s Zeta LT Jacket at moosejaw.com.
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Marmot Crux Jacket
Marmot Crux Jacket
$275, 7.5 oz.
If keeping the weight and bulk of everything you carry is priority one, but you still need protection from the elements, Marmot’s Crux is hard to beat. I tested this wispy shell in inclement weather from the Grand Canyon’s Royal Arch Loop to New Zealand’s Kepler Track in notoriously wet Fiordland National Park. It comes up short of the other shells on this list in breathability. But if you often carry a rain shell “just in case” and can live with that shortcoming, you’ll appreciate its low weight and packability a lot.
Read my complete review of the Marmot Crux Jacket.
BUY IT NOW You can support The Big Outside by clicking this link to purchase your Marmot Crux Jacket at moosejaw.com.
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Montane Featherlite Shell Jacket
Montane Featherlite Shell Jacket
$399, 11 oz.
Hiking for hours at a stretch with a pack in one of the rainiest places on the planet—New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park—I stayed dry and comfortable in the Featherlite Shell Jacket, thanks to eVent’s newest membrane, eVent DV Storm, which eVent says is more breathable and lighter than its original membrane (itself pretty darn good). If you’re willing to dish out dollars for top performance, this has to be on your short list.
Read my complete review of the Montane Featherlite Shell Jacket.
BUY IT NOW You can support The Big Outside by clicking this link to purchase your Montane Featherlite Shell Jacket at moosejaw.com.
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Outdoor Research Realm Jacket
Outdoor Research Realm Jacket
$279, 10.5 oz.
On a four-day, spring ascent of The Mountaineers Route on California’s Mount Whitney, OR’s proprietary AscentShell fabric proved very breathable when I carried a pack weighing over 40 pounds to our high camp at 12,000 feet, as the alpine sun created a solar oven with the snow-covered ground and a biting wind ripped through every few minutes. With four-season versatility, exceptional breathability, and technical features in a shell weighing 10 ounces at a reasonable price, the Outdoor Research Realm Jacket is an exceptional value.
Read my complete review of the Outdoor Research Realm Jacket.
BUY IT NOW You can support The Big Outside by clicking this link to purchase your Outdoor Research Realm Jacket at backcountry.com.
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Westcomb Focus LT Hoody
Westcomb Focus LT Hoody
$280, 9 oz.
Like a lot of people, I have contradictory desires for a rain shell—I want it to be functional and protective when the weather turns foul, but also super lightweight and compressible. With an eVent DVL membrane, the Focus LT’s super breathability and rain protection comes in a very packable shell that’s under 10 ounces, and a very competitive price for this level of performance.
Read my complete review of the Westcomb Focus LT Hoody.
BUY IT NOW You can support The Big Outside by clicking this link to purchase your Westcomb Focus LT Hoody at campsaver.com.
See more options by viewing all of my rain jacket reviews. Check out also all of my reviews of ultralight wind shells, water-resistant, lightweight jackets well suited to aerobic activities outdoors, and all of my reviews of outdoor apparel, backpacking gear, and hiking gear at The Big Outside.
Need a rain shell for a kid to use in the backcountry? See my review of the functional and well-priced Marmot Boy’s and Girl’s Precip Jacket.
See also these stories at The Big Outside:
“Why and When to Spend More on Gear: Part 2, Rain Jackets, Boots, and Sleeping Bags”
“What Should I Wear? How to Dress For Outdoor Adventures”
“10 Smarter Ways to Think About Your Layering System”
“12 Pro Tips For Staying Warm Outdoors in Winter”
NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.
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Do you like The Big Outside? I’m Michael Lanza, the creator of The Big Outside, recognized as a top outdoors blog by a USA Today Readers Choice poll and others. Subscribe for updates about new stories and free gear giveaways by entering your email address in the box at the bottom of this story, at the top of the left sidebar, or on my About page, and follow my adventures on Facebook and Twitter.
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