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By camper from Austin, Tx on 08/17/2009 Best Uses: Backcountry, Hiking Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational Chest Size: Feels true to size Sleeve Length: Feels true to length Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: I have not got the chance to use the jacket yet. I like it so far, first, it's gore-tex at a very good price. Second, it is very light weight. Third, it's roomy enough (I usually order jacket one size up for layering), unlike some other feminine style jacket, so that I have enough room for layering, even with a fleece jacket. I will write some more review once I put it to the real test.
By Odavor from Guelph, ON on 08/06/2009 Pros: Breathable, Durable, Lightweight, Stylish, Waterproof, Wind Resistant Best Uses: Casual Wear, Hiking Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational Chest Size: Feels true to size Gear Usage: Cold Weather Living, Winter Sports Sleeve Length: Feels true to length Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: Bought it for my wife, she likes it very much, that is, good product, light and well made.
By Kaye from Phila, PA on 07/13/2009 Pros: Breathable, Lightweight, Waterproof, Wind Resistant Best Uses: Casual Wear, Hiking Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational Chest Size: Feels true to size Gear Usage: Cold Weather Living Sleeve Length: Feels true to length Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: I like this jacket. It fits me well: it has a good straight cut, not a curvy "busty" woman cut. I can live with the odd roll-up-and-fasten hood. I would have preferred a better hood-arrangement, but at this price I can't complain. I don't know how long the zipper is going to last; it runs a little 'heavy" but so far so good. Would have loved an inner security-pocket - but ... no deal breaker.
By Flatlander from Kansas on 07/08/2009 Pros: Breathable, Durable, Lightweight, Stylish, Waterproof, Wind Resistant Best Uses: Backcountry, Hiking Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational Chest Size: Feels true to size Sleeve Length: Feels true to length Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: I bought this as a replacement for a Lowe Alpine paclite model that my dog chewed up (care tip - do not leave dog treats in the pocket of your Goretex!). My original coat was discontinued, and this GoLite was the closest match I could find at a reasonable price.
Pros: longer back for better rear coverage, great when biking; fabric flaps extend slightly over the pocket zips allowing you to keep pockets open in mild rain for ventilation; bottom cinch cord is indispensable when it's really windy; extremely light-weight and very breathable; fit is roomy enough to allow for layering but does not bulky when worn as only shell.
Cons: no hood volume adjustment, although it fits my pony tail fine; hood can be folded away, but just has a small hook-and-loop closure to "hide it" - not a great aesthetic, but functional.
Overall this is a great value for a Paclite-material jacket.
By rlm from los angeles, CA on 05/13/2009 Chest Size: Feels true to size Sleeve Length: Feels true to length Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: I didn't realize this jacket did not have pit zips, although it is supposed to be breathable due to the gortex. I would still feel more comfortable with more ventilation options. A similar golite jacket does have them so I just ordered the wrong style. The red color is nice. The fit is somewhat tight in the hips and wider in the shoulder area making me wonder if this was a man's version slightly modified for women. It is nicely constructed and lightweight. I did not test it outside and cannot comment on its waterproofing.
By msquarey from Newfoundland, Canada on 04/22/2009 Pros: Breathable, Durable, Lightweight, Stylish, Waterproof, Wind Resistant Best Uses: Casual Wear, Downhill, Hiking Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational Chest Size: Feels true to size Gear Usage: Cold Weather Living Sleeve Length: Feels true to length Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: This jacket is great for price and style. It's gor-tex shell is a nice fit and durable. It's definitely a great first buy for me.
By Ellsworth rider from Fairport, NY on 04/07/2009 Pros: Breathable, Lightweight, Wind Resistant Best Uses: Casual Wear, Hiking Describe Yourself: Advanced Chest Size: Feels true to size Gear Usage: Cold Weather Living, Winter Sports Sleeve Length: Feels true to length Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend Comments: The positive reviews for the GoLite Phantasm Hooded Jacket helped me in my decision to purchase this jacket. I did enjoy the jacket for the first several weeks - it was light, wind resistant and breathable. In western NY, we can have sunny, almost 70 degree days immediately followed by snow and winter chills, so having a jacket that allowed me to layer as changing weather mandated was a necessity.
The pockets were deep, though I found items would fall out when entering my car if I didn’t zip them closed. The hood was deep, causing the brim to cover my eyes, making it difficult to see. These were small issues I could live with. However, the first time I wore the jacket in a spring rainstorm I found the interior of the jacket lined with moisture. I had a light fleece pullover under the jacket, so this could not be the cause of the moisture. It appears the jacket membrane allowed the rain to permeate the interior. I thought maybe this product was water-resistant, not waterproof, as advertised. Then I checked the product description tag from Gore-Tex, which confirmed it should be waterproof. Bottom line – I’m returning the jacket.
really windproof and waterproof! By Alicja from Massachusetts on 03/30/2009 Pros: Durable, Lightweight, Packable, Stylish, Warm, Waterproof, Wind Resistant Best Uses: Casual Wear, Hiking, Power walking Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational Chest Size: Feels true to size Sleeve Length: Feels true to length Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: nice style, adjustable cuffs for sleeve length, waterproof , windproof
By The Outdoor Enthusiast from Akrion, OH on 09/01/2008 Pros: Durable, Lightweight, Waterproof Describe Yourself: Advanced Chest Size: Feels true to size Gear Usage: Cool Weather Rain Sleeve Length: Feels true to length Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: Great jacket at a great price. Nice and lightweight. The Gore-Tex PacLite is everything it should be: wateproof, lightweight, and breathable.
More technical product info here By Hiker Chick from Cambridge, MA on 08/15/2008 Pros: Core venting mesh pockets, Lightweight, Perfect for layering, Waterproof Best Uses: Backcountry, Cross Country Describe Yourself: Casual/ Recreational Chest Size: Feels true to size Gear Usage: Cold Weather Living, Winter Sports Sleeve Length: Feels too long Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend Comments: I just received this jacket and haven't had a chance to wear it in trail weather conditions. Usually I'd wait longer to review this sort of product, but there are some basic features of this jacket that aren't covered in the product info or existing reviews on the web I found. It's light and nice, but there are more important things ahead technically. Love the colors on the absinthe jacket, quality seems great. For the basic urban or casual user, what you really want to know is that if you intend to wear this jacket under about 55 deg, you likely need a fleece or warm underlayer below the shell. It's sized generously to allow that. The arms are on the longer side for me with shorter arms, but can be satisfactorily adjusted with the wrist velcro.
Technical info:
#1. I find some form of shell core venting ESSENTIAL, although Golite does sometimes forego it on breathable jackets. YES! this jacket does have it: the hand warmer pockets are all open mesh, so if you overheat you can unzip them for some direct venting (bypassing the membrane's transport capacity and doesn't require front unzipping that compromises the shell's waterproofness in extreme wet conditions). Full pit zips have indeed been sacrificed for weight.
#2. I needed a medium in the Golite ether jacket because of the chest (I'm usually on the line lately for that reason as a size 8ish, but often on the smaller side). I wondered if I should order up an extra size in the paclite shell in order to fit a fleece or other insulating layers. Answer: NO. This shell seems large to me now in the summer, but as I consider and try it on with some winter underlayers, the sizing is probably perfect for a fleece or trim insulated coat, with shirt or thin sweater, and movement space, although I almost wonder whether I could do a small.
#3. I may have some minor doubts about the hood, but I think it will be okay. I thought I might want a slightly deeper hood in a downpour if I had my hair pulled back in a bun or pony (I have a large head and medium length hair), but since there's no depth adjuster (just the slightly stiff brim and perimeter bungee cord), it's better spot on than too big; I can change my hair if needed. Yes, the hood roll-up is a little primitive as a "collar", but I almost never wear a shell unless I also need the hood. I totally don't get hoodless outer shells as a concept; I'm much more a hood person than a hat person.
Yes, there are some feature sacrifices for the light weight, but many of the extra "features" like more napoleon pockets or velcro rain flaps often tend to annoy me by snagging or getting in the way of zipping. If you agree, this is probably a great jacket for you, too. Hope that helps-- I can't review breathability of the Paclite on the trail yet, but lots of people have done that, and this was the info I would've needed to make a more informed order.
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