Marmot Optima Gore-Tex® Jacket - PacLite®, Waterproof, Hooded (For Women)

I'll keep this short and simple, if you're looking at this jacket you probably have an idea of what you are looking at.

To start out, you have to know what this is and what it's really for. It is a technical outer hardshell. It isn't meant to be insulated, nor is it meant to be tightly-fitted. This is meant to be layered depending on the temperature, your tolerance, and your activity level.

The goretex is the entry-level product, but it still breathes well. This product does have pit-zips so you can vent if needed, but I've only opened them up once so far, and that was while running. Other than that the breathing was more than capable of preventing issues.

Marmot has a unique fit that some love and some hate, personally I love the fit. The sleeves are longer, which allows a better range of motion without exposing your arms any more. It can be annoying at times, but when it's cold and wet you'll learn to love it. The body isn't too tightly fitted, so I can fit a fairly large down jacket under this shell if needed.

Also, the women's version of this jacket does not have a chest pocket, which seems like an odd exclusion as the men's version does. While it may not be an issue for you, I've found that it can be a polarizing thing for people on jackets.

All-in-all this is a technical hard shell with goretex. It's meant to be layered, but breathes very well. I upgraded to this from a precip jacket and couldn't be happier with the change. I'll keep the precip around for climbing with a harness as it is better designed for that, but this jacket will fill all of my other needs.