Gear Review: Outdoor Research Rampart Rain Jacket

[maximum venting]

Unlike the other jackets here, this one is made with a coated-nylon fabric that’s waterproof, but not breathable. But testers still didn’t overheat, thanks to an approach that relies on superior ventilation. The Rampart (and women’s Palisades) has bicep-to-hem vents for poncho-style air-conditioning, mesh-lined core pockets, and a covered vent on the back of the hood.

“On a highly aerobic backcountry ski trip along Mt. Rainier’s Rampart Ridge—that started in sunshine and ended in buckets of rain—I stayed remarkably dry and comfortable,” reports one tester. The hood was deemed the best in the test: It’s helmet-compatible but can also be cinched down tight around your head (via a single-pull drawcord), and it moves cleanly with you, maximizing peripheral vision.

Check fit: Several testers found the jacket a tad baggy when worn over just a thin baselayer.