Gear Review: Patagonia M10 Jacket
At 10.5 ounces, this jacket worked as a windshell in the Swiss Alps and and handled rain and wind in New England and the Rockies.
Verdict
For the weight of a freeze-dried dinner, this jacket brings all-season protection. I wore it as a windshell for a week of cool-weather hiking in the Alps and never overheated. Credit the three-layer (rare in a ultralight shell) fabric, which moves moisture well enough that I rarely opened the 16-inch pit zips. Those pits are mesh-lined, so they double as pockets—which creates two huge storage units without the weight of two more zippers. Other nice details: adjustable cuffs, a drawcord hem, and a roomy fit that layers over a puffy jacket. Pros: year-round protection at summertime weight. Cons: steep price. patagonia.com.
Best For
All-season hikers who want a one-shell quiver; ultralighters who need reliable weather protection for alpine conditions
Tester Data
> Kristin Hostetter
> Other Testers: Kelly Bastone, Shannon Davis
> Duration May to Nov.
> Locales/conditions Rain, wind, temps from 10°F to 60°F; New England, Rockies, Swiss Alps
> “The hood cinches over a helmet and down to a gasket around your face with one drawstring pull.”
> $399
> 10.5 oz. (w’s M)
> men’s XS-XL; women’s XS-L