Mammut Kento Light HS

This featherweight-yet-functional piece is a great shell when pack space is at a premium but you don’t want to break the bank. The Kento Light HS has a full zipper, single-pull adjustable hood with a rain-defying visor (which helped keep our faces dry during a gale on Washington’s Oyster Dome), and a large Napoleon pocket (nice for toting a smartphone). Yet, it still packs down to the size of an orange. Its proprietary, 2.5-layer fabric isn’t very breathable, though, and it lacks pit zips, causing us to steam up quickly during steep hikes in the 50s.

$219; 5.4 oz.; m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL