Marmot PreCip Active

Our take Over the last 20 years, Marmot’s $100 PreCip has earned classic status among budget-minded backpackers (and a Hall of Fame Award from us last year). Don’t worry, that piece is still available (it’s now called the PreCip Eco and still costs $100), but this new iteration sports a more streamlined cut and stretchy fabric. The verdict: It’s well worth the extra $50 for anyone who plans to do more than simple trail walking. “The shell didn’t hinder me when I crawled over and under downed old-growth logs in Washington’s Quinault Indian Nation,” reports a tester.

The details Weatherproofing is solid: We hunkered down in heavy rain and snow from Alaska’s Hatcher Pass to the Olympic Peninsula, protected by a rump-covering hem, one-pull adjustable hood, and high-zipping collar. The 50-denier nylon withstood the ultimate durability test: off-trail hiking in Alaska. The air-permeable, PFC-free material breathed well enough for moderate-output hiking (it uses a coating, which will never beat a pricier membrane in terms of breathability). Plus, three-quarter-length pit zips allow major venting (and grant access to two inner mesh pockets at the waist).

Trail cred “The cut is fairly slim, but the stretch allowed me to wear it as a winter layer,” an Alaska tester says. “I was able to fit three layers underneath when temps dipped at Hatcher Pass.”