SITKA Vapor Shakedry Jacket

Our take This shell might look like it’s related to a garbage bag, but it sure doesn’t feel like one. Gore-Tex’s two-layer fabric places the waterproof/breathable membrane on the outside (creating the unique look). The benefits are threefold: It saves weight, does away with DWR, and improves breathability. Testers appreciated the latter on high-effort pursuits, like a swift ascent up Montana’s Mt. Sentinel on a rainy, mid-50s day. Tradeoff for best-in-class breathability? Durability. Shakedry isn’t designed to withstand scrapes or abrasion beneath heavy packs.

The details The interior backer feels soft on bare arms. A pair of hand pockets fits thin gloves, and the hood has elastic around the face for an efficient seal (though it lacks a brim). The Vapor packs down to baseball size.

Trail cred “This shell sheds water like magic,” one tester says. “When I coated myself in mud during a cyclocross race, a quick shake got almost all of it off.”