Outdoor Research Men's Mentor Jacket

Well Thought Out
OR did a great job making the Mentor a technical superior jacket. Features like the hem to bicep zippers that makes the jacket poncho like with the ventilation needed for summer humid rain. None of the comparable Arcteryx rain jackets have it. The jacket fits true to size.

OR Mentor Jacket
I rarely know what any week is going to bring. As a landlord, construction fraud investigator and hobby watercolor artist (that travels for subjects) we are in diffing climates and conditions on nearly a daily basis. The OR Mentor jacket is really well built and has already proved itself in driving rain and sleet. The pockets are easily accessible and well positioned. The the jacket's overall length is well calculated to prevent being soaked from wind driven moisture and the hood is helmet sized with easy reach of all draw cords. One particularly nice feature is the full length pit zips that allow you to open the sides of the coat like a poncho. Quite unexpected is being able to e mail or call OR to get their advice or to ask questions. Oddly enough in this market it is guaranteed forever and I am the kind of consumer that looks forward to holding companies to promises. I looked at several brands wanting a superior performing product to protect from moisture, with great pockets and breathability, that was light in weight (17.5 oz), easy to pack for traveling, and did not have a billboard of the company name that makes you stick out in a crowd while in another country. After all, what does Vanity Fair know about surviving in a NW winter or keeping dry on the coastal mountains of Italy during the rainy season?

Expensive but Impressive Jacket
I will get my chance to REALLY test this jacked fairly soon, but for now I only used it a heavy downpour in New York city. Unlike my legs, my entire body stayed try and the heavy winds did not penetrate through.