Mountain Hardwear Super Light Plasmic Jacket Review

Mt Washington Summit

I just returned from a multi-sport adventure week in the Northeast. Days of rainy and muddy mountain biking in Vermont followed by a few days of hiking across the Presidential Range in New Hampshire, meant my Mountain Hardwear Super Light Plasmic Jacket was an integral part of my daily gear lineup.

The Super Light Plasmic jacket weighs nothing (8 ounces) and packs up super small, so easy to throw in your hydration pack, backpack, or even clip onto your harness. So far, the 15D nylon face fabric has held up pretty well to all sorts of abrasion, including the rough quartz and granite of the Whites as well as hitting branches, falling off bridges into rivers, and tumbling over rocks on my mountain bike.

I am not going to say this is the ultimate in breathable shells, but the Dry.Q EVAP liner does help to move moisture away from sweat prone areas and disperse it over the entire jacket for faster evaporation. As with any waterproof shell, it is going to get overloaded in some conditions. When working hard on the typical 100% humidity New England days, I did get a bit clammy inside. Even so, the Super Light Plasmic did a great job of keeping me warm in 50+mph winds, driving rain, and 40-50 degree F temps with just a lightweight Ibex W2 layer underneath.

Super Light Plasmic Jacket

You trade off pit zips to help with quick heat dumps for the ultralight weight of the Super Light Plasmic. However, I found that unzipping the high, pack-friendly pockets helped release some heat and moisture buildup. The helmet compatible hood can be cinched down to keep it from flying off in strong winds.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for an ultralight waterproof jacket that will cover all your summer adventures, check out the Mountain Hardwear Super Light Plasmic Jacket.

The Super Light Plasmic comes in both a men’s and women’s version, retails for $200, and is available now.

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