Mountain Hardwear Versteeg Dry Q Rain Jacket Review

My first ever rain jacket was one of those DWR numbers that had a strange ability to let all the rain in and none of the perspiration out. My second jacket was slightly better, but no seam sealing and problems with the liner. Finally, I’ve found something that I like in the Mountain Hardwear Versteeg Dry Q jacket.

I’ve had the jacket for a few months and have taken it to snowy mountain summits, down tropical jungle trails as well as through hot sun and heavy rain storms.

Take a look at the written and video reviews below. If you’re looking for 25% off already discounted Mountain Hardwear gear at the Sierra Trading Post, click here: http://stp.me/MHVersteegDQCJacket

Specification:

• Dry Q. Waterproof breathable Membrane
• 50D Ripstop Nylon
• Fully seam sealed
• 2 Large exterior hand pockets
• 1 exterior chest pochet (WR zipper)
• 1 inner mesh stuff pocket
• 1 inner mesh zip pocket
• Waist cinch
• 2 Hood Cinches (vertical and horizontal)
• Velcro zip cover
• Velcro cuffs
• Weight: 14 oz average
• MRSP:$160 (much cheaper on the Sierra Trading Post)

Full Review:

Let’s start with the Dry Q. membrane. Dry Q is Mountain Hardwear’s response to the need for waterproofing while keeping it breathable. The technology is tested for 500 hours in a washing machine to make sure it has a long life. Obviously it’s impossible to have something completely breathable and yet waterproof, so don’t get unrealistic expectations.

That said, the Dry Q. does a really good job at making sure you don’t get clammy when wearing it. I have not once felt that wet feeling of getting stuck to the jacket like you do with some jackets. I usually prefer a jacket with a mesh liner to prevent the damp feeling, but the Dry Q means it’s completely unnecessary. Add the fact that it has 2 large pit zips and you’re set for temperature regulation.

Speaking of temperature, this jacket performs really well in warm and very cold weather. At a 16000 foot pass I was comfortable in this, a T-shirt and Merino wool base layer (150 weight) despite the snow storm going on. In the tropics It was really comfortable, despite hauling around a backpack on a 3-day thru-hike.

The pit zips (which use water resistant zippers) are a great size. They’re easy to open and almost as easy to close. I can unzip with 1 hand, but need 2 to zip them up, which I feel is pretty standard, especially with a water resistant zip.

All the pockets have great capacity without being too large. Adding the water resistant zips was a great choice for the chest pocket. The mesh pockets inside cut down on weight.

Mountain Hardwear put a lot of thought into the hood. The use of 2 cinches was a great idea. Normally what frustrates me about hoods is that you turn your head and the hood doesn’t turn with you. The horizontal cinch does a great job at keeping the hood stuck to your head so that it turns with you. The vertical cinch keeps the opening nice and small to keep out breezes and inclement weather.

My only criticism is that loosening the cinches on the hood takes some getting used to. They work well, but you need to fiddle with them the first few times to get the hand of how they work.

The sizing is perfect. I’m a pretty perfect medium and the length and arms are an ideal length for layering over base, mid and insulating layers. The cinch on the waist is everything you’d expect for keeping out wind and weather.

The average weight is listed as 14 ounces, but my medium weighs 12.7 ounces. It’s always nice when a company overestimates their product’s weight.

Conclusion:

The Mountain Hardwear Versteeg is a great balance between weight and functionality. It’s a great breathable, but fully waterproof jacket that can handle pretty much any weather you would throw at it. I’d definitely recommend this jacket to anyone looking for a all-round hard shell.

Do you use Mountain Hardwear gear? What items do you have and what do you think about them?

 

Disclaimer: I received this jacket from the Sierra Trading Post for review. All opinions are my own and are what I would recommend to friends.