Mammut Motion Jacket Pro Shell (2008)

When this jacket appeared on the Mammut Website last summer. I went down to my trusted outfitter, grabbed my friend (who has the Mammut Sales Rep. for the USA on his speed dial) by the collar and told him to order these stat. By September they came in and I was probably one of the first geezers on this side of the Atlantic to get my hands on this great looking Jacket. Our backstory is simple: In 2006 we had a disagreement over the former Mammut Motion XCR; which I swore was the worst jacket I'd ever tried out by Mammut whiles he loved it. This year the new Pro Shell came out and it looked like we would be in agreement over it. At the time, I was also considering buying the TNF Modulus for Winter Sports and Ice Climbing. So I got to try out both jackets and compared them to each other (both being the first Pro Shell jackets I've worn) and to my older Gore Tex XCR shell.

PROS: Looks great(great color choices from Mammut-I loved the green color as a nice escape from the classic blues, reds and oranges that have been the prime wallpaper of popular outdoor jackets since the mid nineties). Mammut's blend of original style, function and quality is very refreshing. Light but feels sturdy. Long hemline allows great coverage. Long pit zips and nicely placed Napolean pocket. Stretch panels are hidden in various places (sleeves, shoulders and hips) and feels very cool. Pro Shell/Nylon combo feels flexible and smooth on this jacket. Other jackets like the Alpha SV and TNF Modulus felt stiff and crinkly the first couple of wears. Slim fitting torso and hip allows this jacket to fit perfectly under harness or pack hipbelt without the usual bunching up(unlike the North Face Modulus). Or use the Belay Zip and wear the jacket over your harness on wet/warmer days(something you CANNOT do with the Arcteryx Alpha SV). The hood was pretty decent and the jacket coverage, long-torso design and use of DWR/Pro Shell offered decent wind and wet weather protection. At $349 to $399 this is a fairly priced jacket when you compare it to similar Pro Shell priced twice as much.

CONS: Personally I didn't like this jacket after a few days of wearing it. The sleeves were too big (and extra long and flapping), the cuff cinches are awkwardly placed, the lower placement at the hips of what should be chest pockets are both old school and awkward. The zips were all very stiff (may need appropriate break in time).

BOTTOM LINE: After my well spent trial period with both jackets, I ended up purchasing a Modulus Pro Shell Jacket (due to better fit and the fact I was able to get one off eBay for a great price). The MAMMUT Motion Pro Shell didn't feel right for me. It's not a serious Alpine Acsent jacket. It would work great for the usual fashionistas at the Ski Lodge, or basic 3-season hiking, or even simple wet weather camping, or urban wear. That said, the Marmot Exum (a jacket I later discovered and tried out for a weekend) is 100 times better than both the Motion and the Modulus. And what's great is you can get a Marmot Exum for cheaper ($250 and up online).