Zpacks Vertice Rain Jacket Review — CleverHiker

CONS

EXPENSIVE – The price of the Vertice Jacket is higher than most others on our Best Rain Jackets list, but we think the value you get for the money is pretty great here. Very few rain jackets can compete with the breathability, low weight, and coverage of the Vertice, so we think the cost is worth it if you’re an ultralight backpacker wanting to keep your pack weight as low as possible.

FLOPPY HOOD – The hood of the Vertice really needs to be paired with a hat or visor to be fully effective. In windy conditions, it flopped around and dumped rain on our faces at times. There’s a strap on the back that can be used to tighten the hood, but the coverage isn’t as good when it’s tightened. Many other ultralight jackets, like the Montbell Versalite (men’s / women’s) and Outdoor Research Helium (men’s / women’s), have a slightly rigid brim that eliminates this issue. We’d like to see a little more structure in the hood added to future iterations of the Vertice.