What's the good outer shell (waterproof jacket) to get nowadays?

[LittleLebowski]

Dead Bird?

[GJM]

Dead Bird?

Yes. The AR Beta is my fav all around Arcteryx hard shell. If you want camo or quieter, Kuiu and Sitka have options but I don't believe they function as a hard shell as well at Arcteryx. For their mil/le line, Arcteryx recently charges about double their regular line, and I don't find the value there unless you are wedded to the color crocodile.

[Guerrero]

Following with interest. I need a new summer-weight water-proof/resistant jacket. I discovered unexpectedly that my current one is no longer waterproof.

[Default.mp3]

Price range? Intended use? Any special features you need?

As a starting point, some brands I would look at:

• Arc'teryx
• BERINGIA
• Beyond
• Black Diamond
• Forgeline Solutions (duty oriented only)
• Helly Hansen
• KUIU
• Mammut
• Mountain Hardwear
• Mountain Equipment
• Norrøna
• Ortovox
• Otte Gear (duty oriented only)
• Outdoor Research
• Patagonia
• Rab
• Sitka
• Stio
• Wild Things Gear (duty oriented only)

[Up1911Fan]

I've been happy with my Beyond goretex jacket and pants.

[JohnO]

Looking also. I just lost my Cabela's Gore Tex jacket in Maine. It was old, cheap and needing replacement. Earlier in the week I snooped around in a local REI. I definitely gravitated toward the Arc'Terx line. Their selection was minimal and I wasn't ready to purchase on looksie #1.

[vcdgrips]

The Dirty Bird is the easy button. With some luck and a sharp pencil- 20% off reail is possible. Note they are owned by a PRC conglomerate if that is a thing for you. They are very transparent re country of origin for a given garment.
https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens...caAsNREALw_wcB


Patagonia and Outdoor Research are solid and can often be had at 33% plus off.

Beyond, Otte, and Kuiu are tactical/hunting brands that will likely serve you well.

Here is the latest from Outdoor Gear Labs which is a solid starting point.
https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topic...field=#compare

[kilo sierra]

I use Kuiu and First Lite jackets.

Both have proven very durable and breathe during exertion in a downpour, and compress for stuffing in a Daypak/Backpak

[Cookie Monster]

Top brand if looking for a primary.

I’d getting something rubber and cheap for a back-up or outdoor physical labor/firewood cutting.

My default these days is REI generic brand. Good enough for most things, not a tragedy if something happens to it.

[Erik]

I have one from Kuhl that I like and kept me pretty dry and comfortable as an outer layer during a trip to in Iceland in March a few years ago and another from Patagonia that stuffs into it's own pocket and is easy to stick in a backpack just in case. I like them both. I tend to like Kuhl's products better because they fit me well and I like the look but both have been great. Caveat: I'm not a hard user by any stretch of the imagination.