Weathershedding

Gore-Tex Pro is the gold standard of waterproof-breathable membrane technology. The Grepon combines that with a large hood with great cinch down points and a serious waterproof main zipper. The result of that design and materials is a jacket I would trust more than just about any other in any kind of storm.

Breathability

Gore-Tex Pro is the most breathable waterproof membrane I’ve used. Despite it’s bulky design, the Grepon allowed great vapor escape (i.e. breathability), especially after opening the small, most mostly functional, pit zips.

Function

I love waterproof zippers—and I hate them. They do a stellar job of keeping the wet out without the need for heavy storm flaps, but these coated zippers can they be a pain to do up. The one on the Grepon inevitably required multiple attempts to get from top to bottom without snagging and it felt really bulky during use. Outside of that, though, the features of the Grepon really shine. The jacket sported all the pockets we could need, plus a highly functional hood and easy adjustments at the wrists and hem. Plus, this is one of the few Gore-Tex Pro jackets with built-in stretch, meaning it never restricted and felt like it moved with us without sacrificing performance.

Durability

After multiple bushwhacks, the Grepon looked as good as ever without a scar or sign of weakness.

Packability  

In the age of six ounce waterproof and breathable jackets this one’s a sumo wrestler at 1 lb, 5 oz. Sure it’s loaded with all the features and backed by durability and weatherproofness worthy of a decade of hard use. But we still hate how much volume it consumes when packed.