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Marmot PreCip Eco Jacket Review

The Marmot PreCip Jacket is well known in the outdoors doing double duty as a wind shell and rain jacket. We released the review of this jacket in mid 2017 and finally after six years of heavy wear, Gill and I have replaced our original jackets. So it was time to see what, if any, changes have occurred in a piece of equipment that has been so well known for so long. Our reason for purchasing a new jacket was that finally they weren’t keeping us as dry I we would have liked but that’s after thousands of hours of tried and tested use.

I am fortunate in that it’s not often I get the rain gear out of my pack, but when I do it all needs to come together quickly! Typically on most of my hikes we avoid using full-on Gortex ‘storm jackets’ (we do each own one) preferring the lighter weight options that pack down to almost nothing when not in use.

Comfort wise this jacket feels soft enough that its good to wear over a T-shirt. Like any rain jacket, I find I am much more comfortable when wearing the jacket over long sleeves – if the weather is warm and wet, then a lightweight long sleeve T-shirt is best as it will soak up the moisture. The fit is generous enough to wear over a lightweight down jacket and still not make you feel like you’re wearing an oversized (noisy) plastic bag! The lined chin guard adds to the comfort and the underarm zips (PitZips) mean you can adjust the ventilation to match the weather conditions and the activity you are undertaking.

The hood folds into the collar but I do find I spend a little more time on this to ensure it is neat and comfortable around the neck. The hood works best if you wear a peaked cap underneath otherwise you’re likely to get rain dripping down your face! The jacket squashes into its own pocket the size of which seems to change slightly with the jacket sizes so for the small and extra small size, they appear a little more compact.

I have worn this jacket in heavy and long downpours including on the Bibbulmun Track where I had 100km per hour winds and torrential rain and I still managed to stay dry. This jacket holds up well to these severe conditions and the only time I have ended up getting wet is when I’m getting too hot from incorrect layering or if the ‘PitZips’ are fully open and I’m doing something that requires me to reach above my head hence exposing the openings to the weather. In this circumstance your wrists also become a potential entry point for water but having said that this is an issue for any other jacket as well.

While the colours have been updated and the range is a lot better than it used to be, Australia is colour deprived and the full US colour range isn’t available in our local market.

There are lots of techy features to this jacket that means it is a great choice for most rain and wind conditions. This jacket is marketed at ‘backcountry hikers and urban travellers’ and suits this market well.

So what’s the difference between the current model as opposed to previous version? In this current model there are three main changes. The first being an upgraded colour range which is really just a cosmetic change, but a welcome one. The second change is that like much of the outdoor industry the use of recycled materials is more obvious which explains the ‘Eco’ tag. And lastly the most major change is that the chin guard is higher. I didn’t find that the previous version’s lower chin guard created any issue but this new higher version reduces any possibility for water to access this jacket if the wind is blowing the rain straight into your face.

Price wise the Marmot PreCip Eco Jacket usually sells for around AUD $179.99 RRP but its often available at a discounted price. Without a doubt the Marmot PreCip Jacket continues to be one of the best lightweight rain jackets on the market and one that is worth considering for your rain protection.

Tim in his Marmot PreCip Eco Jacket (Foliage colour), hood down. The men’s and women’s jackets really only vary with colours and sizing but otherwise are interchangeable. This jacket is not a full-on ‘storm jacket’ lacking the rigid peak so you ideally you’ll need to wear a peaked cap to keep help keep the rain off your face

Gill in her Marmot PreCip Eco Jacket (Platinum colour) with hood up

Under arm vent (PitZip). You can undo these zips to allow airflow when its hot but be careful how you move your arms otherwise you may get water entering through the open zip

Marmot velcro hood adjustment. This velco tab allows you to adjust the hood to just the right position

The Marmot PreCip Jacket packs into one of its own pockets

We Like

• 100% seam taped which adds strength and keeps dry
• Adjustable velcro cuffs so you can keep the water out
• Attached adjustable hood that rolls into collar which keeps the hood out of your way when not needed
• DriClime lined chin guard which is more comfortable and softer on the skin
• Elastic draw chord hem to manage any upwards splash
• Marmot NanoPro waterproof/breathable fabric which reduces sweating and condensation
• Pack pockets which means you can keep all your bits handy
• Packs into own pocket for compact storage
• PitZips you can open when the rain is not so heavy to ventilate your body and reduce moisture build up inside the jacket when you are on the move

We Don't Like

• The hood needs a stiff peak to keep heavy rains out. My hack on this is to wear a peaked cap underneath the hood to provide support
• The velcro cuffs don’t prevent water from splashing up your arm in heavy rain
• If the jacket gets damp inside, it can take a while for the moisture to dissipate

Best Uses

• Great rain jacket option for just about any outdoor adventurist

Buy One

You can purchase the Men’s Marmot PreCip Eco Jacket online from Wild Earth or from Wildfire Sports

You can purchase the Women’s Marmot PreCip Eco Jacket online from Wild Earth or from Wildfire Sports

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $179.99 RRP

Other Versions

Marmot produces a range of wet weather jackets with the PreCip sitting in the middle of the range. The PreCip is the best of both worlds balancing features and price. If you’re serious about wet weather hiking you should look at the pricer jackets

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

Last updated

23/11/2023

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