Welcome to the random Monday installment of manly men reviewing manly gear. This Monday, AJ Baker, our resident outdoor guide, talks about the manly Mammut Tatoosh Rain Jacket.
Right before my trip to New Zealand I decided on the fly that I needed a new rain coat. I was walking through the men’s clothing section at REI. Saw the Mammut Tatoosh on the clearance rack so I decided to give it a go.
At 12.9 oz, the Tatoosh is a stuff it and forget it ’til ya need it kind of jacket. This is a no-frills shell made of DryTech Premium 2.5 layer stretch to battle the elements when you’re on the go. Two pit zips let you ventilate when you’re heating up. An adjustable storm hood with reinforced brim cinches down for a close fit with unhindered peripheral vision. The jacket has two zippered hand pockets and one zippered chest pocket. The fit on this is fairly trim.
It’s incredibly lightweight so when I took it backpacking on the Routeburn track and it didn’t rain for two days, I could hardly feel the added weight. I’m glad I brought it with me because when it did rain it kept me incredibly dry! Our last day was a dreary drizzle all morning long until we hit the waterfall. Beneath Earland Falls it was like a torrential downpour.
Even after getting up close and personal with the waterfall I still stayed dry! The pit zips came in extra handy for the uphill sections in wet weather. I stayed ventilated but dry. The only thing I didn’t like about the coat is that I bought it in a small. I’m generally a solid medium but hardly fit the small.
All in all, a solid pick for a simple rain shell.
