Mountain Hardwear Women's Stretch Ozonic Jacket - Lightweight Waterproof Hiking Jacket for Backpacking, Travel & Outdoor Adventures | Perfect for Camping, Trail Running & Everyday Wear

Ordering online is always a shot in the dark. I need a new rain jacket to replace an older well worn/loved one. I thought I would upgrade to a better brand...didn't quite work out fit wise.I am 5'7", 152, Size 8-10, 36C with broad shoulders and fairly long arms. I ordered my usual size Large. I have no idea how the jacket would preform in the rain because the look was less than flattering and there was no way I was going outside in it. Frumpy. My boyfriend said it looked like something his mom would wear. That killed it right on the spot. I packed it up to go back. So, I suppose if you're looking for pure function, this might be the jacket for you but, if you're looking for something to wear in public...maybe go elsewhere.Also, the hood "brim" has some sort of plastic inside to hold a shape however, it was so mangled in folding/shipping that there was no way to re-form it into something usable or attractive. Overall, the fabric was nice and quiet, the color attractive but, it certainly didn't look like an expensive jacket. The one I am replacing cost half as much but, looks twice as nice/flattering.Loved almost everything about the jacket except it doesn’t keep you dry in a heavy rain downfall. It’s light, comfortable, well designed and a great color. It sheds water nicely in light rain. But it can’t withstand summer thunderstorms in the NH White Mountains.I even ordered a second hoping the first was a lemon. But same issues.I will watch Mountain Hardware to see if they can improve this material. Cos everything else was great.This jacket kept me dry through a week of rainy hikes with no overheating. Packs up small and dries quickly, super lightweight.Very nice comfortable jacket! Very flexible and light. Ordered next size up because wanted flexibility to layer.I’ve been a Marmot raincoat person ever since my first Precip in 2012. Last year, I bought a Marmot Phoenix Evodry (MSRP $175). I’m sorry to say that this Mountain Hardware (MH) Stretch Ozonic (MSRP $200) easily puts my Phoenix to shame. There’s a lot to love about this jacket:- The MH is softer and it doesn’t sound like a trash bag when you move.- The MH has the same amount of pockets (three) and basically the same hood design.- I appreciate the double-zippered pit zips for ventilation but wish they were lined with mesh, rather than just being entirely open to the elements.- It has good mobility for arm movements (it does not pull up the bottom hem appreciably when you make large arm motions)- Two drawstrings in the hem on opposite sides! What a revelation - now you don’t have to tuck one super long cinched drawstring back up into your hem.The less-great:- Flimsy and smallish zippers; most require two hands to operate or don’t pull smoothly in one zip (may be due to the less “structured” fabric). Also zippers are not well-covered by plackets. I will say Marmot’s covered and better quality (easier to pull) zippers are much better than the ones on the MH Stretch Ozonic.- The hood design - when pulling the cinch in the back, the cord sits on the top 1/4 of your ear. It’s a strange sensation and I haven’t managed to dispel it even during extended wears. I have a medium-sized head so I presume this happens to more women than just me. Also, the visor flap on mine is deformed so it kind of slopes down toward my forehead. I wish companies would put a wire or flexible piece of plastic in the front hood to ensure that you could get a proper fit on the hood visor, but I suppose this might also interfere with packability.- Not quite as slimming-looking as some of the more structured MarmotsPerformance:Luckily, it sprinkled here recently so I was able to test it a little bit. It performed about as well as my Marmot, but without testing it in a good hour or two downpour, I’ll still reserve judgment.Fit: I’m 5’1, 36x30x36, 140 lbs and the medium fits well. I have a handful of extra fabric around the middle, so a small might also work, but I appreciate the extra mobility and room for layering.Summary:The pros definitely outweigh the cons, and this jacket will be my new go-to. Because it doesn’t look or entirely sound like a rain jacket, it’s a nice, versatile option as a light jacket or a windbreaker. If you’re particularly price-conscious, the Marmot Precip and Phoenix are still amazing values for the performance, but this Stretch Ozonic is certainly a contender and a really good all-around light, packable jacket. Recommended.I ordered both the Rhea Ridge jacket and Rhea Ridge parka for my wife, and for my money the jacket wins hands down. They're virtually identical in all respects but the length, with the jacket reaching to the hips while the parka reaches to mid thigh, but that difference in length makes all the difference.If you need a jacket that runs a little longer then sure, go for the parka, but if it's more about the look then the jacket is much more flattering. It says "I'm a cool young person ready for any weather", while the parka says "I'm an old lady and the cold weather makes my hip replacement ache".OK, maybe I'm overstating it a little, but the jacket does look cooler. I ordered a medium as my wife usually wears a small but wanted to layer it over a thick sweater, and it fits perfectly. The sleeves seem unusually long, but that's no bad think as they can be fastened at the wrist to keep them from sagging, and in cold weather (if you have arms of a regular length) you can tuck your hands inside to keep them warm.All in all I'd say that the price of this jacket reflects the quality. This is the kind of thing that will stay with you for years, and if your budget allows I'd happily recommend it.The jacket feels comfortable to wear. However because of my petite stature, it did not fit me properly. I ordered an XS size. I would love to see if Mountain Hardwear offers clothing for petite women as well. The hood also seems to be little hard to adjust. Apart from that, I would have loved to try it outdoors.