OR Celestial Jacket

Rating: *****

Price: $250 www.orgear.com

How can you tell that the gear geeks at Outdoor Research live and breathe Puget Sound air? Simple: they design outerwear that's functional for the Pacific Northwest. Based in downtown Seattle and staffed by a bunch of hiking/climbing/fishing/gearbashing crazies, OR's "Designed By Adventure" slogan isn't a bunch of marketing hooey: they use the stuff they design, and they design the stuff to be usable. The Celestial Jacket is a prime example. Weighing in at just over 10 ounces (that's about the same as 8 grapes … I know, I checked) and constructed of 100 percent waterproof GoreTex Paclite, this particular piece of rain gear should be in every backpack, glove box, ditty bag and stuff sack in western Washington. I don't say this kiddingly: I'm a hardass about my rain gear. It took me 10 years to become convinced that anyone could build a non-PVC/breathable rain jacket that was worth a darn, and I go through more failed rain-gear "Crash Tests" than every other category combined. But for the Celestial's intended functions - waterproofness and packability - I give it a hearty thumbs up. Here's why:

Water? What water?: The Celestial's GoreTex Paclite construction is pretty amazing. It sheds water like a duck's back, and is so incredibly lightweight -8 grapes, for cryin' out loud! - that you almost think it's TOO fly-away. It's not, though: the Celestial is 15 Denier, which is clothing-industry-speak for "tough enough". The jacket is fully seam taped, and features water resistant zippers and a double-separating front zipper with internal storm flap, all of which guarantee against the sneaky invasion of water through a jacket's usual weak spots. See the beads of water around the OR logo on the photo? That's all you need to know about how well the Celestial deals with the rain: water hits the GoreTex, beads up without penetrating, and slides off. Just like it's supposed to.

Pack, stuff, fold, stow: Kaj Bune, the OR marketing dude who got me connected with the Celestial, insisted that it could be folded up and stuffed into a coffee cup. So, I tried it … and I'll be damned if he wasn't right. The jacket is incredibly compactable, and will easily fit into any backpack pocket or hidey-hole on a boat (I have one rolled up and jammed into a small rear cargo box in my SUV).

I'd describe the pockets, cuffs, hoods, etc. but I recommend you just go down to OR and check this jacket out for yourself. If you're shopping at Outdoor Emporium in Seattle, or are out for a Mariners or Hawks game, you're within 5 minutes of OR's factory at 2203 1st Avenue South. The Celestial isn't cheap at $250, but you'll get your value out of this jacket in spades. --J.S.