Marmot Reyna Review

Likes
The Marmot Reyna is one of three jackets in this review that are wind-proof, the others being the North Face Apex Bionic and the Mountain HardWear Barisian. This adds quite a bit of function and protection to the jacket and could convince a customer to select the Reyna over other great soft shells, such as the Arc'teryx Gamma MX, which is very breathable but doesn't block wind very well. The Reyna is also the only jacket in this review with taped zippers, keeping wind and water out more effectively than the zippers used on all the other women's soft shells. The Reyna has other features that make it stand out from the rest, such as having the most pockets and having a specific hole for your iPod headphones to come through from the chest pocket to the interior of the jacket. Also, it is one of only two soft shells in this review with adjustable sleeve cuffs. Having this adjustable Velcro strap makes wearing gloves with this jacket much easier, though this feature adds a bit of weight. However, even with an unnecessary number of pockets and Velcro cuffs, this jacket is one of the lighter jackets reviewed, weighing in at 531 grams.

Dislikes
As with most windproof garments, the Reyna is a bit stiff when wearing. However, it is more flexible, stretchy, and comfortable than the Apex Bionic, which is the another wind-proof jacket in this review. The Barisian is a windproof soft shell that retains its flexibility and comfort without being stiff.

Even though we view having adjustable cuffs as a positive, the cuffs still seem a bit too small to accommodate most glove cuffs, and it takes a bit of fiddling to the the gloves inside the sleeve cuffs.

The number of pockets on this jacket seem a bit excessive. There are two large hand pockets, one exterior chest pocket and one interior chest pocket, and a mostly useless sleeve pocket. It might be useful for keeping an RFID ski pass in, but not much else. In general, the Reyna could shed some weight and some unnecessary components by slimming down on the pockets. It would make this already light and versatile jacket strictly functional.

Best Application
Because of its windproof qualities and its extra features like the headphone compatible pocket, this jacket is great for winter activities like backcountry skiing where listening to music on a long skin is a must, and keeping wind out is a matter of safety.

Value
The Marmot Reyna is one of the more expensive jackets in this review, but if you want a really versatile and windproof soft shell, this is the one to get. Its extra dollars get you extra features.