470g (m) 450g (w)

Best for

Transalpine tramping and mountaineering. 

Overview

Patagonia’s top-tier alpine-spec hard shell packs a tonne of features while maintaining a reasonable weight and improved durability with PFAS-free 80D Gore-Tex ePE Pro fabric. The helmet-compatible hood has a Storm Seal and Cohaesive cord locks, while the cuffs are polyurethane-lined for grip on gloves and wrists. It has a two-way main zip and pit zips, and a generous set of pockets, including two chest pockets, two harness-compatible handwarmer pockets and two interior pockets. All zips are water-resistant.      

Performance

The roomy mountain-oriented cut provided unrestricted mobility even when layered up. I had plenty of reach for scrambling or swinging an ice tool and the cuffs didn’t drag down my wrists. It’s built for storm protection rather than minimalism, so has reasonable overlap with rain pants, while the hood has excellent coverage with or without a helmet. The interior of the hood has a novel draft panel (Storm Seal) that helped block air and keep the hood in place when I was buffeted by the wind, but without a helmet on it didn’t make an appreciable difference. You’ll probably lose items in the seven pockets, four of which have excellent exterior positioning, well clear of straps and waist belts. The stretchy drop-in interior pocket is useful, but two other small zip pockets seem excessive. Overall it has a finely tuned finish, with low-profile cord locks integrated into the fabric, while the hem adjustment cords operate from inside the handwarmer pockets for a catch-free exterior.    

What we liked

Class-leading fit, fabric and construction, DWR and weather protection, weight.

Limitations

Expensive.

Why buy the Pluma Pro? 

Complete features plus reasonable weight and durability with the reliability of top-end Gore-Tex make this a great pick for highly active mountain-goers looking for the best in storm protection.