I have more shells than I can count on both hands in my closet. It’s a problem, I know. But in my mind, every shell has a time and place for use. What do I turn to when I need a lightweight shell with pit zips and hand pockets? Lately, it’s been the Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic Jacket.
I’ve reviewed the Arc’teryx Delta LT and I’ve tested the Mountain Hardwear Desna Grid Jacket. They both fill the same niche and are nearly identical in terms of materials, so which one is better?
The Mountain Hardwear Desna Grid Jacket is my new favorite lightweight fleece, dethroning the Arc’teryx Delta LT Jacket from best technical pajamas piece. Seriously, I loved the Delta LT, but I love this even more. Mountain Hardwear took things up a notch.
Down jackets are kind of my thing and I really love them. Which is weird because I live in California and the last time we had a winter was probably before I graduated from college. But come on, a down jacket is your best friend. It keeps you warm. It packs down super small in your pack and is forgotten until you need it. It makes a great pillow when you forget yours while camping.
Photo by Nelson Salvatera
Since moving to San Francisco, I’ve come to realize that space and storage is a premium. There’s only so many backpacks I can own in a space that’s sub 600 square feet. I find that solid, all-around backpacks are hard to find. Most only excel at one thing or another, resulting in a giant collection of packs that you use for one thing, maybe two. This is where the Mountain Hardwear Scrambler 30 pack shines.