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Marmot Nano Jacket Review
Ultralight is an understatement of the Marmot Nano Jacket. It's slightly thicker than a newspaper page, yet delivers the performance of a much heavier and bulky jacket. The Nano is waterproof, windproof and breathable, and packs up to half the size of a 32 ounce water bottle. It's a four season shell that can be used as a rain coat on summer backpacking trips and as a shell during winter ski tours. The only problem is it packs up so small, you'll forget where you put it.
Marmot Nano on the Slopes
The Nano is a excellent outer layer. Depending the temperature, you need to layer according beneath the Nano. I think everyone involved in winter sports should take a look at the Nano. It packs up so small and it so light, it's the perfect jacket to carry in your pack. The Nano takes about about a third less room in my ski pack than my other shell and weights about half the weight. That adds up when your out on the trail for a few hours.
Marmot Nano Exterior
The exterior of the Nano is rip-stop nylon. The main zipper and the pocket zippers are water resistant. The cuffs on the sleeve are adjustable and the waist has a quick adjust draw cord. The hood features a baseball cap like fit, with a stiff brim to keep the water off your face and adjustable drawcords to cinch the hood around your head. Dispute the newspaper like feel, the jacket is very durable. I brushed up against some branches and rocks and the coat was fine. The front pockets double as vents.
Marmot Nano Interior
The Nano is lined with GORE-TEX Paclite. This the lightest membrane that GORE-TEX makes, and like all GORE-TEX fabrics it's waterproof, windproof and breathable. The membrane is welded onto the rip-stop nylon exterior and all the seams are taped and waterproof. There are small holes on the inside of each pocket which allow for more ventilation.
Marmot Nano in the Backcountry
I brought the Nano along with me on a quick snowshoe at Alta. As you can see it was a bluebird day, so I packed the Nano into my back pocket. Once I started to descend, the wind picked up so I pulled Nano out of my pocket and put it on. It's great to be able to fit that just-in-case layer into your back pocket.
The Nano is a great value for the versatility of the jacket. It retails for $250 USD, but you can use it year round for skiing, climbing, hiking, biking, fishing and just running around town. The jacket weights only 8 ounces and packs down to twice the size of your fist.
