When people think of Sierra Designs, they undoubtedly think of their great tents and sleeping bags. While their shelters and mummies are some of the best in the business, they also have a solid selection of outerwear for backpacking, skiing and hanging out in the mountains. For years, I’ve used Sierra Designs outerwear and have found it to be of high quality at a more palatable price point.
A great example of this is the Sierra Designs Mantra Fusion Jacket. This is their top-of-the-line shell and has all the great features you’d expect from every other high-end shell on the market, but at a fraction of their cost. At a very reasonable $259, the Mantra Fusion is a real bargain for what you’re getting. So, what are you getting? Lets dig into that.
Features
The Mantra Fusion Jacket is the best of the best waterproof-breathable rugged laminated mountain hard-shells. It is a fully featured, mechanical stretching shell with a full range of motion and ample storage for summer glacier trekking, south of the equator skiing and high mountain expeditions.
- Fully Fused PVC-Free Seams
- Helmet Compatible, Fully Adjustable Hood with Visor
- Adjustable Hem
- Adjustable Cuff
- Removable, Zip-Off Snowskirt
- Underarm Vents
- 1 Internal Mesh Dump Pocket and 1 Internal Zippered Mesh Pocket
- Interior Tricot Chin Guard
- Condor Construction
- Weight: 1 lbs 10 oz
- Colors: Black, Gator, Hot Sauce, Moth/Ash, Thunder
- MSRP: $259 (yes, indeed!)
Review
As mentioned above, I’ve always been impressed with the value provided by Sierra Designs outerwear. The Mantra Fusion Jacket is a fully-fused jacket, meaning all seams are fused instead of stitched. What this means is that there is no need for seam tape and no potential for the stitching to allow water to leak through. It also improves breathability at the seams by reducing the amount of material through which water vapor must pass. The result is a very sleek-looking and functional shell.
The 3-layer waterproof Tropozone shell has just enough 4-way stretch to it to make it even more comfortable under use. The cut is definitely not athletic… more of a traditional mountain cut with enough length to keep you covered under all conditions. With the zip-off powder skirt, this jacket can be streamlined for backcountry use or used as a killer resort-style shell. Speaking of that, the fit and styling is very resort-friendly so you don’t look like an Arc’teryx granola-eater inbounds (which I’m often accused of).
Weather protection is as expected… superb. Wind, rain and snow sheds off this jacket with aplomb and you just keep charging. The waterproof zippers are easy to use and have great zipper pulls. The soft brushed lining in all pockets takes the edge off when used bare-handed.
The interior is also lined with an ultralight brushed material to help take the edge off and help move moisture away from your body.
The Good
- Excellent pricepoint
- Comfortable 4-way stretch fabric
- Dependable weather protection
- Hood is easily-adjusted and functional
- Pockets galore
- Breathability is great
- Zip-off powder skirt gives this inbounds/backcountry flexibility
The Bad
- Cut could be trimmed down just a bit for a more streamlined fit, which would also reduce weight a tad
- Hand pockets are hard to zip/unzip one-handed
- Non-continuous Velcro attachments on cuff limits micro-adjustments
Bottom Line: Sierra Designs Mantra Fusion Jacket
My take on this jacket is that it is a great resort-specific shell or a general-purpose shell for camping, hanging out, etc. It’s not quite svelte enough for hard-core backcountry use, but zipping out the powder skirt does reduce some of the unnecessary bulk should you wish to haul it along for a serious mountain adventure. The price really separates this jacket from the crowd… it is a great overall package.
02.26.2010 at 1:04 am - by The North Face Borealis 1/4 Zip Fleece Review - FeedTheHabit.com
[...] wore the North Face Borealis with a lightweight Merino wool base layer under the Sierra Designs Mantra Fusion jacket for an afternoon of skiing at Sundance Resort. Temperatures were in the mid-20’s with snow [...]