Orage JP Jacket

Here's a little info for ya. I'm pretty sure the tech specs and materials are the same on the older models.

http://www.backcountry.com/orage-jp-auclair-retallack-jacket-mens

http://www.backcountry.com/orage-jp-pro-model-jacket-mens

I have about 20 days or so on my JP jacket and Gibson pants and I have to say they are my favorite outerwear pieces to date. I have owned and used many Gore Tex products and I am most impressed with the 3 layer Gore Tex soft shell this particular jacket uses.

Compared to a standard 2 layer Gore Tex performance shell, I find the 3 layer soft shell does not absorb the water on the outer layer. I never got wet in my 2 layer performance shell jacket, but in the really wet snow or rain, the jacket would definitely get soaked. The JP jacket has yet to do this at all, even in a torrential downpour it stayed dry. Comparing a previous jacket that I owned that used the Proshell material, I personally think the 3 layer soft shell feels more durable. I was very nervous about tearing the Proshell easily on a branch, but I have clipped a tree with my JP jacket on more than one occasion and found only a very small and minor abrasion, no tear or anything.

I may be able to add to this when last night's alcohol wears off. If you have any specific questions, let me know.

I've had Armada 3L and Trew in the past, just looking for other options. I like shells, insulation is just too damn hot. Venting is very important, want a better pow skirt than the Armada Galactic from last year, and taped seams are a must. If you like it, win me over and tell me why I should go with one over the other.

Considering Flylow and Patagonia too, 4th and 5th on my list.

Wouldn't mind knowing a bit more about these as well. I wanted to get this jacket and the gibson bibs last year but had trouble finding shops both online and in town carrying or able to get a hold of them (there are a shit load of alternatives in europe). So I settled for a sidney jacket and sherman pants, both very good as well, but insulated and a bit too warm in some situations. Going to america sometime in febuary and might try to get a hold of these then. 

i don't have the new one, i have the retallack coat from two seasons ago in yellow. for all intents and purposes, it was the jp pro model that year. mine's not gore-tex, it's whatever orage calls their waterproof membrane, rated at 20k. i took my first trip to ski in washington last january, and instead of getting puked on with epic amounts of snow, we got 2"-3" of rain per day. obviously, i flew across the country for a ski trip, so we sucked it up and rode anyway. my core, for the most part, stayed pretty dry. by the end of the day, the cuffs of my base layer and the collar were a little wet, as well as my shoulders around where my pack straps were, but other than that, i stayed surprisingly dry. sorry for the long-winded review, but i've had good experiences with orage's stuff in the past, so i hope that's helpful for you.

I don't have any personal experience with Armada or Trew outerwear so I am unable to directly compare them against the Orage JP jacket.

I overheat easily and have found the large pit zip vents on the JP jacket to be more than sufficient when hiking, or just standing in crowded lift lines. The jacket does also feature fully taped seams.

I am not familiar with the powder skirt on the Galactic jacket, so I can't comment on how the JP jacket's powder skirt compares. But I can get some pictures taken this evening for you if you would like to see any part of the jacket in detail.

If I had to be picky and list any dislikes, I could only think of two. The lack of a drawstring for adjusting/cinching the waist, and the fact the main zipper pull is on the opposite of every other jacket I have used. Minor issues on an otherwise amazing jacket.

I love the abundance of pockets, the goggle pocket on the inside features a goggle chamois on a leash long enough to pull out without completely unzipping the jacket. The hood easily clears my helmet when needed.

I don't really know what else to say about the jacket besides the fact that it is my favorite jacket ever, but it is keeping me from some Excel spreadsheets, so I must get back to work. If you want some pictures of any part of the jacket for comparison, I can gladly get some uploaded this evening.

The guides at Retallack use this jacket, played around with one last year and it looked bomber, especially given the # of days and abuse those guys would put on them. Will definitely be considering an Orage shell (along with Trew, Armada and ArcTeryx) when I replace my Westcomb shell in another season or two.

I'm rather interested in this jacket aswell, but my one concern with it, is that it is a soft shell type of jacket. Would that mean it wouldn't be as tough as a normal hardshell goretex jacket? Will it hold up in the trees and all that jazz, or will I not even notice the difference? I don't want to make a $550 mistake.

As I stated earlier, the 3 layer soft shell used in this jacket feels considerably more durable than the gore tex proshell material (I owned the Spyder Poacher shell) and any of the other gore tex jackets I have owned in the past, both 2 and 3 layer jackets. It's not a "soft" material in the true sense of the word.

I do have experience with colliding into trees with this jacket and it has survived with a very small abrasion, again I stated this information earlier. I don't think my current 2 layer gore tex performance shell jacket would have survived the collision with the same results.

If you can find the jacket, it's definitely worth picking up in my opinion. And if you're paying $550, you're paying way too much.