Marmot Mica Jacket
We've used plenty of very light jackets before, but what blew us away with the Mica was just how breathable it was.
Reviewed:
9 April 2009
by Jon
What's It For?
Simple, minimalist ultra-lightweight jacket aimed squarely at the less is more crowd, so adventure racers, runners, mountain bikers, lightweight walkers. Marmot's big claimed advantage is unparalleled breathability at this price level.
The Techy Bits
The Mica is all about Marmot's new 2.5 -layer MemBrain Strata fabric, the inside of which ... Continue reading
5 images of Marmot Mica Jacket
See all
See all images...
Be the first reader to review the Marmot Mica Jacket!
Jon - I love the concept of " Angel-Wind-Movement" on a jacket said to be highly breathable.
Posted: 02/03/2009 at 13:30
Cotswolds also seem to have the Mica in their new summer catalogue/in their online shop (to order now it seems) but not the Aegis. Odd that its easier to find than the Aegis in some ways - you'd imagine the Aegis to be the more mass market thing. Its fairly easy to find Precips around the place so I guess that the Aegis won't be too hard to find long term.
Posted: 19/03/2009 at 17:08
I've just spoken to someone at Marmot and he has said that so far only 6 retailers are stocking the Aegis. Ellis Brigham, Joe Browns, White & Bishop, Out & About and Tiso. And one I can't remember I would suggest the thing to do is phone the company?branch first to make sure they have the size jacket in question. He said that no-one is stocking the two orange versions of the jacket but that the other colours in the range are spread out thru the retailers with some stocking some and some all. Marmot man said he could get the orange colours direct if you wanted but only in the size you wanted with no option to change. He recommended visiting a stockist to try on the jacket first. He said the Mica was a slimmer fit than the Aegis. HTH
Posted: 25/03/2009 at 15:42
I picked a black one up from Ellis Brigham, Covent Garden since I was in London that day. £99 is not bad for what you get - shame they don't offer any BMC discount. I don't usually buy from chains, preferring my local independent (Action Outdoors, Ipswich) but Marmot don't have many channel outlets it seems. Joe Brown's only had red apparently so that was a no-no for me. Anyhow, it's first duty was a 3-day practice for the Welsh 3000's over Easter, beginning with a heavy-drizzle ascent of the Pyg Track on Good Friday. I tend to heat up quite quickly and despite the initial coldish conditions I was wearing just an Embers Merino base-layer (my fave) and the Marmot Aegis on top, the Alpkit Stealthy Gourdon doing the waterproof pack duties behind me. The pit zips were useful, I did build up a bit of a sweat, but it never got too out of control inside - and the waterproof performance was perfect. Once on top sitting down for a snack amongst the Snowdon crowds the addition of my trusty Montane Verso as a mid-layer kept me nice and toasty. The weather improved throughout the rest of the day (i.e. it stopped raining), and back to two layers it acted brilliantly as protection in the cold winds. It's not restrictive at all and the arm pocket held my compass neatly. A4 digital laminated map in one pocket and iPhone in the other just needed a bit of shuffling when the waist belt was done up. The whole thing packs down very small and I could even get a hat under the hood (just). Overall I'd say the quality and finish was excellent - no stray stitches or obvious cheapness, the feel is good too. I'd always though I'd have to splash out for an eVent jacket but the prices are just too high - if you can cope with a few cut down features (no peak wire, long mesh pockets, no chest pocket) then this really is very good value for money. It's also pretty light. I don't regret buying it at all. We completed all 15 peaks over the 3 days - next year we are going back for the under 24-hour effort. Mick
Posted: 16/04/2009 at 22:42
Just got mine from tiso with a 9% cashback from quidco Didn't get to try it only unfortunately as no store near me stocks them. And i really like the guys from tiso, extremely helpful and quick service plus they had blue which i prefer to black and red. Anyway, the jacket itself looks well made, no stray stitching and fits really nice. I went and tried on a mica which i thought was the closest match. I knew the mica was a slimmer fit but medium turned out a good choice for me at 5ft10 and just under 12stone. So i ordered a medium aegis and it fits REALLY well. The Angel Wing design gives really nice flexibility and the cut is really good, medium cut, defiantly not as "athletic" as the mica which is practically light and slim enough to be a wind shirt. I would say the mica would be much better suited to running as i thought i could run in my aegis and i probably still will if needed. I preferred the closer cut to the neck and head of the aegis and mica compared to some Rab jackets i tried on which i found needed a fair bit of adjustment and found the collars peaking too high. I tried on the Alpine and the new momentum rab jackets and wasn't impressed when i got the zip stuck on the rab and for something like £160 i wasn't that impressed with the build quality on first impressions. The Aegis is typically marmot waist length too so don't expect much coverage below the waist. Suits me better do give better flexibility. The most important part, the WP and breathability hasn't been tested yet but i'm going away soon where the jacket will be given a good testing. My only reservations are about the zips, the main zip does have a stiffened protective flap but i'll see how i go with the pocket zips. Providing it does well in the WP department which i'm sure it will be fine in, i think i've found a really good jacket for the money, possibly for 3 seasons too! Oh! and the zip is a left handed zip, feel like a woman! Why!
Posted: 09/06/2009 at 10:52
In USA, REI sell them too. I got mine for $99+tax which is about £70 I was surprised, the best fit on me was a small. I wanted it close-fitting to maximise the cooling effect of the rain close to the surface so I can do warmer rain conditions. I'm usually a medium. Nice venting, the hood isn't too good floppy/flappy, but for a (claimed) good breathability and good venting, for that price it looks good. It has one waterproof sleeve pocket for my cellphone and venting front pockets for keys etc. Where I live now, will get plenty of opportunity to try it on the warmer of the wet days. It rains more in California in winter than it does in Lancashire in winter, but temperatures higher. I now have the Marmot Aegis and the Paramo Quito, the "best" well-vented low-insulation and high-insulation short walking/cycling jackets I've come across. They replace the Rab Drillium (no vents) and the Paramo Velez (smock) I had last winter. I must say.... sitting with a leg in USA and in UK, playing the currency rollercoaster and picking mail-order between the regions, does produce overall favourable pricing, if you're patient.
Posted: 19/10/2009 at 05:56
any idea as to how rugged the face fabric is then? Mine not been hard-worn, I got months ago, bided my time waiting for a bargain, and got for the went season which is just now kicking-in in northern California. I would say simply looking at the fabric, it looks sturdy, looks tough, doesn't look flimsy like say Pertex. Others who've owned and worn for months should be able to comment on actual hardiness. So the shells, they aren't as breathable so you'd be wearing for a small % of the time and packed more often, than say windproofs or Paramo. That's the key to making them last a good few years.
Posted: 19/10/2009 at 16:55
So indoors, figured out how to draw down the hood so it doesn't fly up in headwind. Next, I find I can't cinch it tight under chin, so you have rain running off face into the jacket ala "come in there's plenty of room", turns the whole hood into a rain collection device when facing rain. Oh now there's an obvious design flaw. The Rab Drillium I had, you could cinch as tight was you wanted under the chin, and it had a "gutter" outside to drain to the outside.Why can't designers of the cut take the best bits and simply track fabric technology
Posted: 20/10/2009 at 01:55
The flaw is customizable, there is some soft fabric inside the collar, I can stitch some elasticated fabric there, probably around the sides, to pinch in the collar so its below the face run-off area and reduce ingress. Not applying needle & thread just yet, thinking about it. Alternatively, walk with an umbrella 
Posted: 20/10/2009 at 17:06
So I've worn my Aegis in some longer and heavier showers, I bought this jacket months ago on a sale rail and only now am getting some feel for its capabilities. The breathability, I can't fault, I own a cheap waterproof cycling jacket, and if I walk or cycle in that at any pace the inside face is made wet, particularly places like the arms. The Aegis in comparison is bone dry. The pitzips, don't seem to add much ventilation, i think because I bought a size a little too small for me so there isn't much slack to get the wind through the torso. I did own eVent jacket for a while, I guess, from memory, this is comparable to eVent but not done a comparison apples-apples. Its a little too short and a little too tight but these are forgiveable as the sale-rail had small and I'm usually a medium. I suspect this would better if I had the size I'm usually. Pitzips in particularly need enough room in the torso. The only real design flaw is the collar, it is both stiff and too big, it needs some kind of pincher or drawstring to get it tighter. The pockets are a little weird, everything falls right down to the bottom just where the waist is and there is no drainage, if you had items there they'd be in a puddle eventually. Overall, a light cheap breathable jacket.
Posted: 16/02/2010 at 07:26
What exactly do you mean by 'wets out'? That term means that external moisture overcomes any DWR treatment so that water no longer beads up and runs off, instead it gets absorbed by the outer fabric. That in turn will reduce the garment's breathability, but it's very different from having a garment that leaks. DWR treatments can be refreshed / re-applied, although I accept it would be annoying to have to do so with an effectively new jacket.
Posted: 06/04/2010 at 23:27
Hmmm, well like-for-like conditions I found the Aegis's fabric - Membrane Strata - wetted out at about the same time as other similar fabrics. Last week I was wearing eVent cap, Aegis jacket, OMM Kamleika pants, Keen sandle and Sealskinz socks. The cap and the jacket wetted out at about the same time, after the OMM wetted You may have a fault, which should be localised, or you may need to renew its DWR but if hardly worn sounds unlikely, but much more likely you simply sweated, wet it from inside, and suffered from the bad hood/collar design for rain coming in through the collar. I liked the fabric enough to buy another, Marmot Mica, its yet to be tested in anger, but I got that for an emergency waterproof. I tried the Mica before the Aegis but it has a horrible floopy hood, but subsequently I got a decent eVent cap so am hoping that will support the Mica's hood and work reasonably ok. I do wonder if you need to accept that when you're running you'll get wet one way or another??? Cyclists have to accept it. You might be better to move to a more breathable windproof, you'd dry quicker. Examples being Montane Pertex, Paramo Fuera I paid $90 and $100 for my Mica and Aegis, which isn't too bad for the breathability.
Posted: 07/04/2010 at 00:26
 |
Weight, price, breathability and it's a nice cut and a lovely colour too. |
| |
 |
Cuff closure may be too wide for some small wrists. |
- Price: £90.00
- Year: from 2009
- Weight: 192g
- Weight: 400g
- Website: http://www.marmot.com
- Website: http://www.marmot.com
|
Matt Heason picks out one of the highlights of this year's... All the outdoor weather info you need - this weekend, when... Fully waterproof case allows fully functional outdoor use...
|
