$229

by Doug Schnitzspahn

Shana Novak

With the hood stowed away in the collar, the Carbon is sleek and stylish enough to blend in downtown (there's even a subtle honeycomb pattern on one side of the back of the jacket for added evening flair). But it made the grade here because it's also built to backcountry specs, complete with pit zips and watertight zippers. The Gore Paclite fabric, a slightly lighter-weight version of standard Gore-Tex, easily shucked off an afternoon of driving rain. Considering how compactly it folds away, the brimmed hood impressed testers with how much coverage and peripheral vision it afforded. We would have liked an inside pocket for gadgets, but this was still our favorite travel or around-town piece. 13 oz; merrell.com

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2009 Summer Buyer's Guide Jackets Reviews

Marmot Aegis Gear of the Year	$140
Eddie Bauer Lightweight WeatherEdge Killer Value	$119
Merrell Carbon	$229
Helly Hansen Convertor Ekolab	$300
Westcomb Cruiser	$349
Sierra Designs Kenosha	$100
Mountain Hardwear Offwidth	$100
Columbia Rapidfire	$80
Patagonia Stretch Ascent	$300
Arc'teryx Venta LT	$269
Mammut Verglas	$279
GoLite Wisp	$60

2009 Winter Buyer's Guide Jackets Reviews

Patagonia Icefield Gear of the Year	$400
Mountain Hardwear Kramer Gear of the Year	$330
FlyLow Kung Fu Killer Value	$230
Columbia Rodeo Magic Parka Killer Value	$290
Outdoor Research Virtuoso Killer Value	$199
Columbia Alpino Reversible	$210
Scapegoat Burnside	$295
Helly Hansen Ekolab	$325
GoLite El Diablo R.B.	$350
Cloudveil Enclosure Hooded	$245
Kjus Formula	$900
Arc'teryx Gamma SV Hoody	$350
Burton Gore Windstopper Softshell Hoodie	$250
Cloudveil Hoback	$495
REI Kulshan	$289
Patagonia Primo Down Jacket	$600
Marmot Reyna	$230
REI Shuksan	$289
Orage Sofia	$200
Scott Spectre with Gore-Tex LTD	$370
Marmot Troll Wall	$425
The North Face Vanquish	$599
66° North Vatnajökull	$560
Arc'teryx Venta SV Jacket	$375
Patagonia Winter Sun	$300
Cloudveil Women's Madison Quilted Jacket	$155

2008 Summer Buyer's Guide Jackets Reviews

Marmot DriClime Catalyst Gear of the Year	$110
Mountain Hardwear Transition Jacket Killer Value	$150
Columbia Waypoint Shell Killer Value	$115
Arc'teryx Alpha SL Pullover	$250
Outdoor Research Avido	$80
Nike Bowerman Ultra Lightweight	$110
Merrell Burst	$70
Helly Hansen Current	$175
Sugoi Helium	$85
The North Face Hydrogen	$100
Rab Pinnacle	$250
ASICS Rapido	$70
Nau Shelter	$280
Westcomb Skeena Hoody	$320
Columbia Slipstream Full Zip	$80
Timberland Soft Shell Full-Zip	$100
MontBell Thunderhead	$325
Millet Touring Hoodie	$310
The North Face Triumph	$180

2008 Winter Buyer's Guide Jackets Reviews

Arc'teryx Hercules Hoody Gear of the Year	$325
Cloudveil Koven Plus Gear of the Year	$440
Mountain Hardwear Escape Killer Value	$250
The North Face Flash Killer Value	$229
Quiksilver J-Turn Killer Value	$220
Columbia Wildcard Killer Value	$180
Cloudveil 4 Pines Insulated Parka	$280
Scott Apollo	$290
Alpha LT Arc'teryx	$499
Salomon Evo	$300
Scott Format Jacket	$225
Helly Hansen Goodnight Jacket	$200
Holden Klein Eco Jacket	$240
Marmot La Grave	$450
Millet Langtang GTX	$460
Outdoor Research Megaplume	$299
The North Face Morgan Jacket	$229
Roxy Penny Arcade Jacket	$230
Oakley Puffy Layer	$290
Westcomb Rampage HX	$330
Scapegoat Rosti	$400
Aigle Shems	$160
Arc'teryx Stingray	$499
Outdoor Research Tremor	$275
Moutain Hardwear Velocity Guide	$195
Spyder Vision Jacket	$350
Isis Whisper Hoodie	$189
Mountain Hardwear Windstopper Insulated	$240
Patagonia Winter Guide	$275

2007 Buyer's Guide Jackets Reviews

The North Face Cipher Windstopper Gear of the Year	$149
GoLite Gamut Killer Value	$100
Nau HS2 Quintessenshell Killer Value	$175
Cloudveil Mountain Cache Killer Value	$80
Mammut Blend Hybrid	$299
Brooks Element	$100
Mountain Hardwear G50	$159
Cloudveil Inertia Peak	$145
Sierra Designs Isotope	$89
Mammut Microlayer	$99
Westcomb Mojave Hoody	$280
Patagonia Nine Trails	$95
Outdoor Research Synapse	$119
Helly Hansen Sray	$300
Marmot Stormlight	$350
Patagonia Stretch Latitude	$275
Ground Virtual	$200
Helly Hansen Viz	$100
Integral Designs eVent Thru Hiker	$260

2006 Buyer's Guide Jackets Reviews

Patagonia Spraymaster Gear of the Year	$249
Outdoor Research Logic Killer Value	$129
Adidas 125 Windshell	$75
REI Aegis	$169
Lowe Alpine Airspeed	$100
Mammut Blaze	$329
Cloudveil Cache Creek	$95
Mountain Hardwear Cohesion	$140
The North Face Diad	$159
Ground Hard Place	$360
Brooks L.S.D. Jacket	$85
Helly Hansen Mars	$100
Outdoor Research Razor	$89
Columbia Sierra Falls	$80
Beyond Fleece Vayu Light	$155
Cloudveil Zorro	$135
Integral Designs eVent Rain Jacket	$220

2005 Buyer's Guide Jackets Reviews

Patagonia Ready Mix Gear of the Year	$199
REI Taku Gear of the Year	$199
Marmot Essence Killer Value	$160
Outdoor Research Mithril Stormshell Killer Value	$189
66° North Blafell	$299
Arc'teryx Sigma AR Jacket	$285
The North Face Welded Omega Jacket	$299
GoLite Wizard	$300

2004 Buyer's Guide Jackets Reviews

REI Momentum Pullover Gear of the Year	$119
Burton AK 3L Continuum Fuse	$400
Columbia Atlas Mountain Pullover	$50
Mammut Besal	$375
Cloudveil Half Moon Jacket	$90
Moonstone Hyperlight Windshirt	$85
Mountain Hardwear Synchro Jacket	$210
Helly Hansen Zero G	$70

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