Review: Marmot Boy’s and Girl’s PreCip Jacket

Kid’s Rain Jacket
Marmot Boy’s and Girl’s PreCip Jacket
$65, 9 oz. (girls large)
Sizes: boys and girls XS (4-5) to XL (13-15)
moosejaw.com

When the first thunderstorm dumped rain less than an hour into our eight-mile, family dayhike on the Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park, in the Canadian Rockies, we just pulled on our rain shells and kept on hiking uphill. The second thunderstorm rolled in later, while we were descending but still above treeline, fully exposed to the effects of the wind, steady rain, and temperatures in the 50s. My 12-year-old daughter has less body fat than a pika, but she stayed comfortable and dry through those tempests in her Girl’s PreCip Jacket.

She also wore this jacket on cool mornings and in windy conditions on our four-day, 34-mile, family backpacking trip on the Rockwall Trail in Kootenay National Park in the Canadian Rockies in August, and our five-day, 38-mile backpacking trip in Paria Canyon, in Utah and Arizona, in late March. The seam-taped boy’s and girl’s PreCip Jacket features NanoPro, the proprietary waterproof-breathable coating technology that Marmot uses in some of its adult jackets. It proved waterproof in steady rain and breathable enough that my daughter was not overheating while hiking with a daypack or backpack.

The roll-up hood stuffs inside the collar and isn’t adjustable, but it is elasticized, so it stays on a kid’s head in moderate gusts. The brim keeps rain off a child’s face, but doesn’t extend as far out for severe-weather protection as you’d see on a higher-priced, adult rain shell. The jacket has a basic, functional set of features: a double storm flap over the front zipper with snaps and hook-and-loop strips to close it, elasticized cuffs on the sleeves, and a high collar to keep out wind. The hem extends below the waist. The PreCip for boys and girls is also compact: The girl’s large packs down to the size of a softball, occupying little space inside a child’s daypack or backpack while weighing only a hair over half a pound.

 

Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside, which has made several top outdoors blog lists. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter, or enter your email address in the box in the left sidebar or at the bottom of this story. Click here to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Follow my adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

 

Outfitting children is challenging: You want them to be comfortable and enjoy the outdoors while keeping it affordable, given how fast they outgrow clothing and gear. This isn’t a high-end technical jacket, of course. But it also doesn’t carry the steep price that comes with high-end outdoor apparel. Marmot’s Boy’s and Girl’s PreCip Jackets deliver good performance for my family’s hiking, backpacking, and other adventures without breaking the bank. And my daughter likes its fit and looks.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog by clicking any of these links to purchase a Marmot Boy’s PreCip Jacket at moosejaw.com, or rei.com, or a Girl’s PreCip Jacket at moosejaw.com, or rei.com.

 

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See all of my reviews of kids rain jackets, kids outdoor apparel, and kids outdoor gear that I like.

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

—Michael Lanza

 

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