The more jackets I get, the more I appreciate the Mt. Light. The soft 2 ply GoreTex makes the jacket nicer to live with than the 3 ply GoreTex jackets. This jacket does everything well. I don't like the double zippers though, and I wish it had more internal pockets, especially water bottle pockets like the Kitchatna.

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TNF Middle Triple.

Great jacket - looks really nice, works well too!

Positive comments for this jacket:
+ fits great; very comfortable;
+ light and quiet; variety of zip-in liners available (I have Denali fleece and Nuptse down);
+ good ventilation with pit-zips

Downsides:
- only two outside pockets, both of which are placed rather high;
- inside pocket is supposed to be a stow-away pocket, however I can't get it to fit in the stow-away and also the size of the pocket (to allegedly allow stowing) means it's way too deep for reasonable use;
- very very common - I see them everywhere (doesn't bother me, but may bother some)

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Mountain Hardwear Nutshell jacket

I recently have purchased the North Face Mountain light jacket. I believe that it is the 98 model. I have never owned a North Face product before, but now I am hooked. I find that the construction,design and durability of this jacket is unmatched by any jacket Ive owned in the past. The gortex shell keeps me very dry and when a liner is zipped in this jacket can be as warm as your heart desires. The fleece linings are good for cold weather camping and for extreme cold a down jacket can be used. The arms up articulation, under arm venting, and abrasion free zipper cover make this jacket very comfortable. The stow away pocket and adjustable draw cords make this jacket very versitle. The only complaint I could think of is maybe a couple more pockets. I recomend this jacket to anyone who is a moderate hiker to extreme backpacker, you wont regret it.

Great for keeping dry..under arm zippers keep you from getting too overheated Nice hood doesnt hang down and cover half your face..Design is nice because it does restrict your arm movements
It might be a little much of a jacket for warm weather hikes..I bought mine a little big to wear
fleece under it when the weather gets cold

A fairly lightweight jacket with no lower hand pockets. It fits okay, but then I haven't shopped around that much. The older model is at slight discount online everywhere-an extrememly good value considering you get gortex, not an untested house coating. The snap buttons are difficult to snap quickly (and require a firm tug to release) and the zipper initially snags on the internal zipper. The soft, feel good parts are vulnerable to brush, but allow freer movement. Overall, a good lightweight shell made by a reputable company- the 'Nike' of lightweight shell, which some people like and others hate.

Initally, I was quite pleased with the Mtn. Light Jacket. I used it for about 1 yr in all sorts of conditions, including snow, sleet, dumping rain, hail etc. It kept me dry for about the the first year. After that time, the water repellency took a nose dive. The jacket became visibly saturated during light sqalls and began to soak through to the inside. The last time I wore the jacket in serious rain, I got soaked, and it took another 2 days for the jacket to dry (that was AFTER the company had re-treated the jacket). As you might guess, I have returned the jacket to TNF for replacement.

Customer Service

TNF warranty folks are very nice and very helpful. I would recommend dealing with the personally (ie. don't go through your local retailer). They paid to have the faulty jacket returned. Hopefully, they will be sending me a new replacement. We'll see....

After using this jacket for about a year, I really like it. It has kept me dry while crawling under brush in deep wet snow while still having plenty of breathability and ventalation to keep from comfy. It is reasonably light and packs small enough that I it gets used for my normal rain jacket year around.

Customer Service

As with all TNF gear (unless they have changed recently), there is a live time warranty. I had some stores grumble when taking things back but it always gets taken care of.

Owned for over a year now and love it. Its taken a beating snowboarding, been in the heaviest rains, winter camping, chilly day hikes, backpacking etc etc.
Packs very well (it all fits in the inside pocket with some effort). Keeps me drier than anything Ive ever had. Great big pockets though I wish the front 2 were just a bit lower. North Face Denali Fleece zips inside for a VERY warm and cozy combo. Totally comfortable in winter camping. Great wind breaker. Washes easily and havent yet had to re finish it. Also very light. People like to dog North Face (perhaps cause of popularity, I dont know.) but like any other company, they do some things great and other things not so great. The Mountain Light is GREAT. People are complaining about the price and maybe it is a bit high for my budget but if your a good shopper, you can find deals online (Campmor is good when they carry the item) or otherwise. Dont settle for the first price you see then complain about it. Thats just lazy. I got this for about 70-80 dollars less than the normal price.

Customer Service

The little time Ive spent with customer service, Ive had no complaints.

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This is my first gortex jacket.

Just had my first Mountain Light jacket warrantied because the gore-tex delaminated. The old one was a work horse, no frills, bomb proof, and with no leaks. I have been all over eastern U.S. and Canada with it never leaving my pack / body. The style has changed, new one - more bells and whistles, more areas for possible leaks. Also new one has more seams for possible leaks, but better designed hood. Overall rating would have been higher if there was not so much waiting time for replacement.

Customer Service

Warranty, don't go there, old one been to TNF twice. Only when I scanned in the delaminated area and e-mailed TNF did things start to roll. Total down time for replacement 3 1/2 months.

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Mountain Hardware

I have had my Mountain Light jacket since the winter of 1998. I have taken it several places such as Colorado, The French Alps, and Utah. It has also accompanied me on several multi-week backpacking trips, and I have concluded that this jacket is extremely reliable in any conditions you can throw at it. I would highly reccomend it for the price range that it is in.