The TNF Mountain Light is GREAT! It's the best jacket I had so far.
Waterproof, comfortable fit, breathable (XCR rules!), windproof and useful (no needless functions). The only disadvantage.. the hood: it's pretty good when you use it, but storing it is a HORROR!! (has anyone an explanation HOW to store it, without feeling this awkward elastic cord on top of the hood?)
Under extreme cold conditions, the zip-in function is perfect. In that case, I use my Mountain Light together with a TNF Pamir fleece jacket, a nice combination.
The price, $319, is best described as !!!HIGH!!!, but shopping around for other (Gore XCR) shell jackets leads to the conclusion that ALL of them are pretty pricey.., so no major problem (except for the cashflow).
Overall conclusion: TNF Mountain Light Jacket is the best choice, as long as you use it the right way (Doug from Seattle has made a good point!)

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TNF Pamir Fleece Jacket (good value, although pricey. Windstopper is perfect to wear around town, and easy to zip in a TNF shell);
Columbia (can't remember the name.. No good at all, not the comfort I want to have);
Patagonia Ether Jacket (LIGHT! Nice jacket, wear it when mountainbiking)

I picked the Jacket up for a hell of a deal 119.00. I have had ths jacket for about 2yrs now and love it. I have had no durability problems what so ever and this has became my take all jacket. I even have swung delebrately into a waterfall to test waterproffness this year and still holding strong. I do have th older model, I do not like the new one. If I had to buy new it would be a Mountai Hardwear shell (but only if I had to pay full price).

The only problems that I have had is I do not like the Hood. It does not fit over a helmet very easy.

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Just what everyone needs - yet another review of The North Face Mountain Light jacket. I have worn this jacket for two winters here in the southeast Alaska rain forest. I really wanted to like the jacket because I spent a bunch of money on it and who wants to admit to making a mistake? However, I realize now that it's not a particularly well-designed product. The hood is lousy - it is impossible to cinch it down properly for wet and windy conditions and the wind whips it around like a rag. The storm flaps around the main zipper, pockets and vents always - yes, ALWAYS - get stuck in the zippers. It's amazing that I haven't ripped the material. The "core vents" provide inadequate ventilation, particularly when I am carrying a backpack. The storm flaps completely cover the vents to keep the rain and whipping snow out, but that also renders them virtually useless for ventilation. These core "vents" are a very cheap substitute for pit zips - oh, the Mountain Light has no pit zips or other ventilation. The jacket is cut like an ill-fitting bag (at least for my torso), and the DWR is not durable or water repellent for long. I don't thinks this jacket is worth purchasing at any price, given the much better jackets out there.

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All in all a great jacket. Have the 97 model which I bought in a sale. This was before the makeover! Much prefer the styling of this jacket.

On to the more important stuff, the jacket is pretty durable and has lasted me for 4 years of almost continuous use. No complaints on the waterproofing. Go Gore! The DWR however is another story. It wore off after a year and I have since had to put two coatings of Repel-X

Great value if it can be had for under $250. TNF needs to work on the technical aspects of the new series rather than just the styling

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Patagonia Super Pluma, Torrentshell

In my opinion, at 1lb 13oz it's too heavy to call a "light jacket" (read:Marmot precip,12oz), but does meet a happy medium between winter shell and rain jacket. I dig mine but only use it in late fall to early spring. The vents are adequate, but no jacket will ever prevent a soaking moving quickly uphill in a warm rain, so I guess it's as good as any in that regard. Waterproofing is excellent. No problems there. Fit is what made me buy this model over the many other choices. Mt. Hardwear is sized for waif models, not burly mountaineers with layers. Sierra designs is my choice for summer rain jacket. Sized well and light like the North face. These are my two criteria and I've not found better for the price than the mountain light by TNF. Maybe there are other european brands that will perform as well, but you generally see TNF on pictures of major expeditions. I know this is partly due to sponsorship, but the endorsers won't risk lives for the sake of free gear.

Customer Service

Not needed, but I hear it's fantastic

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Helly-Hansen sequel,SD G2,Mt Hdwr FTX,REI switchback and Marmot alpinist

I bought mine in 91, used the living sheesh out of it until 2001. It was my climbing, camping, boarding, and dress coat. This year, it finally started to leak just a wee bit, and I took it to a TNF outlet, and had it sent in. TNF sent me back a brand new one, and I was so tickled, I ended up dropping some more $$ in their store. The new one is even better designed than my first coat. The first coat was a cool purple, and they don't make that color anymore. My advice to anyone buying gear, is buy the best, of which TNF is definitely one. In the long run, it is well worth it, and they always stand behind their stuf.

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A great shell. I used this shell with either a zip in fleece and/or a wool sweater in the winter surveying in open Michigan fields. Michigan farm fields are trecherous with the wind chill in February. I broke a sweat a few times. Very good shell. do not let the word LIGHT in the title fool you. With the proper layers, you will need nothing else.

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The Mountain Light is excellent. As the name indicated it is light but can have a variety of liners zipped in to make the temperature range quite wide. It doesn't have a lot of pockets but shouldn't for what it was built for. If the two outside pockets seem too high wait until you wear it with a backpack, then you will understand. Lives up to the extreme wet weather standard and very breathable. I have several other jackets in my closet that now just stay on the hanger.

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I've used this for ski hut tours, mountaineering, summer rainstorms, fashion shows on Broadway. If I had 1 jacket shell, this would be the one. I like it better than the mountain jacket since it is light enough to pair with fleece and get a winter or summer jacket. Only thing is all TNF zippers seem to be snaggy. The velcro on the hood also gets caught on the jeep seats and picks up lint. I aslo seem to always get my beard pinched in the zipper.

Fine jacket for wet weather and light enough to be very versitile.

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TNF Mountain Jacket: much heavier and OK for really cold weather.
Sierra Designs ceramic: Poorer construction. Lets in the water.

I think that this is a great jacket. One time when I returned from the gym I was locked out in the snow with this jacket with the polar sun fleec zipped in, a tank top, and a pair of shorts. I unzipped the fleece for my legs and used the shell for the top, and it managed to keep me warm. I also used this jacket in Glacier Nat'l park, where I worked this summer. It is a great jacket to stuff in your pack when going on a climb, and put on at the summit. This jacket has also been proven to keep me dry. Few problems: the zippers tend to catch the fleece jacket when zipping in. Also I dont like that the pockets are too high for your hands.

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