Reviewed in February, 2024

When it comes to water resistance, the Montbell Versalite (men’s / women’s) is one of our all-time favorites for thru-hiking and ultralight adventures. This is CleverHiker Founder, Dave Collins’ go-to ultralight shell for backpacking and he’s used it for thousands of miles, from the Grand Sawtooth Loop in Idaho to the Glacier Peak wilderness. Gear Analyst, Casey Handley, also loves the Versalite, and it kept her dry and well-ventilated on a very soggy 273-mile thru hike of the Long Trail in Vermont.

If you’re looking for a truly airy shell to stay dry in short summer storms, this is the one. The men’s Versalite weighs a jaw-dropping 6.4 ounces, and the women’s is only 5.8 ounces. For perspective, that’s approximately the weight of two protein bars. And, it packs down to a very small package – about 3 by 3 by 5 inches – so this model easily slips into any pack without taking up much space.

from CleverHiker

Reviewed on JAN 31st, 2024

The Trek’s brave leader, Zach Davis, is a big fan of the Versalite, having used it as his go-to rain jacket everywhere from the AT to the CDT, Wind River High Route, and beyond. It’s sufficiently waterproof at just 6.4 ounces. As Zach says, cutting weight at the expense of function is a bad idea, especially if you’re heading into cold and rainy environments, which is why hand pockets are non-negotiable for him. The Versalite is one of the lighter rain jackets that offer this feature.

from THE TREK

Reviewed on Mar 20th, 2023

Let’s get the tough part out of the way first: If you are headed into conditions that could be described as “torrential,” you should probably leave this one in your closet. But if you’re looking at more typical rain conditions—the light rain of the Pacific Northwest or short-but-intense squalls of the East Coast—then the Montbell Versalite is an excellent choice. It was completely dry underneath after an hour in the shower, and the underside of the fabric was only ever so slightly damp after twenty-four hours of having a pool of water sit on top of it—an impressive degree of water resistance.

This wasn’t quite the lightest rain jacket in my test (those would be the Frogg Toggs UltraLite), but the extra features it incorporated (accounting for that extra ounce of weight) upped its performance for big adventures. The biggest of these is the zipped pit vents, essential for letting you cool off and air out when the sweat starts to pick up. It also has (albeit more minimal than the Arc’teryx Beta LT) velcro cuffs and cinches at the hem, the back of the hood, and the neck, which will help keep out cold gusts when the wind kicks up.

The Montbell Versalite had the best balance of functionality and weight in our test of the best backpacking rain jackets.

from Outdoorlife

Reviewed in July 2nd, 2021



The Versalite from Japanese based Mont-Bell is a sensational option for summer. It weighs half as much as many jackets here yet boasts high levels of waterproofing and sweat-preventing breathability and generous armpit zips for quickly dumping heat. Sure, the Gore S7 (below) is lighter, but this is a jacket for the real world, with usefully sized pockets, adjustable cuffs and hem and a fair amount of style thrown in for good measure.

Interestingly, the Versalite uses two layers of Gore-Tex Infinium with Windstopper Technology, which is typically sold as a highly breathable, windproof material with water resistance, rather than a waterproof fabric. Mont-Bell has given it a mighty upgrade however, by taping all the seams. The result is a waterproof rain shell that is impervious to wind, but also doesn’t make you feel stifled in the heat.

The ultra-thin fabric feels a little fragile - and sounds a bit plastic baggy - but the ripstop material proved more than a match for occasional brambles and a wrong turn into some gorse bushes.

Fit is true to size and adjustability is impressive given the weight. We’ve not found many jackets with a lightweight hood that can be adjusted in three different ways, even rolled up and away when not needed, yet can still pack down into a stuff sack that is only a little larger than (and half the weight of) a can of pop.

Pros: Light; packable; breathable; big pockets; pit-zips

Cons: A bit crinkly

from WIRED

Reviewed in June, 2020

The Montbell Versalite is an ultralight waterproof/breathable rain jacket that weighs 7.0 oz in a men’s XL. It’s by far the best backpacking rain jacket in my gear closet in terms of the features important to hikers. It has pit zips, a four-way adjustable hood, hook and loop wrist cuffs, hip-belt compatible chest pockets, an internally controlled hem adjustment, waterproof zippers, and taped seams. Montbell nailed this one.

from Section Hiker

Reviewed on MAY 2018

from www.followbigfoot..com