PRODUCT SUMMARYBy hotChocolate
THE GOODThe Ama Dablam jacket is the perfect choice for a lightweight layer on a backcountry ski tour. It's extremely comfortable, versatile and is very well constructed with high quality materials. I love the hood, and although it's not quite large enough to fit over a helmet, it's thin enough to fit nicely underneath. The sleeve pocket is a really nice touch, and the liner of the hand pockets is really soft! I have found that this jacket works perfectly as an insulation layer or as a jacket on a 20 degree day.
THE BADAlthough there are a few changes that I would make to the Ama Dablam, you'll find it in my pack almost every single day. With that said, I hope that Marmot will consider the following when designing next year's model:
1) The sleeves are slightly too short. I would choose a size smaller if the sleeves were longer.
2) Partially because of choosing a larger size to get the correct sleeve length, the fit is
definitely not tapered at the waist like I would expect for a "women's fit". (On the other hand, the extra space allows me to comfortably wear layers underneath the jacket!)
3) I wish that there was a catch all, elastic pocket on the inside of the jacket.
4) I've never seen something like this, but I keep wishing that there were unzippered
hand warming pockets in addition to the zippered side pockets.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOWThe Ama Dablam is
the classic mid weight down jacket. It's pretty much exactly what you would expect for a technical layer- lightweight, durable, comfortable and it compresses to a small space in your pack.