Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic – Light, Soft and Packable

Kate Agathon

 

Backcountry gram counters, the Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic jacket is for you!

Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic Review

This incredibly lightweight rain shell is also quiet (no potato chip bag sound effects here), packable, soft, stretchy, and unlike any other rain jacket (good-bye plasticy fabric) I’ve ever worn.

Based mainly on its superior lightness (the size M which I wore is approximately 11.3 oz), I’d recommend it for use in hiking, backpacking, bikepacking, mountain biking (thanks, long pit zips!) and general bike commuting.

It is also fine underneath a pack and doesn’t bulk up or feel weird with straps. In fact, nothing feels weird or screams rain shell at all when wearing it. 

No more sweating here. 

It just feels like a very nice, breathable light jacket with minimal but well-thought out features (specifically the underarm zip vents- a feature none of my other rain jackets have).

Key details:

• 2.5-layer waterproof stretch ripstop fabric
• Adjustable hood
• Underarm zip vents
• Zippered chest pocket
• Two zippered hand pockets
• Hook-and-loop adjustable cuffs
• Dual drawcord hem adjustment
• Constructed from 100% recycled fabric

This season’s Stretch Ozonic jacket has undergone an updated fit. 

I typically wear a size S, but, based on the website that indicated it runs small, I tried a size M. By itself, it might be a tad large, but I could comfortably wear layers underneath (I have a tendency to get cold more easily than most) and being able to accommodate those layers was essential.

Unlike similar jackets that are offered in only two or three colors, the Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic jacket is available in a surprising array of colors: Black Spruce, Glacial, Black, Vinson Blue, Dark Fire, and Starfruit. The contrasting logo and zippers pop and add visual appeal.

It should be noted that the Dark Fire color (the one I tried) is more of a dull brick red than it appears online. 

While the names of the colors sound nice, I’m more of a basic person who goes for colors such as “bright red” or “green gray” that sound literal and a tad boring, but are more accurate in description. For some, it might not be a big deal. For others like myself, mystery color names can be somewhat problematic because I like to know exactly what to expect.

Overall, the Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic jacket is a good find and stands out from the rest, particularly in the lightness, texture, and feel of its unique 50D stretch ripstop fabric.

 

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Kate Agathon

Dr. Of Stoke

Freelance writer, bicyclist, outdoor recreation enthusiast, social justice advocate, and mom to her furbaby, Utah the Adventure Dog.

 

A Colorado native, Kate considers the outdoors her mother ship. She brings her passion for bicycling, the environment, and issues of diversity to her writing. Her primary outdoor recreation activities are mountain biking, fat biking, snowshoeing, camping, peak bagging Colorado’s 14ers, road cycling, and Nordic skiing. After suffering two major knee injuries within four years, Kate hopes to return to alpine skiing next season.

 

Kate earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Colorado State University and later an MSEd and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Purdue University. In addition to her education, Kate’s background serving on the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and experience working for non-profits and bicycle sales well position her to bring depth and understanding to the complex changes currently taking place in the outdoor recreation industry.

We also heard she has a (slight) obsession for blue heelers.