Marmot Gravity and Photon soft shells

Anybody has experience using either?

The Gravity is apparently last year's and I can't find out what it's made of. It looks very breathable and abrasion-resistant and it's got some light fleece lining. It has no hood and no arm pits vents. Two hand pockets and one chest pocket. It can be picked up for $99 at REI right now.

The Photon is new, and it's main advantage over the Gravity is that it has a zipped hood in the collar, and two huge arm pits vents that extend into the body and arms. It also has two big zips on either side as big pockets (with dual zippers), but no chest pocket (bummer). It has no fleece lining and definitely feels lighter. The guy at REI said it looked less breathable and more rain-resistant but he didn't say why, it was just him touching the fabric. It costs $200.

It looks like on features alone, the Photon is ideal since it could be backed up by a fleece as a layer, but used without as needed. The Gravity may be too warm. But with price in the equation, it's tough to buy the Photon instead of the Gravity.

Do you guys have experience with any of those?

drC

I don't have either, but i do have the marmot ATV, and the Dimension from Patagonia. The primary disadvantage of both of these is the lack of pitzips in the ATV and the lack of a roll up hood in the dimension. Although the whole notion of a softshell is to get more breathability, the pitzips aid the whole thing. The zip up hood just helps when it gets nasty, and lets you put it away , so its not flappin everywhere when its out. Price is always an issue, but i think in the end, the features on the photon make it worth it. The guy at REI is only partly right, yes the fabric is slightly less breathable, because it is a bit heavier, but the pit zips are there! You combine that with the weather resistance that you get and its worth it. I guess this is all coming from me using the ATV jacket. That thing is super breathable, and i got it for a song, but it just soaks up water like a sponge. So as long as its sunny, its ok, otherwise, it kinda sucks. The dimension is hella waterproof, but isn't as breathable as the ATV. So, if you split the difference, and put pitzips in a jacket more breathable than Gore, but almost as weatherproof, you end up with a good jacket. Take it for what you will, but i'd go with the photon.

Some advice from mildbill....
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...ht=marmot+suck

I saw mildill's thread. Stuff happens.

drC