Patagonia Torrentshell vs Marmot PreCip Jacket: A Comparison

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Comparing different brands, as we have done in these past months, is a good way to learn more about the popular names in the outdoor clothing market.

However, some of you are interested in particular jackets from brands and it has been quite some time since our last jacket comparison.

Well, we are here to make up for that and today we will be looking at two popular brands and two of their most popular jackets, the Torrentshell by Patagonia (check out men’s version on Amazon.com) and Marmot’s PreCip jacket (check out men’s version on Amazon.com).

Recently we took a look at the brands themselves and compared them to determine which one would be the better choice. You can find that article here.

Today we will be comparing their two jackets and see which one is best.

Without any further ado, let’s get right into it!

Contents:

• 1. Torrentshell by Patagonia
• 2. PreCip by Marmot
• 3. Comparison: Patagonia Torrentshell vs. Marmot PreCip

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1. Torrentshell by Patagonia

The Brand

Before looking at the jackets, it’s better to learn a little bit more about the brands and what makes these designs so beloved by many avid outdoors’ adventurers.

Patagonia is an American brand that was founded in 1973 in California.

Don’t miss: 10 Outdoor Brands like Patagonia That You’ll Definitely Love

It is one of the most renowned brands when it comes to outdoor clothes and it is also held in high regard due to the involvement in reducing environmental harm and constantly working to develop and discover means of production that have the least impact on nature.

The brand is popular for many of its products and it has also developed its very own fabric technology that rivals that of Gore-Tex, the H2No Fabric Technology. If you would like to learn more about these two technologies and see how they compare, you can find out more here.

The Torrentshell Jacket

Torrentshell is a jacket to wear for weather protection as it is made to keep you dry from rain and protected against winds.

Its design is that of a rain jacket, with a hooded collar and an adjustable lower hem, which helps close off the jacket from the element and prevents the rain and wind from getting through from underneath.

The hood is laminated and it is designed to not only fit perfectly around the head after being adjusted, but it also stays in place even during really harsh weather conditions. Another quality of the hood is its adjustable visor, which works perfectly in protecting the face by keeping rain away.

Torrentshell is cut to fit closer to the body than you would expect, which is a common complaint of those who bought it at their size and it ran small. For this reason, if you intend to layer with this jacket, it’s best to be mindful of its size as you want some space underneath the top shell, in order to layer comfortably.

There are two hand warmer pockets on the outside, with zipper closures and storm flaps on the outside that prevent them from getting wet. The zippers, including the central one, are DWR-treated in order to minimize the risk of water passing through.

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Men’s version (check it out on):

Amazon DE – Amazon UK – Amazon US

Amazon ES – Amazon FR – Amazon IT

Amazon CA

Women’s version (check it out on):

Amazon DE – Amazon UK – Amazon US

Amazon ES – Amazon FR – Amazon IT

Amazon CA

When it comes to the women’s and men’s versions, there isn’t much difference between the two in regards to performance and design. Both of them come with high collars, which adjust along with the hood and adjustable cuffs and hem.

The women’s version has a slightly smaller cut, especially around the shoulders, which is to accommodate the female figure, whereas the men’s is broader at the shoulders. However, their length is similar when worn and they perform identically in bad weather.

This is a well-designed jacket when it comes to weather protection and it also provides some level of breathability due to the pit vents, which are accessible by zippers.

Lastly, this is a packable jacket, making it a good travelling choice as it packs into its own pocket and takes very little space.

You might also like: The Best Rain Jackets Under $50

Material and Other Details

Torrentshell is made of 100% Ripstop Nylon, which is highly resistant against water and wind. The H2No 2.5L Performance Standard shell is what actually gives this jacket its extended weather-protection qualities and also slightly helps with breathability.

There is a microfleece lining on the neck, which provides comfort and additional warmth, especially during really windy days. There are Velcro fasteners on the cuffs and the zippers are made of quality materials, which are long-lasting and smooth.

Torrentshell weighs around 12 oz (0,34 kg), really light, and when combined with the packability, it is easy to see why this jacket is so popular as an upper layer for those who spend many days outdoors.

2. PreCip by Marmot

The Brand

Marmot was established one year after Patagonia, in 1974, by three friends and outdoors’ lovers, who were looking for outdoor clothes and gear that met their requirements and expectations in regards to warmth, weather-protection and performance.

It is one of the first brands in America to have collaborated with Gore-Tex in order to provide the best weather-protection available at the time.

Nowadays they still use Gore-Tex in several of their high-performance designs and have also developed their own technologies, such as the MemBrain®, EvoDry, Eco Featherless and NanoPro™.

Just like Patagonia, Marmot, too, strives to reduce the environmental impact of their manufacturing process and raw material sourcing by staying away from PVC and Phtalates, as well as working on improving the natural performance of the fabrics and raw materials that they use, thus reducing the use of chemicals and other performance-enhancing products.

The PreCip Jacket

PreCip is similar to Torrentshell in that they both are jackets that provide protection against the elements and are meant to be worn as a waterproof and wind-resistant layer, rather than for high-performance.

It comes with an attached hood that can be stowed away under the collar for when not needed, and a high collar that protects the neck from wind and also prevents rain from getting through.

The cuffs are adjustable, as is the hood, and the hem. The hem also comes in a drop back design, which provides better coverage to the back while moving and sitting.

It has a full-length central zipper, which is covered by a storm placket that prevents it from getting wet, and there is also DriClime lined chin guard that protects the chin and neck from getting chaffed by the zipper.

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Image: pinterest.com

Men’s version (check it out on):

Amazon DE – Amazon UK – Amazon US

Amazon ES – Amazon FR – Amazon IT

Amazon CA

Women’s version (check it out on):

Amazon DE – Amazon UK – Amazon US

Amazon ES – Amazon FR – Amazon IT

Amazon CA

On the outside, there are two side pockets with zipper closures and lined with mesh fabric on the inside. To reduce the risk of the pockets getting wet, the zippers are covered by flaps.

To help with breathability, there are pit vents that open with zippers and allow air flow and help the wearer cool down faster.

In regards to its style, Precip is also a very typical weather-resistant jacket and between the men’s and women’s versions the differences are minimal.

The major difference is in the women’s storm placket being to the left, whereas the men’s is oriented towards the right. Aside from that, the women’s jacket has a cinched waist, which gives it a more feminine silhouette.

Material and Other Details

Precip is made of 100% NanoPro Ripstop Nylon fabric, which is really durable and also gives the jacket its weather-resistant qualities.

There are Velcro fasteners on the sleeves and the inside of the jacket is lined with Polyester, with its pockets lined with mesh fabric.

There are Velcro tabs on the inner side of the storm placket, too, which help the flap stay in place much better than that of Torrentshell, especially so during strong wind.

Precip, too, is a packable jacket as it packs into its own pocket and it weighs around 11 oz (0,31 kg), making it really light and thin, suitable for packing it with you even just for the purpose of having it as an emergency rain protection.

3. Comparison: Patagonia Torrentshell vs. Marmot PreCip

Weather Protection

Now that we have learned more about each jacket, it’s time to see how they compare to each other and we will be starting off with their most important quality, that of being weatherproof.

Both Precip and Torrentshell are highly resistant against water, mainly due to their fabrics, but also because they are both treated with DWR products.

However, the DWR coating on Torrentshell fares much better than that on Precip in regards to durability, as it lasts longer.

Precip’s DWR coating can last up to a year with regular wear and afterwards it requires reapplication, whereas Torrentshell’s coating can last for several years.

In regards to wind protection, they are quite matched as they both provide adequate wind protection, but Torrentshell’s fabric is slightly better due to its thickness and lining.

Another thing to consider is that the overall water-resistance also affects other aspects, in this case pockets.

Torrentshell comes with hand warmer pockets, which are not solely lined on the inside, but also the zippers are DWR-coated and there are storm flaps over them.

On the other hand, Precip’s pockets are lined with mesh fabric on the inside and the zippers do an adequate job at protecting them, but the risk of water getting through is higher than in the case of Torrentshell.

Lastly, the hoods on the jackets also differ from each other. While both perform well, Torrentshell’s hood is much better at protecting the face, mainly due to its laminated visor that keeps rain away much better.

Therefore, in regards to weather protection, Torrentshell would be the better choice.

You might also like: The Best Hardshell Waterproof Jackets for Men and Women

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Breathability

Before we get on with this part, there’s something that bears mentioning. With jackets like these, which are build for protection rather than performance, breathability is not something that is considered essential, and as such it is often quite lacking.

Both jackets have pit vents that allow quite a bit of cooling down and moisture wicking, but neither are too breathable.

However, out of the two, Precip is better as it is lined with thinner fabric and its large, mesh-lined pockets also allow more moisture wicking that Torrentshell.

Thus, in regards to breathability, Precip is the better choice, but if you are looking to minimize layering, then Torrenshell is slightly warmer than Precip.

Build Quality

When it comes to build quality, both jackets are quite lightweight, with a small difference between the two, but there are some quality differences among these jackets.

Overall, Torrentshell is built better, since it comes with lined pockets, DWR-coated zipper, thicker fabric and also fleece-lined collar, as well as a better-built hood. However, Torrentshell is more expensive than Precip, and that difference varies from different vendors.

That is not to say that Precip is not a quality jacket. It provides good protection against the elements and it lasts for several seasons, making it a much more affordable choice.

Price

These jackets have different prices from each other. PreCip is the more affordable of the two as it usually retails for about $80, depending on where you are looking. On the other hand, Torrenshell is upwards of $100 online.

Despite the difference in price, these jackets perform similarly, but it bears mentioning that there are several features that PreCip lacks due to this price difference, which, while it makes it the more buyer-friendly of the two, it also means that Torrentshell performs better overall in regards to water-resistance.

Further reading: Why Is Patagonia So Expensive? Are Their Jackets Worth The Price?

Conclusion: Which One is Best?

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Torrentshell and PreCip are two of the most closely-matched jackets out there, with few differences from each other.

In regards to which one is the better of the two, Torrentshell provides much better weather protection as it is able to withstand rain for longer periods of time, making it the better choice if you are going out in unpredictable weather, or living in areas where it rains a lot.

Its DWR-coated zippers and overall shell make it much more durable to rain exposure, and its hood is specially designed to protect the face better.

On the other hand, PreCip is more affordable, provides great rain protection for an adequate time and it is the most breathable option out of the two.

It is better suited for those looking for a seasonal jacket that protects against the elements without having to spend much.

Overall, they are both quite similar and it all comes down to what you are looking for and how much you are looking to spend.