I recently tested my new Mountain Equipment Pro-Lite jacket on a rainy night by going for a long run. I have had XCR and Paclite jackets in the past but was genuinely surprised by the peformance of the Pro-Lite. Now you expect Gore-Tex to be 100% waterproof and it was, but what was amazing was the breathability of the ProShell fabric. There were several showers during my run and I was working aerobically so lightly sweating the whole time and the jacket stayed completely dry on the inside and very comfortable. It did not stick to my skin inside in anyway and was completely dry to touch at the end of the test. Mountain Equipment did not design the Pro-Lite for mountain marathons or fell running and it would be a bit over the top for most events but for the long high fell races like the Mountain Trail and OMM, where you may actually want a decent waterproof rather than just passing the kit check then the Pro-Lite would be a very good choice. The Pro-Lite has a fairly short cut, a couple of decent pockets and a good hood but keeps the weight to under 400g. My new Pro-Lite jacket is only 40g heavier than my old Paclite jacket but twice as tough with heaps better breathability. The Pro-Lite takes up a tiny bit more space in my pack but if definately worth it.
