Marmot discontinued the Leadville.
REASONS TO BUY
Moderately lightweight
Great combination of materials
Unrestrictive fit
Great cuffs
REASONS TO AVOID
Best for high output activities in cold windy weather
Marmot Leadville Review
Credit: Marmot
Our Verdict
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
Zeb Engberg climbing Drifting (5.11c), Red Rocks, NV in the Marmot Leadville
Credit: Diana Wendt
Weather Protection
The Leadville is primarily built with a three-layer Gore Windstopper fabric that is windproof and highly water resistant. While Windstopper covers the Leadville's chest, shoulders, arms, and most the back, a much lighter, stretchy fabric lines the sides and underarms and is not windproof. This combination of fabrics gives the jacket a great blend of weather resistance and breathability. We found that it performed best for active use in windy conditions. We mean active, i.e. aerobic. Several testers used this jacket on multi-pitch rock climbs in Red Rocks, NV and found that the wind whipped through the side panels, causing them to be very cold and uncomfortable. Softshells are generally poor for rock climbing and this one is especially poor.
Breathability
The Leadville ranks above average in terms of breathability. The chest, arms, and majority of the back--all of which use Gore Windstopper--are less breathable than the side panels and underarms, but the combination of materials let's a fair amount moisture vapor escape. Despite the breathable sides and arms, the jacket can be too hot for aerobic use when it's not either really cold or windy. Other softshells like the Patagonia InTraverse Hybrid are better for aerobic activities.
Mobility
It's WONDERFULLY comfortable. Moving your arms around and overhead is a pleasure. We give this jacket a 9 out of ten, a very high score, in this category.
Weight
17 ounces is about average for a midweight softshell with Windstopper.
Features
The Leadville has excellent pockets: two handwarmer and an exterior chest. The major drawback to these, however, is that their zipper pulls are very small and difficult to grab with gloves on.
Style
We found this jacket to be very attractive. The hidden zippers are a particularly nice aesthetic benefit.
Value
The Leadville is one of our top rated jackets and is commonly available on sale. We feel it is a great value if you want something slightly more weather resistant than the Patagonia InTraverse.
—
Chris McNamara and Max Neale
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