Mountain Hardwear Kor Preshell Hoody - Women's Review

The Mountain Hardwear Kor Preshell stole our hearts and a Top Pick Award for Ultralight Pursuits by being as light as a feather while providing impressive wind resistance. If you're in the market for an affordable but wicked-light option for your next long-distance mountain adventure or as a temp-saving layer on fair-weather alpine or multi-pitch climbs, you might have found your match.

Performance Comparison

Weather Protection

Weather protection is one metric where the Kor Preshell did not perform very well. Then again, this softshell was not designed as a water-resistant, all-weather champion; it was designed as a minimal wind-layer for summer sending on breezy days or a lightweight layer for long mountain runs. Indeed, this jacket proved far too thin for anything but fair-weather testing, especially given how cold our main reviewer tends to run.

The main reason for the low performance here is that the Kor Preshell lacks warmth, and it scored poorly on our water-resistance tests. That said, it is not designed as a burly winter layer, nor is it meant to be your go-to for heavy downpours. Instead, with Pertex Infinium fabric, this jacket is meant to protect you from the wind while being lightly water-resistant and exceptionally breathable. Our reviewer found this to be true with regard to breathability and wind resistance on warm but breezy days — but in the shower and soak-through tests, the Kor offered hardly any resistance at all. In a light drizzle, it would likely offer some water resistance while you hustled back to shelter, but we wouldn't recommend depending on this jacket in truly inclement weather. Given that it is so lightweight, if you are intending to be in the backcountry for an extended trip, it might be reasonable to take the Kor Preshell in addition to a lightweight hardshell or rain jacket, to have a breathable wind-layer as well as a jacket to wear in the event of a storm.

Breathability

Breathability is one of the categories where the Kor Preshell earned the highest marks. On sunny but breezy mornings with long-uphill approaches, this jacket proved incredibly breathable.

This barely-there layer is a great companion for warm days rock climbing when the breeze picks up in the afternoon, and you need something to take the bite out of the wind. It is also an easy go-to layer for breezy trail runs. On long sunny hikes, it is a perfect layer to bring along — it weighs next-to-nothing, and when the temps drop toward the end of the day, it is great for maintaining core temps. It does not feature pit vents or any additional ventilation for sweat, but our reviewer found this to be unnecessary, as the fabric is super breathable as is.

Mobility

Mobility is another metric where the Kor Preshell performs notably well. This thin layer moves well and Is a great layer for cutting the wind while bouldering, cragging, or multi-pitch climbing on fairly warm days.

The form-fitting hood on the Kor Preshell is quite comfortable with or without a climbing helmet, and doesn't impede movement. Indeed, the only reason this jacket didn't earn a perfect score in this category is that the hem-line tends to ride up while climbing. This could be a product of having to size down due to the jacket running a wee-bit on the large side, so take this with a grain of salt. Overall, with incredible four-way stretchy fabric and a well-tailored fit, the Kor Preshell moves like a second skin and became one of our reviewer's favorites for evening sends.

Weight

Weight? What weight? The Kor hardly weighs anything at all! In an extra small, this jacket hardly registers with the absurdly low weight of 4 ounces. No, your eyes do not deceive you. 4 ounces. For all you ultralight enthusiasts looking for a highly packable and wind-resistant layer, this jacket definitely shocked us all with its lack of heft.

Versatility

You can't win 'em all. Versatility is one of the metrics where the Kor Preshell did not earn top marks. We determine versatility by considering the features, style, durability, and the array of conditions and activities ideal for each jacket.

This uber-thin layer is not the most weather versatile of the jackets we tested, but it isn't designed to be used in inclement weather or during things like ice and mixed climbing. The Kor Preshell is perfect for climbing in Indian Creek at sunny crags in early spring, but the thin material isn't durable enough for too many encounters with offwidths or chimneys. It has just enough features to be functional, with a form-fitted hood and three pockets, two being zippered hand pockets, and one being a drop-in pocket that doubles as a stow-away pocket. After stuffing the Kor Preshell into its stow-away pocket, it packed down to be one of the least noticeable on the harness (of the jackets tested), and the nylon loop is the most durable in our review.

We loved the Kor Preshell for the climbing-specific features and breathability it afforded, making it a great option for fair-weather alpine climbing days or breezy trail runs on cool mornings.

Value

While the Kor Preshell is not the cheapest jacket in our review, it is far from the most expensive. If you're looking for something more substantial than an ultra-light wind-layer, then this jacket isn't going to be a very good deal. However, if you need a lightweight summer layer for mountain running or an ultralight layer for fair-weather multi-pitch climbing, then this jacket is a worthy contender and a reasonably priced one at that. Be fair-warned that ultra-light often does not translate to ultra-durable, so if durability is a key component to value, then this may not be the jacket for you.

Conclusion

The Kor Preshell earns a Top Pick Award for being the Best for Ultralight Pursuits because of its absurdly low weight coupled with excellent mobility, great breathability, and wind protection. It is a great fair-weather climbing jacket for keeping temps up while belaying, and it stows away into a compact package for stashing on your harness when not in use. We loved climbing and hiking in this jacket, as long as the temps weren't too low, and appreciate the surprising number of pockets and form-fitted hood. If you're looking for an ideal wind-layer for summer mountain runs, hikes, or any style of climbing, then this might be the jacket for you.