[Review] Men’s Mercer 3L Jacket by Dakine

A Gore-Tex guarantee to keep you dry, incredible durability, function and style make the Mercer Jacket by Dakine one of my favorite jackets of the season. It’s easy to tell that there was a lot of thought that went into this well-fitting jacket… Between the pockets, fabrics, and fit it’s hard to find a negative thing to say about the Mercer.

I was a little bit hesitant at first going with the Mercer Jacket because of the classified “contour fit” but once I put it on, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I thought it would be shaped like a ladies piece but it fits extremely well with ample length in the arms and perfect length in the torso.

The cuffs provide plenty of room to fit over a bulky mitt or a spring glove and it’s so nice not to have to fumble around trying to get my cuff to fit over my gloves. One could be worried about getting snow down the sleeve with that much cuff room, but Dakine has you covered with the wrist gaiters. The gaiters do a great job of sealing up your wrist but they are not overly tight like some other gaiters that I’ve seen.

I love the over-sized collar especially on the really cold days. I can easily tuck my face into it and keep a bit of the chill off. It’s the perfect size as it doesn’t feel restrictive when I have it all the way zipped up.

One of my favorite features of the Mercer Jacket is the media pocket. It is tucked under the storm flap, but accessible without unzipping the main zipper. It’s so nice to not have to unzip half way to access my media, especially on the really cold days.

The Mercer also provides you with plenty of pockets, whether you need room for a buff, snacks, or anything else you may be hauling up the mountain with you. I really like the design of the two main pockets, which are cargo style, but with both a storm flap and a zipper. I find that I never use cargo style pockets because they usually don’t zip shut. These ones also are a bit gusseted so they will fit all sorts of goodies. There are also two outer chest pockets and while the lines and design look great, I don’t think they are the most functional pockets. They do zip shut but they are a little bit cumbersome to get in and out of.

I’ve worn the Mercer Jacket in multiple different weather situations and I can say that while the 3-layer Gore-Tex is going to keep you dry no matter what, the durability of the fabric is also going to withstand any abuse that you throw at it. It’s an extremely durable fabric to the touch and I have hit a few trees with it and have nothing to show of it. I know for a fact that, whether I’m in the backcountry, traversing through trees at a resort, or in the park, the fabric is going to withstand anything!

If you’re looking for a jacket that is going to out-preform and out-last any other jacket you have, that is guaranteed to keep you dry and will keep you looking good, look no further than the Mercer 3L Jacket by Dakine. You will not be disappointed! I pair my Mercer Jacket with the Smyth Pants so be sure to check out that review as well.