If I know the weather will be dry and sub-freezing I'll bring a down hoodie. If I know the weather will be dry and moderate I'll bring a softshell. Under any other circumstances, or if I'm uncertain of weather conditions around the freezing point the Maximus jacket is a no brainer. This is my confidence jacket because it clears my head to know I'm safe, so I can spend my energy keeping my group safe.

Caleb

Vermont

It's a very tough and burly jacket. I've worn it in all sorts of weather and it's definitely kept me dry. My issue is the armpit size is too small. I'm 5'10", 155 lbs and medium fits great with just enough room to layer (without getting puffy). Unfortunately the armpits are proportionately small which can make certain layers a challenge and in general just feel weird. Since I mostly use this jacket for snowboarding I might look to replace with something different. It gets a recommend from me, but know what you're getting into with the armpit size.

Ruler of Snow

Ann Arbor, MI

Excellent jacket and very warm with layers. It 3L Goretex Pro, how could you go wrong. Great sale price, thank you!

Jason

Bellingham, WA

This jacket is awesome with the exception of the zipper cuffs. They rub my wrists raw after wearing for 2 days. I will return for new updated design as soon as available. That's what I LOVE about OR products and service. Best in world :)

Gatormike

Sunny Seattle

This replaces my OR Mentor (Gore-Tex Pro) jacket that's about 10 years old. I love the protection the Gore-Tex Pro provides. Alone it's versatile for year-round wear. I travel all over the state of Alaska and typically just take this jacket and maybe a fleece to layer under and it's all I need to stay warm. I take mine everywhere. My first outing with the Mentor was Snowmachining (snowmobiling) in Nome, Alaska in -20F weather riding at speeds between 20-50mph. I had the down jacket and radiant pants underneath. The Gore-Tex Pro material did't allow any wind through. I stayed extremely comfortable during my ride, except for tiny gaps between my jacket and gloves which gave me a great appreciation for how great the jacket stopped the wind. My new Maximus feels even more rugged than my Mentor at the same weight. So far it has stood up very well to the constant rain in Juneau, AK. It feels warmer than my Furio and much warmer than my ultralight Foray. The Maximus provides the ultimate protection. It's comparable to my military gore-tex in quality of protection, but in a much lighter weight design at only about 23oz. If you prefer the versatility of layering, the Maximus Jacket and Pants are the best of the best! Only negative would be the foot log zipper that runs from the cuff and runs up your forearm. I have a scar on my palm that it rubs against, but adjusting the cuff Velcro has almost completely eliminated it. I don't notice it on my other arm. I'm excited to see how much I like it this winter when I throw on a large pair of gloves or mittens. I won't miss it if it goes away. Even better, I would love to see the Mentor come back as an additional Gore-Tex Pro option. I'm 6'4" 250 and this jacket fits well in the standard fit. But, I would love to see a similar Gore-Tex Pro jacket and pants offered in a relaxed fit so it's easier to layer.

Alaskan Pilot

Juneau, AK

I have been wearing different iterations of the Maximus jacket since roughly 2011. Several have gone back due to malfunctioning zippers, and as you probably know, OR service is second to none and has always accommodated my requests. Upon receiving this updated Maximus jacket, I realized it is finally time for me to branch out to other companies in search of a hard shell that meets my needs. The addition of the cuff zipper was the final straw, an unnecessary feature that added significant weight to an already overweight jacket. While I have always appreciated the durability, waterproofing, and breathability of Gore-Tex Pro fabric, Outdoor Research simply is not keeping up in the category of 3 layer hard shell. Until OR can provide just the simple functions necessary, and get the weight down to 16 oz or less, I will regrettably be steering clear of OR for the 3 layer hard shell.

UpNorth

Northern Wisconsin

This is my 2nd version of this burly rain shell. The first one was a little strang and had a feeling of an 80's Michael Jackson stage jacket with zippers going all over the place. That one finally was destroyed and OR was happy to replace it. This is why I buy OR again and again. This one is vastly improved in style and function. Real hand pockets. No 900 zippers all over the front of it. Great interior pockets and organization. It certainly will keep the water and rain out and even keeps a little heat in for a hard shell. I like a more robust piece over a featherweight that's going to fall apart. OR does this well. I love the jacket, however.... as if tacking on a terrible unwanted piece of unrelated legislation on a bill in congress.. somebody added these horrible firearm zippers then decided to use the super stiff aquaseal zips that pucker and feel like you're wearing tongue depressors in your sleeves and the darn things unzip on their own!! Why! Why would you do this? I suppose putting this over other layers or something? I don't know. I hate them. My only hope is that this jacket eventually fails and OR has fixed this by then. Otherwise I simply love the jacket. I wore it through hurricane Harvey in Beaumont TX and it kept me dry and didn't fail even while helping move cars in the flood and crawling on asphalt.

Donovan

Central Valley CA

Jacket fits great. I am disappointed overall. The cuffs have a zipper that come unzipped and there really is no need for them. As always OR customer service is awesome. This jacket is going back. OR told me this has been a common complaint. Look for it to be changed next year.

Joe

Mt Rainier

Great gear and awesome warranty! You guys rock

Brando

Alaska

I worn this jacket on many trips to Juneau, Alaska. You need a burly jacket like this to stay dry while moving through endless days of rain, ice climbing on melting glaciers, troding through the rainforest and scaling the peaks.

Big Diesel

Ouray, CO