Hacking a Mica Jacket?

why not just return it if it hasnt been worn, and just go for a marmot essence. No handpockets, but a very useful napolean instead, and you get pit vents. Price should be the same. My essence weighs 6 oz in a size small

I've got the Essence, which is basically the Mica's brother. IMHO, its not worth it to start hacking things off these jackets. At only 7 oz, give or take, the weight savings is trivial. I would look for weight savings somewhere else in my kit.

I got it new on eBay for $90, or else I would have definitely gone for the Essence. But I can't find the Essence under $160 (I'm a Medium), I don't think they are the same price and $70 for a 1oz savings is pretty brutal, even for a gram weenie.

The hand pockets might come in useful around town, if not on the trail but I still might nix the velcro cuffs for lycra binding as they're a bit long anyway.

edit: I have also heard that the jacket is more comfortable with a hipbelt after removing the zippers.

I've got a medium Essence….I got it on eBay for $60 or so a few months ago. You just gotta keep looking :)

With that said, the Essence isn't that much greater than the Mica. Instead of the pockets you get the pit vents which don't seem like they do much because the flaps over them really limit the airflow. I might ditch the flaps but I'm a bit worried rain will find a way through.

Another nice thing with the Mica is the velcro wrist cuffs. These are handy and the Essence doesn't has them. Is had bungie wrists which are a bit loose for me.

To answer your question, if you don't need the pockets then yeah hack em off as long as you're sure you won't be selling it. I'm not expert on the best way to do this though.

To be honest, i don't think it is worth the effort to take the pockets off of the Mica. First off at least one pocket would be nice to allow the jacket to be stuffed. Secondly, I don't think you would save much weight. By the time you cut the seams removed the pockets and had to patch up the hole (presumably with some sort of silnylon patch kit) and seam seal that back up, you might actually add weight.

I just ordered a Mica and haven't had the opportunity to test it (currently Fairbanks doesn't get any rain, but will be heading back to the northeast for the summer). Planning to use this jacket as sort of a windshirt/unexpected downpour piece. We'll see how it goes.

What is there to hack in the Mica? It's a 6oz. jacket. If you're just looking to streamline your clothing and eliminate superfluous features in the Mica I can understand that and by all means go for it! Personalizing and making gear efficient is cool. However, if you're looking to save any sort of detectable weight, like the other posters said, look for it elsewhere. You might find yourself dishing out $40 to a tailor and finding yourself well within the price of a hand pocketless Marmot Essence when all is said and done.

Nathan Powell recently posted on the G-spot thread, Updated 2010 WP/B Gear, that the Essence is available from o2gearshop for under $100 after discount. Free shipping.

I've gotten rid of the pockets, velcro tabs, bungee, and turned it unto a pullover. It was a pain, but the jacket performs better now than it did. Much more comfy without the hipbelt rubbing zippers. I cut out the interior materials of the pocket and seam ripped the zippers and sewed the zipper flap to the main body. My jacket was pretty well used up after the AT, so I found no problems hacking it. I haven't actually gotten around to weighing the mod, but I would guess savings around 1-1.25 ounces including losing 1/2 the main zipper and stiffener. If you plan on going to pullover route, size up. Mine fits snug now and is a little shorter than I would like. Ill get picks up soon

"I've gotten rid of the pockets, velcro tabs, bungee, and turned it unto a pullover"

has everyone forgotten about the North Face Triumph ?

lighter weight than Essence or Mica and pretty much what is described above, except the work is done for you at the factory :-)

This thread makes me do just that.

Ha, yeah its kind of silly. But why not? its only an ok jacket to begin with, and mine was trashed from use. I thought the full zip would be better than a pullover ever would be, but after sacrificing the Mica to test a theory of weight savings, it turns out the pullover is far more comfy. An ounce savings isn't a big deal, but a better jacket is. I'll be going back to dri ducks after the Mica dies, but probably turning them to pullovers too. Happy hacking!

I was trying to find your thread for a while, but couldn't. Sold the Mica on Gear swap and I'm going to go with the Essence. Thanks guys.