UL waterproofs: marmot essence anorak versus patagonia specter anorak

I have a Women’s small of the pullovers and it weighs in at 6 ounces on my postal scale. I have the one they marketed through REI last year. (Got it on sale.)
It is pretty breathable as these things go. Wore it a whole day in heavy rain and stayed reasonably dry.
The fit is athletic, if I bought again I would size up.

I recently got a size large Essence jacket (full-zip), and it ways about 7.5 oz, so 7 oz for the anorak sounds right. The jacket hasn’t seen any use yet, so I can’t comment on the breathability.

I’d suggest trying them both on if you’re deciding between them, as the fit is much different. The Specter is loose fitting, the full-zip Essence is fairly slim (I assume the anorak is similar). BTW, the Specter is $113 on clearance from Patagonia, and it seems to have been at least temporarily discontinued.

Chris so much of the ultra-light equipment & clothing is subjective based on the individuals fit, function, price and availability. What works for you may not work for the other guy. That said I purchased a Patagonia Specter and love it. (Reference “Patagonia Specter Jacket” in Readers Reviews). The Specter size XL fits my 6’4” 200lb frame perfect, repels water while allowing adequate venting, I didn’t pay the retail $225 I purchased it on sale for $113. You can too try checking the Patagonia website for online deals but at that price availability will surely be limited.

Regards