Whenever I head out to coastal Oregon, I never know how to dress. No matter how often I check the forecast, the weather often turns out to be the exact opposite of what I’ve prepared for once I’ve made the hour-and-a-half drive out to the Pacific. If I wear a heavier jacket for a grey, foggy hike through one of the area’s many state parks, it’ll warm up as soon as I arrive, and I’ll be drenched in sweat after a mile or two. If I’m hoping for a sunny walk around Cannon Beach, the rain will come through and the wind will whip up, leaving me running back east to chase the sun.
But this spring, I found a solution in a jacket that’s built for all of these situations and then some.
Why I love Royal Robbins’ Meced Anorak Jacket
This Merced Anorak from Yosemite Valley-inspired outfitter Royal Robbins has quickly become my go-to outdoors jacket. This lightweight, nylon windbreaker keeps me comfortable in just about any weather out in the Pacific Northwest. It’s thick enough to be a decent lightweight cover-up in cool temperatures but still thin enough to not get too heated when the sun comes out. The wind resistance this half-zip provides is next-level compared to any other jacket I own — no matter how the wind comes off the waves, I know it’ll never chill me to the bone.
Usually, anything I wear to keep the chilly wind at bay is a little too stiff to do anything super active in, but this jacket has just enough stretch to it being 6-percent elastane that it doesn’t get in the way of a more strenuous hike or digging around the rocky coast for agates.
The jacket is also classified as C0 DWR water resistant, meaning that the material does not allow water to spread on the surface and instead beads up for easy shaking off. This is an absolute must for anyone exploring Oregon, as the rainy season always lasts a bit longer than you’d expect, and you’re never 100% in the clear. After wearing it out in light rain a handful of times, I was surprised at how insulated I felt. I expected the rain to weigh down the jacket more and be a bit chilly as water droplets accumulated on it, but water really doesn’t break the surface in any way.
The only downside to this model is the hip pockets. The main pockets of the jacket are only secured by Velcro. That’s usually all well and good (and I’ve honestly never had them open randomly or lost anything), but I always prefer a zippered option for outdoor apparel.
This jacket has become an outdoor staple for me, and I always keep it handy to throw on when the weather changes. I keep it in my car whenever I leave the city and the number of times I’ve run back to grab it is off the charts only after a couple of months of use.
