Mountain Hardware: Ghost Lite Jacket:
NASA-Worthy in Design, Precision, & Function
As an avid lightweight backpacker, the description of the Mountain Hardware Ghost Lite Jacket piqued my interest immediately. While it is advertised as 3.1 oz (87g), it measured 2.95 oz (84g) on my scale after cutting off the tags that the lawyers make manufacturers use. These are the tags that tell the consumer in six different languages that the jacket is made from 100% nylon, machine washable in cold water, don’t use bleach, and that it won’t protect you from sparks, a wildfire, or nuclear Armageddon.
As for the jacket, its inaugural tryout was to the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness in Colorado. In August, like most times of the year in Colorado, the weather can be unpredictable to put it mildly. If you don’t like the weather just wait five minutes and it’ll change. With daytime highs in the mid-80s (29C) and nightly lows around freezing, the Ghost Lite was tested in a wide range of conditions to include wind and rain.
The Ghost Lite is not a waterproof jacket, nor does it claim to be. It is wind and water resistant and this is where it excels, particularly when you factor in the water resistance to weight ratio. Since I’d be out in the wilderness for four days with unproven gear I most definitely brought a backup waterproof rain poncho for the torrential rains that Colorado has on occasion. But, it turned out that I didn’t need to bring the poncho as the Ghost Lite handled the light to moderate rain with ease.
However, since backpackers rarely bring duplicate gear, you may be asking why would someone bring a light to moderate rain resistant jacket when it wouldn’t provide adequate protection during heavy rain? Well, that’s easy. At 84 grams, the Ghost Lite not only provides up to moderate rain protection, but just like my old college roommate, it excels at breaking wind. As is customary on the 4-Pass Loop Colorado, backpackers will stop at the tops of the passes to enjoy the views to eat lunch. The drawback is that the winds are usually pretty strong at the passes as winds from the valleys below are funneled through the passes which can chill people to the core, especially after exerting a lot of energy scaling the mountain and being sweaty. While my buddy Jon was quick to don his warm fleece jacket, I gave the Ghost Lite a try instead. Yes, you guessed it, it broke the wind and I was totally comfortable while enjoying lunch and the views.
What else are the benefits of the Ghost Lite? Well, just as an onion has layers, so does a backpacker’s clothing. While there isn’t much inherent insulating R-value to the nylon shell, it does trap air and air insulates. At dusk in camp before heading to bed, the Ghost Lite and a base layer kept me warm while making dinner and provided protection from mosquitos. When coupled with clothing like a synthetic base layer and a down jacket, it would likely have been able to handle much harsher conditions than were thrown at it in August in Colorado.
This jacket is likely to be a part of my 4-season pack as well for the following reason: SAFETY! Coming in Alpine Orange color means you can be seen by rescuers in the event that you have an unforeseen accident or if you spend time outdoors during hunting season when some over-zealous hunters shoot at anything even remotely resembling wild game.
As for sizing, it fit exactly as expected. I chose the medium to fit by body over a base layer and sweater without excess bagginess with the compromise being that if I wanted to use it as a layer in conjunction with a down jacket the down jacket would be the outer layer. If you want to use the Ghost Lite as the outer layer then you’d want to order a size up. This of course would mean that the Ghost Lite would be baggy when worn without a bulky jacket. Choose your jacket size based on whichever personal wearing style and configuration you think you’ll use more often.
Summary : It is a versatile jacket with multiple purposes that is super lightweight, has quality construction, and provides protection from the elements in all but severe conditions.
Rating: (5 out of 5)
Written/Updated: September 2017
Disclaimer: This product was purchased on the open market with personal funds at the same price it was available to the general public.