The Gore H5 Active Hooded jacket ($370) is a breathable, lightweight, windproof and waterproof multi-use jacket that offers a great deal of protection for the hiker on a rainy, wind-blown trail.
What I Love
Outstanding Fit
The Gore H5 Active Hooded jacket is in the fit class of “form fit”. It’s not skin-tight and it’s not baggy. Gore sent me a size small sample, which is the size I always wear. In some Gore products the size runs on the smaller side and I tend to feel constricted in my shoulders, especially when the size is in the “form fit” class.
But not this jacket. The hem hits at the top of my hip bone on the side. The sleeve length extends slightly beyond my wrist bone and there is plenty of room in the shoulders so as to not feel constricted when wearing a heavy baselayer or a lightweight baselayer and lightweight mid-layer. The form-fit removes any potential for bulk or bunchiness. When not wearing a backpack this isn’t as important. But when wearing a backpack bulk and bunch can translate to discomfort and hot spots under a loaded backpack.
In the Gore H5 ShakeDry Insulated jacket I recommended sizing up; for the Gore H5 Active Hooded jacket I recommend staying within your normal size range (unless you’re between sizes, in which case size up).
Both Waterproof and Breathable
As a rain jacket, the Gore H5 Active Hooded jacket has the curriculum vitae, including taped seams on the inside and a hood that protects the face in driving rain and stays put in wind gusts. But in a world where many manufacturers tote their rain jackets as being breathable, Gore is about the only one I have experienced to really achieve this feat. For a rain jacket, I found its breathability to be outstanding, despite its lack of pit zippers and mesh liner fabric.
What makes GORE-TEX fabric in a league of its own is the billions of tiny pores that are 20,000 times smaller than a water drop but 700 times larger than water vapor. This brilliant design keeps out rain while allowing perspiration to vaporize.
Very Packable
While the Gore H5 Active Hooded jacket is not ultralight, it’s still very packable. My size small weighs in at a scant 8 ¼ ounces and packs easily into its own pocket.
Weighs in at a scant 8 1/4 ounces… 
…and packs down to the size of a (bloated) softball
What Could be Better
The draft flap on the chest section of the zipper is kind of superfluous and tricky to navigate. I think it would be just fine to leave it off in next iterations.
Final Thoughts
The Gore H5 Active Hooded jacket is another win for Gore in my opinion. For the hiker, it is a high-quality, well-made jacket that wards off rain and wind, while packing down to the size of a bloated softball. There are less expensive rain jacket options out there for the budget-conscious hiker, but Gore is the breed standard for hitting the sweet spot between breathability and waterproofness.
