Alpine hard-shell jacket (<$200?)

Can anyone recommend a good/decent alpine hard-shell jacket that retails for less than $200? The prices on these things seem to be in the stratosphere now a days!

I found the MHW Cohesion jacket for $170...anyone have that? Are there others?

Thanks

Look at the Bent Gate website.

Steep and Cheap always has tons of jackets. Lately I have seen the Outdoor Research Mentor (women's though) making the rounds as $160 which is a nice deal on a $400 jacket.

The Clymb also has a disproportionate quantity of clothing vs gear. If you want to do me a favour, hit them up through me. Clymb Invitation Nothing up lately, but it seems that every other brand they sell makes Goretex jackets.

After that it is end of season sales and second hand which is a crapshoot when it comes to clothing..

I've had an OR Mentor jacket for 2.5 years (acquired on SAC), and it's one of the most absurdly bomber pieces of clothing I've ever owned. I've used it for hours and hours of skiing in the rain and over a down coat for full days outside in -20 degreeF weather to block howling winds. I've skied and bushwacked through trees many times.... and I could probably pass the jacket off for brand new. I suspect that many Pro-shell jackets would keep me just as dry as this one has, but I doubt that many would be as burly. 7 thumbs up.

What do you intend to use the hardshell for Jeff? Mostly in your pack for summer rain storms or pissing ice climbs? I wouldn't pick the same jacket for both.

I bought the Patagonia Torrent for like $120 and have been happy with it so far.

Yeah, depends on what you need it for. If its for a just in case deal - like when its either summer, or its winter and you're wearing a softshell - the marmot precip is awesome for that kinda thing. Cheap, packs small, but still quality and functional. Just not super breathable.
If its gonna be the shell you're wearing all the time, I wouldn't get anything other than eVent. Something like a Rab Momentum. A google search can find a few Rab shells for under $200

I need/want a hardshell jacket for alpine climbing. Snow, ice (dripping and falling), spindrift, wind protection. I have a Marmot Precip jacket already for rain and a hoodless softshell that's a bit too warm for climbing alpine (no vents!).

I used to own a MHW Beryllium and sold it a few years ago. I'd like something similar, but not in the $450+ range.

Thanks for the advice on where to look so far!

I got a Marmot Essense and it's been pretty good. Super-light (7oz) and it breathes as well as any membrane I've used (that is to say, poorly). The Mica and Super Mica are other products in the same line. I would say they are not heavy-duty enough for regular use, though. If this is a day-in-day out shell, not something that spends most of its time in the pack, I think you'll be disappointed by the durability.

I wear a softshell (Pata Ascentionist) for most of my climbing. I'll never go back to a normal hardshell unless I think I'm going to get rained on. What is your hoodless softshell? There are many "softshells" out there that are either not softshells, or just terrible. My MH Synchro is a "softshell", but it's really a fleece-lined membrane-based hardshell.

If you're still thinking hardshell, I'll throw in a vote for Rab. The Momentum is where I'd go for a real hardshell, and they can be found cheap sometimes.

I have the Stoic Bombshell and I really like it. Wrist gaitors are a must for me.

Rab Latok Alpine.