The Mountain Hardwear Nazca Dry.Q Elite Jacket for women is another good option to add to your review list if you’re in the market for a new waterproof hiking jacket. 
It’s at the higher end of price for a hiking rain jacket than some of the other popular ones we’ve looked at but with good reason as you can expect great quality.
Let’s take a closer look.
Mountain Hardwear Nazca Dry.Q Elite Jacket
Our Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Available Colors: Oasis Blue / Bay Blue, Black, Sangria, Emperor / Night Purple, Oasis Blue / Jewel
Price: Check price on Amazon
Review
First off, the Nazca jacket has a great look about it sporting a nice classic cut. This jacket is meant to be a little on the softer side than your average rain shell jacket so I think you can expect a little more comfort than a standard rain jacket. Although you will trade that in for a little more bulk in return. Not a big deal for most hikers. This extra comfort is achieved by a brushed tricot lining which also adds an extra element of warmth.
Functionally the jacket is waterproof and breathable. The waterproof rating comes in at a whopping 40,000 mm and breathability at 30,000 mm so it’s a high scorer in those departments. To achieve this, it utilizes a two-layer shell fabric made from dobby nylon backed by a Dry.Q Elite membrane. The jacket is also fully seam sealed and has pit zips for extra ventilation.
The jacket has a brimmed, helmet compatible hood which means it can be used on your more adventurous hiking trips where helmet protection is required e.g. scrambling over tricky rocks.
The Nazca closes via a YKK waterproof zipper. For storage, it has two standard hand warmer pockets and a Napoleon breast pocket with brushed mesh lining.
Pros:
- Waterproof and breathable to a very high rating
- Durable and comfortable
Cons:
- Some comments that the jacket can be a bit snug at the waist which might limit layering
Specs (At a glance)
- Waterproof materials: Dry.Q Elite waterproof breathable membrane
- Seam sealed: Full
- Closure: YKK®,Zipper
- Waterproof rating 40,000 mm
- Breathability rating 30,000
- Pit zips
- Length: 27″ (based on size medium)
- Fabric: 100% nylon
- Lining: 100% nylon, 100% polyester (brushed)
- Care: Machine wash/dry
- Classic Fit
- Weight: 1 lb. 2 oz.
Conclusion
The Mountain Hardwear Nazca Jacket for women is a really great hiking jacket that should cover all your needs all year round except in extreme conditions. It had a lot of very positive user feedback, looks good and does what is needs to do functionally. Definitely worth considering for all your adventures on the trail.
If you’d like to see some more rain jacket options, check out the best hiking rain jackets for women where some more options and recommendations are listed.
Have you used the Mountain Hardwear Nazca jacket? How did you find it? Let us know in the comments below.