Weighing only 253g, the Mono Point is a superbly light waterproof jacket. Black Diamond describes it as 'the distillation of hard shell protection' and promise it'll keep your helmeted head and body protected from stormy weather. If your ambitions are alpine and lightweight is your mindset then it's aimed directly at you.
First impressions are that the fit is very long, easily extending below the buttocks and consequently working well beneath a harness. Adjustment at the hem is via a single drawcord that can pull it as tight as any user could possibly need and the wrists have very sizeable hook and loop patches to work with. The cut elsewhere is well judged, offering a good amount of arm movement and space for layering too. The hood has a decently sized (but in no way rigid) peak and the adjustment at the neck and head is achieved by a single rear-mounted drawcord. It's a simple design and works surprisingly well, even allowing for good movement when fully cinched up - proving that 'lightweight in design' doesn't have to mean 'inconvenient to use'.
Storage, however, is entirely in the 'lightweight' camp. It comes courtesy of a single Napoleon pocket. Luckily it's a good size and can (just) hold an unfolded Harvey's British Mountain Map - so is of great use. The single main zip is nicely built and comes with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating, and we certainly didn't notice any undue ingress of water during our testing.
The fabric in use is a 2.5 layer Gore-Tex Paclite - a material which has historically taken a bit of flak for being both loud in use and less breathable than many users would hope for. The Mono Point is a little crinkly in use, and we did notice a little more sweat build-up than in more breathable jackets of the same ilk - but don't let this put you off. Without the Paclite - which still does as good a job as you'd expect of a Gore-Tex product at keeping moisure out - it wouldn't be nearly as light a shell, which remains its big selling point.
In conclusion: a solidly weather-proof jacket with these kind of lightweight credentials is an impressive thing. If you're willing to accept the few compromises, then you'll find a lot of satisfaction in the Mono Point.
