The Mammut Nirvana XCR jacket has been with me for 16 years now. I can't remember exactly, but it can't be much shorter than that. I've been on the other side of the globe with this jacket, on many oceans, hung in the jacket on numerous rock faces and, of course, it has experienced almost all of the countless properties and aggregate states of snow.
Of course, the zipper had to be replaced not so long ago. But this investment was worth it: it will now last another 15 years. The jacket has a more alpine cut, large chest pockets and ventilation zippers under the arms. The stretch inserts leave enough room for all the moves and the reinforced shoulder sections allow me to carry the skis around (almost) casually for hours on end.
The membrane is now as sluggish as a breath of nothing: but it is still surprisingly water-resistant, at least against the first drops. And the wind is still kept out after all these years.
In terms of price, the Nirvana XCR jacket was no bargain: at a good 500 Deutschmarks at the time (yes, there was a time before the euro, and this jacket is older). But the jacket has paid for itself over time: that's a mere 30 marks per year. And even if I'm going out on a limb: I guarantee it! There is almost no better and more stable investment.
