In reply to andyd1970:
II have an old Arcteryx Beta SL that's about a hundred grammes lighter than my new ME Lhtose. Very well designed & cut as is typical for Arcteryx stuff, and quite sufficiently bombproof for any realistic use. Good hood, although not quite as much of a reassuring bomb shelter as the ME. The big limitation though (and probably much of the weight saving) is the lack of pit zips. I run hot going uphill, and it really is boil-in-the-bag once it's wetted out.
Not convinced that there's really a need or a niche for a mid weight jacket though. Like you I have an ultralight jacket for carrying just in case, and if it's really hooling and I expect to be living in my rain jacket I'll happily carry (wear) the extra quarter of a pound for the sake of comfort & reassurance. But since I got both the ME and the Arc in half price sales and the Arc is several years old now, I'm quote happy to have a spare that I could lend to visitors.
