I bought the Plasma 1000 on Montbell's USA site and it has two hand pockets just like Japan now. That's why the old ones without pockets were on clearance like you mentioned in Gear Post 2023.

I will try the Rab shell. The store reviews seem to have a bigger issue with the shortness of the bike cut than you did.

https://montane.com/products/montane-mens-minimus-lite-waterproof-jacket

This is a shell similar to the Rab I used before (also 2.5 layer Pertex Shield). It's designed for trail running so the cut is probably less short than the Rab. It has two zippered hand pockets, but is heavier (215g) and probably doesn't pack down as small.

I wore it for a little over two years until the butt area was significantly pilling, probably from abrasion with the Minaal Daily and general wear and tear. I found the Pertex Shield on it to get closer to saturation than I'd like under heavier rain. The Rab says HH at 20,000 mm, but Montane doesn't specify.

https://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?p_id=2328169

Currently, I use this shell. It has two zippered hands pockets and very long armpit zips for ventilation (the standout feature for me), but trading off weight (184g) and packability vs the Rab.

It's a longer cut which is nice because it covers my pants pockets in heavier rain. Gore-Tex Windstopper 30,000 mm is noticeably better than Pertex Shield on the Montane, but unknown vs Rab.

I'm curious how long the Rab will last durability wise since it's so light. Did you notice any durability issues with the Norvan towards the end before you lost it?