I was hired by zPacks to do a quality control test of the men's version and used it in rain and also when it wasn't raining (to add to testing time for overall performance and wear and tear even during dry times). I still have the one I tested, and while I prefer a poncho for backpacking, for recreational walking and chores I find the Vertice performs very well.
Assessing if the Vertice is 'worth the money' is a difficult assessment for me to give to others. Certainly, there is not much out there of a lighter weight than the zPacks jacket. If budget is not of concern, it will keep your pack weight a bit lighter. Will it significantly outperform other, less expensive rain jackets? On Paper it appears so, and is in fact one of the most effective at allowing water vapor to escape; however, there are limits as to the amount of water vapor that can actually escape to prevent interior condensation. In real life use, it is easy to exceed that limit and things may not be so cut and dried.
How much water vapor an individual produces while wearing rain gear designed to be both waterproof and breathable is based on numerous factors: one's metabolism, one's speed of pace, exertion from pushing uphill, the ambient temperature during rainfall, etc. It is these real world factors which will make a mockery of the static tests used by manufacturers to establish their technical descriptions of a garment's breathability.
Also, wearing a backpack will not allow water vapor to escape from your back. It effectively blocks the escape of water vapor from there. This is but one of the reasons I prefer a poncho. . . it sits over the backpack allowing increased air flow to help reduce interior condensation.
For one additional ounce in weight, but at a cost that is 90% less than the price of the Vertice, you might consider looking at Frogg toggs rain jackets. While not quite as breathable as the Vertice according to specs, I found that this jacket actually performed quite capably and was a reasonably good jacket especially given its price.
If you have time, purchase both a Frogg Togg and a Vertice and try them out. zPacks has a good return policy for its items, and if you buy through a retailer like an Amazon or WalMart (US), the Frogg Togg jacket is also returnable. . . though at its price, it makes a great extra rain jacket to have for around the house.
Because I already own the Vertice, I would use it over the Frogg Togg jacket if I decided against wearing a poncho. However, if I had to purchase a rain jacket and did not use a poncho, I would purchase a Frogg Toggs. If I wanted to save that ounce of difference, I could easily make it up among the other items in my backpack.