****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
OK so I just got this in the mail yesterday so I have not had the chance to test this in the field. I will update as soon as I do. First impression..."Did I really just spend that much money on a plastic bag?" As I pulled it out of the packaging it felt and looked like a black garbage bag. So I put it on. I wasn't sure what size to order. I'm usually between a large and X large. I ordered a large and it fits great. I absolutely hate when people talk about the fit and don't specify their personal specs so. I am 5'6" 175 lbs. Hips 42" waist 35" bust 41". This jacket was not tight I jumped around swung my arms and was not restricted at all. With my arms at my sides I could pull the sleeves down most of the way over my hands (I prefer this in chilly weather). But the sleeves also stayed up around my wrists pretty well on there own without slipping down on my hands unwanted. There is a little elastic around the wrists but it was not air tight it was fairly loose. Also with arms at my sides the coat was about halfway down my butt. I could pull it down towards the bottom. When I raised my hands in the air the bottom of the jacket stayed just below my tailbone. It happened to be very windy out today (65mph gusts) so I took it outside. I stayed just as warm as inside and didn't feel the wind cutting through the jackets. There is a slight wooshy, crinkly sound kind of like a plastic bag (at a much much lower noise level than a plastic bag) while walking but not nearly as noisy as some jackets. I do not see this being heavily durable but I am really excited to test this out on my next backpacking trip to test out the warmth, wind resistance, water resistance and breathability. This jacket is EXTREMELY light weight the large came in at 6.9 oz on my postal scale. And it compressed down really small into its own pocket. And it puffed back up almost immediately when unrolled. It is super comfy like a hug from a light airy cloud. I will update this review as soon as I do test it.UPDATE: Wore this on a climb up to a 13,000 ft peak. There was a light rain and it snowed for a couple minutes and the water just beaded up and rolled off. There wasn't any heavy rain so I can't say if it would hold up to anything more then a light rain. The wind was blowing like crazy and I stayed perfectly warm. I would guess it was between 45 and 55 degrees on my way up the peak. I'm guessing based on the temp at base camp which was 60 degrees at 10,000 ft. Typically the temperature drops around 5 degrees for every 1,000 foot increase in altitude. The coat was fairly breathable. I wasn't sweating any more with it on then when I had it off. When I took it off as I got closer to the base again I did notice it felt slightly humid inside the coat. But like I said it wasn't causing me to sweat. I feel I must state I am almost always cold and feel comfortable at a higher temperature then most. My house temp is 78 -80 degrees. Also this was tested in the mountains at high altitudes you may not have the same experience at a lower altitude. Also I live in a dryer climate. As for the durability I walked through some willows and I did a lot of rock hopping and shimmying up and down large boulders where the coat did rub against the rocks and it held up just fine. I wasn't sliding down rocks on the coat by any means but I wasn't babying it either. I absolutely LOVE this coat! It's worth every penny! I will update if there are any changes.I am 5'7, 155 lbs, 32C. I would say pretty athletic, with toned arms/shoulders. I do have to agree with others saying that the armpits are tight. Not tight enough to be uncomfortable but I do have the thought in the back of my head to be careful straining in this jacket lest I rip a pit :) Part of that is because the outer material of this jacket seems very thin but it hasn't ripped or torn yet. I feel like if my chest was a bit bigger or I gained 10 lbs I might be uncomfortable in this. I ordered a small because I like to layer my pieces to match the weather or my activities and wanted to wear this under a hard shell. I love the dark rich blue of this jacket and appreciate how warm it is especially given the fact it's so light (light and thin enough to roll into it's pocket and carry). It kept me warm during fall backpacking and I wear it every day walking back and forth to school in the fall/winter in the midwest. I'm torn between 4-5 stars because it's unique in it's durability and warmth vs how light it is. It would be a perfect 5 stars though if a tad bit more room was allotted in underarm area.This coat is almost perfect. It weighs almost nothing, it’s warm without being bulky, and the color is fabulous. That said, the fabric is a bit delicate; I’ve owned it two years and have had to sew a few little tears. On the plus side, though, I was also able to get an accidental pen mark off the coat using rubbing alcohol. One other thing that might be helpful to know is that this jacket is not water resistant, but it’s thin enough that I can easily layer it underneath my rain coat. Lastly, I’ll mention that I live in NC, so it’s perfect here. If I were in New England or something though, I would definitely want something warmer for the winter.Love it so far. Definitely resisted wind, super light and warm. Looking forward to trying it in even colder temps.Such a pretty coat! I bought this to keep from freezing to death on the tarmac at all the high altitude towns and cities that I fly to in western Colorado as a medical transport nurse practitioner. It does the job, scrunches down to fit in my crash bag when I don't need it, and easily pops out when I de need it. Very happy with this jacket. And the color makes me smile at 0400 in the snow in Denver and Gunnison, Co!My only negative is that the zipper sticks a bit when you are trying to undo it... and I have had a few of these jackets; so I don't think I got a weird one. But time will tell if it will work itself out.It is extraordinary thin and light. I wear it with a cotton shirt inside when it is mid 50F outside. This is not warm enough to wear any cooler than this. It looks exact as photo and the xs fit me just right and I am only 100 lb in a 5"2' frame. I can add a thin sweater but this is all.This jacket is awesome. Ordered an extra small because I wanted a tight fight but it was too tight under the arms. 5'5" 112. Ordered the small and it fits perfect. Still fitted with room. Compliments everywhere I go. I wear it with everything. Warm and perfect to wad up and store in purse while out. Perfect to wear alone and under shell in wet weather.Excellent light weight insulated jacket, bargain price.
