Cloudveil Zero-G Jacket - Men's - 2007 BCS

I love the schoeller fabrics of this jacket, they are strong and durable but still move with you and look great. It breaths better and gives the jacket a softer feel overall than softshells that use laminates/membranes. The weather protection is outstanding, if you face conditions that will overwhelm this jacket, you're looking at gore-tex conditions. This particular model uses 60g of insulation I believe, giving it a wide range of temperatures you can use it in depending on what you layer underneath.
I bought at a discount but wondered at the reason full retail was as high as it is for this piece, and can tell you the money is in the details. Aside from the schoeller fabric and primaloft one insulation being top notch materials, the pit zips aren't exposed to bare skin and/or uncomfortable in short sleeves like some. The snow skirt uses grippy elastic and stretches to move with you, attaches to belt loops of most pants, but is also removable. There is mesh over the pit zips so if they are open, snow is still kept from entering. There are stretch panels in the lining of the jacket at the shoulders and elbows to make sure the jacket moves with you. The Hand pockets are fleece lined, and there are two internal pockets not listed in the tech specs; 1 drop pocket that's big enough for goggles, and a zippered pocket that features an mp3 player slot and headphone cord exit. There is a cool dedicated pass pocket with drop down bungee clip on the sleeve as well. You can block out the cold with drawstrings at the bottom hem and collar, and the cuffs cinch down with velcro. Outside pockets zip close and have garages for the zipper pulls.
And this jacket just looks good. Many ski jackets boast they look good on the hill and off, but I've never seen a jacket look at home on the mountain or in the city like this one. Color for "Metro" is way off, it's a dark navy blue (better looking IMO) rather than the lighter blue pictured here and elsewhere.
Watch cloudveil give a tour of the jacket here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG051TFWtGE

I reach for this jacket the most for both cold work days or a day on the slopes. It has a low-key appearance, tough and waterproof soft-shell exterior, low-loft insulation that's warm without being puffy, and no useless gimmicks. I like it more than the insulated hard shell Arc'teryx Fission, which seems delicate in comparison. The Cloudveil is more like a high-tech Carhartt in both durability and styling, which is why I like it so much. You'll find better dedicated skiing jackets with stuff like powder skirts and pit zips, but for all-around versatility the Zero G is the best in its class.

Awesome jacket...can't beat Cloudveil quality. Highly recommended. I have worn it in single digit skiing with light layers and have been warm. Very light for as warm as it is. Classic, functional style...not trendy. Only beef is the collar seems a bit low...had trouble tucking in my chin & mouth when the wind blew, but i can live with that...

I bought this jacket for Park City, UT. I just got back and all I can say is WOW! Throw your baselayers away, you will not need them anymore. Just bring a t-shirt. 10 degree weather not a problem. It also looks great around town, that was one of the keys for me.

This is a really warm jacket. Everyone advertises this jacket as a softshell but when you get your hands on it, it feels more like a hard shell.

This jacket has some really nice features. Great zippers and pocket placement with a really nice powder skirt to finish it off.

For some reason the mediuim I tried in this jacket was a bit roomy in the front. I had a good 4 to 6 inches of jacket I could pull from the body.

Very nice jacket, just beware of the larger sizing.