Marmot Venus Down Vest - Women's - 2009 BCS

I would have to say it is a better vest if layers are your thing. Its not as warm as the larger higher fill vests but it is also a lot less bulky. I bought the vest for my girlfriend and she literally wont take it off. The fit is very good..nicely preserves the feminine physique while also providing plenty of warmth. Very sexy and very functional.

I would have to say it is a better vest if layers are your thing. Its not as warm as the larger higher fill vests but it is also a lot less bulky. I bought the vest for my girlfriend and she literally wont take it off. The fit is very good..nicely preserves the feminine physique while also providing plenty of warmth.

This is a nice vest. I thought that it would be a little bit more substantial for the price. It gets the job done, however there are plenty of vests that will function just as well as this one for much less.

It's hard to believe that something so lightweight can offer much warmth, but this vest does a great job of it! I don't think it is meant to be an outside layer, resisting wind and rain, but it works great as an inner layer. I used it as a mid-layer while skiing and it really trapped in the warmth when I had a shell over it. I wore a thick Patagonia base layer, the vest, and my ski coat, and was more comfortable on the slopes of Colorado than I've ever been. I got too warm a couple of times and slipped the vest off while waiting for the ski lift. I stuffed it into my little backpack without missing a beat. As the day cooled, I pulled it out and put it back on. On one of the cold days I added an additional layer on top of the vest, but did not feel like I had too much on. I look forward to using this vest on backpacking trips. Out of the vests I tried on, this one definitely looked the best on me with a more feminine cut and less bulk. The longer back side is a nice feature, as well as the elastic arm holes that help trap the heat.

I previously had the Patagonia Down Vest and didn't like it: too short, too bulky, and the collar was stiff and pokey. I finally allowed myself to sell that and try the Marmot version. The Marmot Venus Down Vest is long enough (but not too long), slim enough for easy layering under and over, and perfectly comfortable in every other way. I have countless Marmot outdoor gear clothes and love all of them.

Lightweight and no bulk. Very feminine.

I love the fit of this vest - it doesn't pooch at the armpits. I also like the weight of the vest - nice and light for moderate temps like we have here in No. California. I originally ordered the vest in the Wine color - be advised that Wine is really a deep purple and is lighter than it appears on the website, even with a color calibrated monitor. It was just too purple for me, so I'm exchanging it for black. I saw the off-white at a retail store and it is also very nice, but just too impractical for me.

I ordered a total of 10 down and primaloft vests to see which would best meet my needs for 1.) backpacking and 2.) backcountry skiing. The Marmot Venus Down Vest was my choice for the skiing. It offered the best combination of weight, loft, style and price of the many alternatives. The Mountain Hardware Nitrous was a close second but at >$50 more, it went back. I like a vest that cuts in at the waist to give it both style and warmth close to my body. This vest won on that count. I can't give 5 stars because I've not gotten to actually test it in skiing conditions.