MontBell Alpine Light Down Parka - Men's - 2008 BCS

Hi, this Jacket is about the perfect down jacket for backpacking BUT it is about 3in too short (in Large). The jacket is warm and light, about as good a balance as you can get at any price in regards to warmth, durability, looks and weight. It has a LOT of loft for its weight.I am 6-2 185lb. About a 40-41 chest. The jacket (in large size) has the perfect sleeve length and the chest size is spot on but its waay too short. I compared it to other jackets I have from Marmot and First Ascent (Eddie Bauer) and the sleeve length were all about equal and the chest size and width comparable (maybe a tad smaller) but the Montbell was 3+in shorter. So if you are about 5-10 and dont have a very long torso this jacket is perfect. If you are taller look into other jackets.The only negative of this jacket is the sizing. If it fits you then this jacket is a must have, a great value.

Warm, lightweight,durable and stylish are all words that can be used to describe this parka. Whether you are looking for an inner insulating layer or water resistant outer piece then look no further; I have found this jacket to be extremely versatile and non constricting while hugging me close to help kept the warmth in. I have used it for everything from belaying, to layering to a t-shirt under it and have never had any problems with a chill. It would be a bit better if it has a double zipper so I could unzip from the bottom while belaying, but we cannot have it all and still have light weight. The pockets are lined which is a nice touch, the hood has enough room to fit a helmet under and it comes with its own handy, dandy stuff sack so as the day warms up it stores neatly away without taking up too much space. If you are looking for a great all around winter piece, look no more!

I wrote this for the Jacket when we weren't carrying the Parka, but this one is the real winner. The Alpine Light Parka is super light, durable (in use for 2 seasons without any complaints), relatively inexpensive and WARM. Not as insanely light as the Ultra Light, but the trade-off here is durability; every Ultra Light I have seen has patches or tape on the sleeves. Cold is not an issue with this puffy. I wear it daily to work in the deep winter (temps as low as minus 11 F) and pack it on every tour for lunch breaks and the inevitable wait after sundown. The hood makes everything twice as nice, blocking neck drafts when down and boosting beanie warmth one billion percent when up. Pockets and neck are lined with fuzzy brushed synthetic so you never feel cold nylon on your skin. Packs down to slightly bigger than a Nalgene. CAUTION: runs a tad small; I'm usually a Medium and I needed a Large. Otherwise this is an awesome, awesome piece. Thanks MontBell!

Great jacket. I love how light this is. When you pick it up it basically feels like air. When you put it on you forget you're even wearing it. The front is big enough to cover your chin and mouth which is really nice. It's sewn through but the 800 fill still seems really warm. By itself, if you're not active it sometimes doesn't feel like enough, but with a shell over it, or if you're active, it holds in a ton of heat. i often just wear a tshirt under it. The fabric changes temps so fast that you can run outside to your car in short sleeves, and even if you left the jacket in the car overnight, throw it on and you'll instantly start feeling warmer. It grabs heat and holds it in. I attribute that to the 800 fill. Great jacket. Doesn't leak feathers very much either. Highly recommend. The hood is also large enought for a helmet but isn't too big that you can't wear it alone. Overall this jacket is super cozy

this jacket is amazing. you get so much value from mont bell in this product. the stitching is bomber and the fabric has enough denier to resist the occasional branch or ski edge.

it also packs down into the tiniest little ball imaginable. they give you a stuff sack for it, which is about the size of a football, and the jacket will pack down to a third of that size if you really need to cram it in the pack. it will be in my touring pack every day this season.

warm, puffy, durable and pretty cheap. what's not to like

I got the Alpine Light Down Parka last year and just broke it out for the first time this year (15 inches of snow in October...how I love CO), and it reminded me that I should share my joy with others. This jacket is one of my favorite pieces of gear. It is unbelievably warm for its size/weight, and when the mercury really drops the hood is a godsend. I've been toasty at the bus stop in 10 degree pre-dawn weather with just a long-sleeve T-shirt on underneath. The outer ripstop nylon blocks wind quite well and has been durable enough to withstand several camping trips and a full season riding my bike to work, though if I were breaking trail through the woods I'd want a hard shell over it for additional protection. Besides the warmth though, I think my favorite thing about this jacket is how small it packs inside the included stuff sack--literally the size of a grapefruit! It's so small and light that I throw it in my pack any time I'm in the backcountry. It's just nice to know it's there in case you have to spend an unexpected night outside. Lastly, the fit on this jacket it athletic and is quite un-bulky, so you can wear it around town in moderately cold temps and not have your friends ask you who you're gonna be belaying for.... Super warm, light, and functional => great all-around jacket. Five stars.

This is one of my favorite pieces of gear. It goes with me on almost all my adventures. Super light weight, but not so delicate that you have to worry about tearing it all the time. Great fit-Im 5ft 10.5, 165lbs, 41 inch chest and the medium is a perfect athletic fit. It packs so small that you hardly notice it- until the temp drops. The first time I wore it I was in the Sierra Nevadas and got caught in an unexpected cold snap- temps at night were around 0 degs and I had packed relatively light- this thing saved my butt!! Although I think that temp is a bit too cold for this jacket, it is much warmer than it looks- with a merino base layer and a light merino wool sweater underneath, and a Goretex Pro shell on top, Im good down to the high teens around camp. Be sure to have a reliable rain shell to throw on over it, cause it will get wet very easily even in light rain. Rockin Light Parka!

This is the best insulated jacket I've ever worn. It's plenty warm (I've used it in 0 deg. F with no problem), but not so over bearing that you can't wear it when it get a little warmer. It's very comfortable and you hardly know it's on. I was a little worried about the minimalist features such as no tighteners at the waist or wrist, but quickly found the stretch hems to work great with no fussing. The sizes seem to run a bit small, I normally wear a medium but ended up with a large. All in all this jacket just works great!

Beautiful, warm, really light. Is bigger then size tell you, so I need to exchange for smaller one.