MontBell Frost Smoke Down Parka - Men's

This is a great jacket. I've been pretty bummed out by women's cut down jackets (a pretty common and unfortunate occurrence in women's outdoor clothing) so I got a men's small of this MontBell and I absolutely love it. It's super warm, the cut is long enough that if I raise my arms it doesn't expose my midriff, the hood fits over a helmet. I guess in a perfect world this jacket/style/fill would also stuff into its own pocket (rather than a stuff sack) and have an internal pocket or two. But even without those little bonuses I'm very happy with this jacket.

This jacket is the one I was looking for. My criteria for this specific jacket for this jacket was simple: a light down jacket for use as a stand-alone jacket but with the option to layer. I also wanted a hood, which proved to be a little difficult. My first choice was the Outdoor Research Virtuoso, but it was more of a parka than a light down jacket. The size small was also big on me, at 5'8" 150 lbs. I exchanged that jacket for the Montbell Ultralight Down Jacket. The Ultralight was a really great jacket. It was the lightest down I've ever tried on, but in the end, it was a little too light for a stand-alone jacket on super-cold days. Finally, I decided on the Montbell Frost Smoke Down Parka. The name "parka" in the title of this jacket is a bit misleading. Providing tons of warmth, this supremely packable and well designed jacket fits perfectly and looks great. Montbell has pulled out all the stops with tech features and style. This one's a winner.