Kasper. The Dragon Jacket is made entirely of a Windstopper Fabric from Gore called 'Torch Softshell'. Here are the details of the fabric: 100% polyester, 50 denier, full dull microfiber knit in a soft, stretch jersey construction. Backer is a 40 denier, brushed warp knit tricot. Gore WINDSTOPPER® laminate and DWR finish. 5.4 oz/yd2. Everything that is light green (in the product photo) is this Windstopper fabric. I have been using a Torch Jacket, made with a similar fabric, for 3 years now and have had no issues with durability... and believe me I have beat on it. Another detail is that the Dragon Jacket is welded together using our patented Zweld technology which is essentially a waterproof and welded seam. We are not calling the Dragon waterproof however due to the fact that it is made with Windstopper Softshell... but it is extremely weather resistant especially considering the Zwelded seams. The Alibi Jacket seems to be a hard shell soft shell combo (not sure if it is taped) made with OR's Ventia fabric which I assume is similar to our Conduit... combined with some sort of stretch Cordura in the body (according to their website.) Lots of info here... hope this helps!

I also own the Welder and a Gamma MX and would have to say that the fit on this is somewhat off. IT depends on your body, but this jacket is far shorter in the torso than the others.

I'm 6'3" 195 and the large fits fantastic. I own the shift welder by backcountry and the arcteryx gamma mx and this is far and away the best of the 3 as far as features, fit, comfort and most importantly performence. The hood is actually the smallest of the 3 softshells I mentioned they all have a cord in the back that cinches up really nice and tight to trap your body heat and keep you very warm!

the hood will probably sag low over your eyes, but if you push it back a bit it may not be a hassle. I think a large will fit just fine. If you like the baggy feel, xl will give you more room, but the sleeves might be too long.

I would go with the large in your body type!

The Dragon Jacket is made with a Windstopper Softshell fabric from Gore and is 100% windproof. It is then welded (glued) together using our patented Z-Weld (Welded seams stretch in stretchy fabric.. sewn seams do not.) With that said, this fabric is not as stretchy as some... as a matter of fact I would say it has a little "give" more than stretch. This is due to the windstopper laminate. But, this windstopper laminate adds quite a bit of weather protection. The Gamma MX is made with Polartec Powersheild. Powersheild is essentially a tightly woven air permeable softshell fabric with a brushed back for warmth. Due to its tight weave it is pretty windproof but not 100% like windstopper. I think you will find the Dragon to be a little bit lighter in feel than the Gamma MX but the overall weights are similar. Hope this info helps...

Scott. The response below is directly from our self titled "Fabricologist" at Hardwear. This is his description of what the Cloudburst fabric is compared to our Conduit fabrics. As you may already know, Conduit is our proprietary laminate technology that we use in many different products in many different forms. Toray is a the textile company that produces the Cloudburst fabrics. Neither one of them compare to GoreTex or Gore Windstopper as they are not a PTFE:"Cloudburst is a Toray laminate technology; 20,000/20,000 monolithic hydrophilic lamination with a 100wash DWR. It would be comparable to our standard Conduit laminates. Remember, our extreme breathability numbers are much higher, over 30,000g/m2 and our best is over 40,000g/m2. And the majority of our outerwear fabrics have the 100+DWR already."A little more to add, the 20,000/20,000 numbers refer to the way that the fabrics are tested for waterproofness and breathability. The higher the numbers the more waterproof/breathable. Keep in mind, Gore fabrics are tested differently than other fabrics therefore you don't see these kinds of numbers attached to Gore products. Also, windstopper is designed to be wind proof and not water proof so you would probably never see waterproof numbers for windstopper fabrics. Similar fabrics on the market to Conduit and Cloudburst would be "Membrane" from Marmot, "H20no" from Patagonia, "Elements" from REI, North Face has one too... just can't remember its name. All the different brands have a waterproof breathable laminate or coating that is less expensive than Gore fabrics.The rest of the numbers I am guessing refers to the denier and weight of the shell fabric that is coupled with the laminate.Whew. Did I answer your question? Hope so... cheers!

Good question. I am doing a little research but I am pretty sure that the Cloudburst fabric from Cloudveil utilizes a non-porous PU (polyurethane) laminate. The Dragon Jacket utilizes a Windstopper softshell fabric/laminate from Gore Windstopper. So, the question then would be the difference between Gore Windstopper and the Cloudburst laminate. Basically, the clouburst laminate would provide more weather protection and waterproof-ness and the windstopper laminate would be way more breathable. A couple more details, the Dragon Jacket is welded together using our patented Z-Weld that, when coupled with Windstopper, does provide quite a bit of weather protection due to the fact that the Z-weld is a waterproof seam. With that said, Gore Windstopper is designed to be totally windproof and highly breathable... not waterproof but it is pretty waterproof just not to the same PSI as a PU or GoreTex laminate. I bet the weights are similar. Hope this helps!

medium should be fine it has the athletic cut-------------I agree. The medium should fit you just fine. It does have a more athletic cut than the Parbat and the Xenon. Cheers!

This shell will stretch, but it would be odd if adding one fleece underneath made such a huge difference that the shell would be forced to stretch at all. Depends on what you're using it for...If it is skin-tight you should size up. A good indicator is probably how the length and the arms fit on the large. Keep in mind that those dimensions will change as well if you move to an XL. Hope that helps

No. The Dragon is made with a lighter fabric than the Alchemy. Both are cut slightly different as well. I am 5'9/150 and wear a medium. You could try a medium if you want it to fit a little tighter or a large for comfort. Hope this helps.

Knowing how you are going to use your jacket, pants, and boots would really help us give you the best advice. Any insight there? Thanks.

The hood is huge, and definitely designed to fit over a helmet, but here is the thing. It tightens down (with one hand) and fits great even if you don't have a helmet on! They have this great multicord cinch system that not only takes up the room but snugs it down over your ears like ear warmers. I wish my Mt Hardwear Xenon Jacket had this same feature as it only has a single cord that doesn't quite keep the brim out of my eyes.

I would go with the Dragon unless you are going to be running instead of hiking. I have both Jackets and the Dragon kicks ass for being not very active in 20 to 40 degree weather. The Transition I have found only keeps you warm if you are constantly moving. Thats what I wear when I run now. I tried running with the Dragon once and it got way to hot. Even with the vent zippers wide open. I was burning up and it was in the low 30's. Both have the thumb loops and fuction very well. The Transition has a pocket on the back but its pretty much useless. I throw an id in it when I am out running but other than that maybe one of those carbo gels everyone talks about or some pepper spray. Anyway Hope this helps you. I live in Portland, and just got the Dragon Jacket for the same uses, and went hiking in Forest Park the other day with it when it was just dumping rain. It does a great job, and is about perfect temperature wise, but it quickly soaked through and I had to put my (hard)shell over the top. Incidentally, the Mt Hardwear Xenon fit great over it, and breathed well. Killer combo! (but spendy)

No. The Synchro Jacket has been in our line for a long time and is not going away. It will be in our line for some time to come... I know for a fact. It is not on closeout... it is merely on sale. Sales seem to be happening everywhere and I would bet it is due to the current economic climate and inventory positions. From a performance standpoint, the Dragon Jacket fabric might breathe a little better than the Synchro but the Synchro is probably slightly warmer. Both are great climbing jackets and both are fit such that it should layer with your Hooded Compressor without a problem. Plus, double hoods seems to be a look that is in!

i'm the same size and the xl fits great. the large was too small.

I'd go with an XL for sure.I would go with a Large for a slimmer fit. I am 6'0 and 175 and the medium is more than big enough for me.

it'll fit, but will be shorter than an average jacket which is still longer than an average softshell. i'm 6' 2'' and 3/4'' (almost 6 3) and the xl fits. i'm sure this will be too late to answer your question, but hopefully it'll answer someone elses

I'm not sure how it will fit you in length but the jacket does have a little stretch. It is meant to be worn a little tight... but, still comfortable. Good luck!

Click the CHAT link in the top right corner of this page.

Go for the BC.com brand Event Shell. It's the most breathable thing on Earth.------------------------This jacket is made using a Gore Windstopper fabric. The Windstopper laminate is a thinner version of the regular GoreTex laminate and is designed to be windproof not water proof. However, it turns out that it is pretty darn water resistant just not to the same level that regular Gore is which is waterproof. Windstopper is physically a thinner laminate than Event (which is also a PTFE) and therefore will be more breathable but not as waterproof. In terms of waterproof-ness it would go: Windstopper (least) then Event then GoreTex (most). In terms of breathability is would go GoreTex (least) then Event then Windstopper (most) Hope this helps with your decision!Definitely sheds water and snow, but if you are out in rain for a long time it will slowly get more and more wet. You will want a totally waterproof jacket to go over it for downpours.

Hard to say how "warm" any piece is for any one person as everyone is different... but, with that said, the Dragon Jacket is a lighter weight softshell designed to be used in aerobic situation such as climbing or skiing. It is fully constructed with windstopper fabric, is highly breathable, and is welded together (no thread on the seams and no tape!) and provides a phenomenal amount of weather protection. It is not a water proof piece but is extremely weather resistant due to this construction. If you are looking for something more like the Sharp Point... check out the Alchemy Jacket from Mountain Hardwear as this may be a little more apples to apples. If not, and you want something a little more high tech... you won't be disappointed by the Dragon. Cheers!

The seams are melting? I'll I can say is that I have been using a Torch Jacket for 3 years and in my experience the seams have not melted. I have used it mostly climbing and skiing and in some pretty abrasive environments ice climbing especially (chimneys!) and have had no problems with the seams coming apart. As for the irritability on the skin? Possibly due to the backer of the fabric? Again using the same jacket I have not experienced these things so it is hard to say. Now, everyone is different, obviously, and there are tons of variables that effect these things so PLEASE be in touch with Mountain Hardwear warranty about this as we very much want to know if something is not working for you. And if you are willing to give it another chance check out the Dragon Jacket as some of the fabrics have been updated and this may solve some of your issues...

I just tried this jacket on and I will have to admit, its sick. I will probably end up buying this jacket as soon as I can. To answer your question, it is more on the shorter side. I'm 5' 9" and 170 and tried on both the M and L and will end up buying the large. The medium would have taken it if I never planned on wearing anything more than a light and thin T Shirt or long sleeve T, but just in case I do, I'm opting for the large. Hope that helps.Hey,I am about your size and the medium fits great for a change. I run into the same problems and this jacket from MH is longer than most they kick out.

I've layered two hooded jackets and it isn't bad at all. Actually, I was putting my Torch over an Arc'T Epsilon SV which is strangely fitting. Back to the main point, it was fine. You just need to remember that you can't cinch the outer hood without cinching the inner one as well. It feels bulky at first, but after a few minutes, I was fine.

probably just a freak incident of quality. Mountain hardware usually has really high quality product. If you ordered it through backcountry just talk to a gearhead and they'll get you a new one. If you didn't get it at backcountry, just send it into MHW to take advantage of their limited lifetime warranty.

Correct. This jacket is an update to the Torch Jacket. The fabrics and design have changed a bit and it is made in a different factory. Due to the face fabric and the backer of the windstopper laminate it has a heavier feel than the transition. Overall it is a bit warmer as well due to this...

This fabric in the Torch IS Scuba N2S Fabric...