MontBell America, Inc. Ultralight Down Inner Parka
I purchased this as an emergency layer for backcountry skiing. I never thought that I would wear it on a daily basis and that it would be my main jacket for backcountry skiing. No wind gets through this thing. It packs so small that you can just put it into your pocket when you are skinning up. I now use it to ski down and to hang out at the top. Best purchase I have ever made. Can't think of any improvements. I am 5'11 and weigh in at 160lbs. The Medium fits perfectly.

Dan

OK, let me just start by saying that if I did not shower, I would likely live in this baby. I told a friend once that this jacket 'regulates' me and it does. It seriously keeps me moderated in the perfect comfort zone whether I'm indoors or outside on chilly days. I've searched out this type of layer over the years, trying to shed ounces from my minimalist backpack load and have tried many brands. Bottom line: little number does is all. Incredible warmth to weight ratio, crumples down to the size of an orange, puffs back up like a proud goose, with an outer shell durable enough to fight off run-ins with occasional brush or branches around camp. The outer DWR coating will see you through a light sprinkle without worrying about soaking your down. I have 3 Montbell jackets (synthetic UL, down alpine light, and now the down UL hoody) all with impeccable construction, materials and attention to detail. A must have for any serious mountain goat.

I love it it kept me warm in Colorado 12000 ft above sea level it is light weight and fluffy some of my friends said it looked like a plastic bag, but hey! At least I was warmer than them it also has an insulated hood it was a good wind breaker too. i say go for it.

This coat is light and warm but shiny and possibly not for the tall. I was first impressed by how light the coat is and how it feels as if your not wearing a coat but a very light t-shirt. After you get over that you will find how ridiculously warm it is. Then you will look in the mirror and say "hey, is this shiny?" After which, if you are tall (6' 4") skinny (190), and ordered an XL, notice the sleeves are just right but the torso is of a 250 lb man (the plight of the tall skinny men). This problem leads to other problems. The lack of drawstrings around the waist and hood lead to gusts of warm air being exchanged for cold air. Don't get me wrong, I will not part with this jacket for many years, just like to give fair warning to those who are tall and skinny...try a large.

Taking the advice of other reviewers I bought a large, but was flabbergasted to find that it was too large. The company is now taking American sizes into account. My dag reads "XL" JP and "L" US. Aside from that its daaaaamn light but lacks any form of synch'n mechanism on hood and waist. Extremely striped down. Not as warm as the alpine light, so i suggest this only to gear nuts who often find situations to pack multiple jackets into nalgine bottles or in to a fanny pack. Excellent quality and for the light and fast.

after much contemplation I purchased the UL down inner parka. Following the guidance of previous posters I sized up from a medium to a large. so far I have only had the opportunity to use it for school, and the town. In the morning when I leave it's about 30 - 35 degrees and this keeps me warm over a t shirt, or a light long sleeve, towards the middle of the day when if the temps reach 50 and beyond I stuff this jacket into it's own pocket and throw it in my school pack, no longer do I have to worry about lugging a coat. I can't wait to field test this baby this spring! This winter I have been using the Alpine light parka which was great in frigid temps and while each coat has a special purpose and place in my heart I think I am going to love this baby more. I got the black and it is garbage bag shiny, but I just could not picture myself in a red coat. The shininess is starting to grow on me however since receiving some compliments, I think even though the jacket is shiny the fitted look keeps it classy. I'm 5'9.5 and 160 lbs and I'm glad I went with the large, although I suppose I could have gotten away with a medium. having a parka that stuffs into a pocket is a dream in the spring, as I'm sure it will be when I hike. The only issue I have is the way the hood fits, its a bit oversized and slightly sloppy, but I love it too much to remove a star. This jacket takes me one step closer to meeting the 10lb bag requirement to be an ultralight hiker. All that's left on my list is a Montbell down bag to replace my synthetic and based on my math I'm there! If your n the fence take the plunge, I know it will be one of my favorite pieces of gear.

Go large. I'm six feet, trim and a 40 regular or thereabouts. I bought a large and it looks and feels like it was custom cut, just for me. If you've got any girth or a long torso, I'd certainly go for the XL, as noted, in USA size.

So far I've just been running around, paring this with a Patagonia R1 hoody and it's plenty warm - too warm, which is nice to know since I'm not putting out any major effort, like I will on the trail, or just over that hot stove at 12,000 feet.

The best and oddest thing about it is the weight and feel. It's like it's not there and yet your torso is warm and the wind seems to not have a chance. odd feeling, as I am used to a heavier, bulky jacket that you're always aware of.

Yup, wish it did come with cinches on the wrists - they wouldn't add much weight to an already feather light jacket. I'll post more when I've really put it out there.

This will be the warmest lightest layer in your arsenal. Under a hardshell and over a base layer I have been comfertable down to 15, and with a few more layers I would take it down much colder. It has saved me from hypothermia several times in the mountains. Definitely get the hooded jacket... it is much warmer! They fit tight to make them more thermally efficient, but it is not uncomfertable. If you like a larger fit then get a size larger than you normally wear.

I was skeptical about the performance of this jacket and especially weary of spending 160 bux on it. But, I figured with the BC no frills return//refund policy and all the great reviews I'd give it a try. WOW! I am more than happy with thihs purchase. I had to give it a few weeks before I wrote a review cuase Kansas was having some rather unheard of warm weather the week I got it. However, that didn't last long and the high wind gusts and low temps came right back at us. This jacket is PERFECT! I bought it for my AT trip that I am planning for next year. I was hating the idea of having to carry a heavy coat during the cold months cuz I wanna keep my weight down. But after having been in way below freezing temps with serious constant wind gusts I am more than certain this lil 7 ounce dude is ALL I will need. And it paacks down to NOTHING and comes with its own stuff sack....if only it could cook and clean!!!

Definitely worth the money and I am very very happy with my first Montbell purchase.

Wow. Love this jacket. does double duty as both a very specific-use insulation layer and as an everyday exterior jacket. To those commenting on its tight fit and short torso length: this is a very specific-use puffy.It is meant to fit a bit tight, like a sweater and most probably UNDER a shell jacket as an insulation layer...that's why you find the sleeves being a perfect fit but assume the length is too short. it's not. Just be happy someone (other than patagonia ((boo)) makes this and in doing so fills the gap between packability, weight, warmth and wind/waterproof breathability with this awesome puff puff.

Over the last two months I've had my U.L. on three Sierra snow-camping trips and either wore it with a light shell, or on its own and I've got to say, it's been very nice. On this last trip, it got down into the mid-twenties, with a good wind, at dinner time and I was warm and happy with just an R1 hoody and a another base under that. Anything more than sitting there, stirring the pot and this jacket would toast you and put a DAS parka over it and you might as well be wearing a tank with the heat on. can't wait to have this as part of my summer sierra morning/evening gear.

If your looking for a super packable and light jacket to wear around this is the one. Be aware that it doesn't have any pockets or pull chords anywhere. This jacket is so light it takes 5 seconds to fall to the ground if you drop it. Also make sure you are ok with something a little bit shiny as this does reflect light to a degree

Bar far the best jacket I've ever owned! I'm actually known around town as the guy in the green jacket, because I live in it! It is much warmer than my North Face Denali Fleece, largely because it is almost wind proof. It is also much more comfortable than the Denali, because it is lighter, and about 1/5 as bulky. It's a definite buy, you'll never take it off. It is ideal for people who travel in and out of hot and cold conditions because it packs down smaller than a Nalgene 32 oz. water bottle, and comes with a stuff sack. I just can't say enough good things about this jacket, and Montbell as a company.

Since the jacket is down, it's not exactly rain ready, but Montbell has many other packable jackets to meet this feature as well, I just didn't need it.

The only down side to this jacket, which hopefully they'll fix in the next version, is there isn't a draw string in the bottom, so if your a skinny person like myself, you may catch a draft every now and then.

Ultimately I really hope this site starts carrying more of Montbell's superior products!!

Although my friends initially teased me that it looked like i was wearing a trash bag, once i had them try it on they were jealous! This jacket is unbelievably light and does not make you look like a marshmallow! After I read the rest of the reviews, I was confused as to what size i should get. I am 6 foot, 170 lbs with an athletic build and i usually wear size medium in most products, but I ordered a size large and it fits perfectly! I will enjoy this product for a long time to come!

Thin, light, warm as hell and fitted so that you don't look like a swollen garbage bag. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who needs a new down jacket and wants to stay styling.

MontBell Ultralight Down Parka - Men's
As mentioned earlier, Montbell has adjusted their sizing... I have a 2006 UL Thermawrap in a medium that is on the edge of being too small and this weighed heavily when purchasing this jacket however when it arrived it fit perfectly.
I am a medium in most other brands: Arcteryx, icebreaker, marmot, etc... and this is bang on.
The label reads US - M, JP - L

This jacket fits well (true to size) and works great. It blocks wind and is quite warm. I would highly recommend this jacket to anyone who wants a warm ultra packable down jacket.

I have worn the Montbell UL Down Parka for maybe 2 weeks and so far so good. The jacket is really durable for a 15Denier fabric and its really windproof and water resistant. I would almost compare these two features to my MHW dragon jacket. It's also super warm and gets a lot of attention from TNF and Patagonia people. If it helps, I'm 6'1 and 195lbs and a large fits perfectly. It has just enough room and isn't too tight or too baggy. Could probably fit a sweater underneath comfortably. Like I said, I think its a great jacket and definetly worth the price i paid for it!

I got this jacket for international traveling because space counts. Wanting to bring only one bag to Europe in the winter requires a jacket such as this. It is not the strongest material so I won't be bushwhacking through brush in this puppy but I think it will do just fine strolling the streets in temps hovering above 40F. Combine it with a lightweight smartwool base layer and you will be highly temperature versatile while sporting normal indoor wear.

This is a super warm layer. I wore it jogging in 25 degree weather and was sweating. I wore it ice climbing with a shell jacket (Arctery Beta LT) at just under 20 degrees and it was too hot. Super, super warm, especially for its weight, which is almost non existent. The fabric is super fragile though, I snagged it on an icicle and it tore right open without much resistance. Fixed with duct tape. Fit is trim, but needs to be so it goes under a shell. No pockets. But I'll trade that for its warmth to weight ratio, it's at least as light as a tshirt. I'm probably going to get the bottoms as an under-shell layer as well for those cold ascents, and use the side zip for ventilation if needed.

This jacket will be your new " must have " for every treck into the back country ! I live in Crested Butte Co. which is a REAL testing ground for gear, the MontBell Down Jacket is the best 1 piece of equipment I've ever had !!

Nice and light, but, way too small. Much smaller in XL than my old REI large down jacket.

This is one of the best pieces of gear you can buy. Someone recently turned me on to this montbell down jacket. This is the ticket for fastpacking. Stuff it in the bottom of your pack and you don't even know it's there. Then when the wheels fall off, this montbell jacket can save your ass. I also sleep in it if my down bag isn't quite cutting it.

i tried on a bunch of lightweight down jackets to use for layering, winter camping, ski touring, emergency layer, etc and this one came out on top. It was half the weight and a lot less money than the others I looked at and it packs down smaller, too. After using it I am stoked that I made the right choice. I find myself wanting to wear it for any reason i can find and my roommate has threatened to steal it, too. The only thing I could possibly complain about is that the arms seems to be on the big side, but it doesn't bother me at all (and might be good to know for those tall people out there).