I don't know if it's just that I'm used to straight shells, and jackets with liners (as opposed to full blown insulated), but this jacket just felt over-sized and bulky. I don't like tight fighting jackets by any means, but this jacket is gangsta baggy, has more of a snowboader -thug feel to it, which doesn't match TNF color and design (which is pretty sharp, actually). I was REALLY impressed with the Apex ClimateBlock material as far as stretch, weather resistant, and breathability were concerned. I was conflicted over this jacket because it's performance is good, but the feeling of bulk is just too much for me to love it. Hopefully they do something about this in later models, I would get another one if they did.

Pro's, Warm, very stretchy & comfortable. Lots of great pockets. High soft collar. Large hood, fits over my xl helmet, adjusts well & zips off. Hip length cut, with waist powder skirt.
Tafetta lining slides over layers & is great for throwing on in a hurry. Two way front zip (Opens from bottom as well for ventilation.)

Cons, Medium size. Feels large & bulky for me. (5'10" 165 lbs.) Color was off, paler than site. The "Gold" was light yellow. I would add seam taping, mesh lined venting zips or ventilated underarms and a collar cinch to this for 5 stars.

The jacket is very comfortable and very warm. However, the picture above, at least for the Cardinal Red version, had RED zippers, not WHITE ones. This makes a huge difference in the looks of the coat, in my opinion. I did not send it back or anything, because it is still the same jacket, but just beware of this issue. Backcountry is certainly not to blame for this, The North Face seems to have poor product continuity. They must have ran out of white zippers, and just decided it was ok to throw red ones in, despite the fact that the design, especially for the chest and arm pockets, certainly looks better with white zippers.

Just moved to Chicago from Phoenix not used to the winter, and it hasnt been too nice so far. This jacket has more than kept me warm (it was 27 degrees today). Its light and not too bulky. If you are considering it, this would be my pick over and over again

I wore this today to the Winter Classic. I had on a Patagonia Capilene 3 base layer, a light TNF fleece and this on top and was very toasty throughout the entire game. It was 25-30 degrees with wind was constantly blowing, I wasn't cold at all. It has plenty of pockets, the goggle pocket worked perfectly for my gloves while I was using hand warmers, and actually warmed up my gloves very well. The chest pockets are great for a cell phone and wallet. I feel like I could have gotten away without the fleece today.

This is a very well designed jacket. Lots of pockets in the right places. I haven't tested this in any extreme cold but I feel this jacket will be great on the extra cold ski days.

This jacket does seem big for a size Medium. I'm 5'10" and 160 lb and there is a bit of room. I don't think this will be an issue as I like to layer.

I got this jacket around Thanksgiving for just over 200 bucks. For that price it seems to be a great jacket for +25 to +30 degrees. It is very lightweight and warm. Quality stuff. I would probably still buy at $280 unless I needed something warmer. Notice though, it is only water resistant, but a fair trade-off for the flexibility and weight.

This jacket is awesome! It says water resistant, but it's plenty WATERPROOF on the slopes. Wore it in white out conditions and was constantly covered in heavy wet snow, but managed to stay dry and most importantly, warm!

Backcountry is outstanding. Customer service rocks! Prices are great and gear is superb.

Good jacket. Easy to throw on/off and good for layering as the sizes run a little large. Very flexible jacket too. It was a good deal at about $200, but $280 might be pushing it. Kept me warm with fleece layer in low teens, but when it's a little warmer out it would be nice for under arm ventilation.

Ordered n XL for 6'4, 200lb 19yr old son. He loved the fit. He said it was just right for layering if needed. Has an avalanche sensor in the chest/arm area which is great if you are ever in one!

While the features of this jacket seem to be quite impressive for the buck, it is still overpriced at $279. Wait for discount!

Here's why:
- It's good for temp. at 30+ degree fahrenheit (without a baselayer/buttnaked)
- It's water resistant, not waterproof. The water repellent chemical on the surface of the jacket will eventually fade away.
- The structure is average. I expect that NorthFace would pay closer attention to the details, such as the waist adjuster by the pockets, making a hole for the adjuster inside the handwarmer pockets. (They don't keep you warm)

Final take, I give 3 stars overall for this jacket, because it really is merely 'adequate for the job'. If you stick with resort type skiing with your family with a baselayer underneath, you'll be fine. Only you'll probably want a ArcTeryx this time next season. :-)