I've returned the regular denali in the past as this jacket was not out at the time. I've since moved onto Arcteryx jackets despite their higher price tags due to their fit, construction and choice of only top notch fabrics from Polartec. When I recently discovered a wind resistant version of the Denali stitched from Wind pro and Power shield fabrics, I decided to test it out as casual wear around town when I don't want to look too overly technical with the Arcteryx pieces.Power shield is awesome, its highly water resistant, it blocks ALL wind, and has high loft shag fleece on the inside while remaining soft and malleable. So you've got this as panels.Wind Pro is the most breathable wind resistant fleece from polartec, which has a inconspicuous grid pattern on the outside, and medium loft shaggy fleece on inside. It will let in strong wind gusts, but will keep everyday around town/campus wind chills out, thus you can wear this as a standalone piece unlike the regular Denali which is completely useless outside IMO. So you put these two top notch fabrics together and you have a FUNCTIONAL denali. Fits identical to the reg denali loose and comfy, this is slightly less bulky in thickness and does NOT have elbow panels. Lastly, unlike the regular denali which is classic piling fleece with nylon panels stitch on top, this Wind Pro version is actually made of two different fabrics stitched together, both featuring soft high/med shag fleece on the inside. Highly recommended.

My husband has had this jacket for 7-8 years and refuses to buy another one because there is nothing wrong with this one. I have the womens version. It is one of the warmest jackets out there. It's great for backpacking and snowshoeing. My husband uses it to layer under a shell on cold windy days on the mountain. They seem to be generously shaped for men with wide shoulders.

I was looking for a replacement to a fleece jacket I've had for over 10 years. I was looking for over a year for the perfect jacket. I wanted something warm but also wanted a jacket that was somewhat windproof. I looked at the original Denali jacket, but the fleece was to thick and I didn't need that heavy a jacket. It also wasn't windproof. The Denali Wind Pro Fleece was the perfect balance. It's not too thick for warm fall days and its not to light for cold days. When wind blew through my old fleece, it would send a chill right through me, but with this jacket I stay warm all the time. I looked at other windproof jackets from North Face, but I didn't like the velcro closure at the end of the sleeves. These sleeves have the elastic closure. After a lengthy search I finally found the perfect jacket.