I'm in Charlottesville, VA for school and it rains a lot more here than it did at home. I recently got this jacket and wore it walking around campus in a downpoor. It worked great! I usually get a small in North Face but I found the sleeves were too short for my 5'9 height when I tried on a friends. Also, I like the medium because I can layer a NF fleece under it when it gets cold! Essentially, this is the best thing since sliced bread because I no longer have to carry a crazy umbrella that doesn't work half the time. This is lightweight and packs right in my book bag! Two thumbs up!

I bought this for my 21 yr old daughter for christmas and she is in italy for a semester abroad-she loves it! She cannot believe how it breathes and how comfortable it is to wear and easy to pack. I may get one for myself...

Great to pack and wear with or without North Face jacket underneath.
Good range of motion. My husband and both boys have one in men's. Everyone stayed warm and dry in Canada. A great jacket that does what it says it will.

Every child at school has this jacket, if the jacket can endure teenagers it's got my vote. My son and daughter both have this jacket. They love it!!

I bought this jacket just before christmas, and it has come in handy so much already! I am currently attending university in Alabama, and rather than snowing a lot it rains a ton... so its been a great jacket! My only regret is that it is a little short on my waist, and i got a large when i would normally wear a medium. However, i am 5'7 so if you were a little bit shorter than would reccommend this jacket 100%!

I bought this jacket just before christmas, and it has come in handy so much already! I am currently attending university in Alabama, and rather than snowing a lot it rains a ton... so its been a great jacket! My only regret is that it is a little short on my waist, and i got a large when i would normally wear a medium. However, i am 5'7 so if you were a little bit shorter than would reccommend this jacket 100%!

This jacket works really well! It's waterproof, lightweight, and fits well. It folds into its own stow pocket, too - so good for traveling! It's very breathable with underarm zip vents. I recommend it highly.

This jacket is the perfect waterproof/windproof/breathable jacket for walking, hiking, camping, wearing around downtown. I love it so much, I'm tempted to buy another in a different colour. I fit a SM nicely but bought a MED because the sleeves were too short on the SM. Lots of room to layer with the MED.

IF you're looking for a running jacket, this one is OK, but I would recommend The North Face Prophecy Jacket for running. The Venture only has pit zips - The Prophecy has pit zips and zips in the front for more ventilation or pockets.

Perfect jacket for the rain and cool evenings! The color is beautiful! Very excited about purchase and impressed with customer service!!!

classic. from north face comes the venture jacket- a highly water resistent/proof jacket that works as a rain jacket or as a shell you can layer a 200 or 100 weight fleece in such as the khumbu or natasha from the north face line. living in the northern california where rain has been scarce the past few years, i thought i'd update my north face collection by adding this wonderful jacket when i head down to santa barbara in the fall. The material packs down really tightly so you can stash it in a backpack on a hike to the mountains or throw it in a locker for a rainy day.

I bought what was called a "rain jacket" last year but it was not waterproof. I can say this is a rain jacket and is 100% waterproof. Very light weight! Great Jacket!

I purchased this jacket for my 18 yr old dgt for christmas. She loves the jacket. She only wishes that the jacket was a little longer.

The Venture is a great lightweight, waterproof jacket. It keeps you dry in a downpour, and it's comfortable and breathable. Also, it folds into it own stow pocket, so it's great for traveling. It's one of my favorite jackets!

My jacket was perfect for the all weather needs in Yosemite and Tahoe in early June. Rolls up easily to fit in the camelback and light enough to never know it is there until you need it. Then it is dry, wind stopping, warm, etc.

This jacket is perfect for rolling up and stowing in a backpack and light so that it doesn't way you down. It has great wind and rain protection. I take it with me on all my excursions here in Europe!! Plus the fit is made for a woman so it looks nice and isn't bulky. Very nice.

It works great for the rain and the wind and the vents make it able to where even when it's hot and huimid, However the hood seems really large and is kind of obtrusive when you have it on. And llisten when they say a size smaller. I got a small when I normally where a medium and it fits perfect

I wasn't sure which size to order (normally wear XS in TNF gear), so I ordered both the XS and S. I'm 5'5 and 120lbs (athletic build), and the XS fit well in the body, but the arms and jacket were a little short, so I went with the S, and now have room to layer a Denali fleece. Something to note, this jacket is very fitted compared to other rain jackets I looked at. It goes in at the waist and then has a dramatic flare out for the hips. As I have narrow hips, the flare is a little much for me, but again, should be good for layering and adds a little more style! Haven't tested in the rain, but am confident from other reviews that it will keep me dry!

So far I'm really happy with my jacket. I haven't had any really heavy rain to try it out in so far, but in moderate rain it has been great.

Pros:

-Great hood. It's huge without any cinching (haven't tried it, but I bet you could wear a helmet underneath) and you can both tighten it around your face and tighten a cord in the back so it pulls back from your face. With this adjustment my face doesn't get rained on, but my hood also doesn't hang in front of my eyes and obstruct my vision.
-Nice features for being as light as it is. Pit zips, double flap over front zipper, lots of adjustors.
-Pretty good for avoiding clamminess.

Cons:

-Kinda short. The proportions in the photo are very misleading... the width has been pulled in on the sides which makes it appear longer. It hits me at the top of the hips and exposes my stomach when I raise my arms above my head. I definitely wish I had bought the longer parka version.
-The fabric around the cuffs is super stiff. The first time I wore it with the wrists tightened, it chafed my wrists big time. After breaking the fabric in a little it's better, but still not highly comfy.

As for fitting, I'm 5'6'' 125lbs with a small torso, and I bought an extra small. I can layer and layer and layer underneath, I can even fit my down jacket under it. I usually buy a small or extra small in jackets. Unless you don't mind a baggy jacket, size down.

Do not buy this if you are looking for warmth. This jacket is a good wet weather buy when you are layering underneath.

Makes for a very lightweight piece but does not insulate.

I got it as a raincoat for the wet season and it has worked well.

Love the jacket. Perfect for the rain and cool evenings! Very pleased.

I was looking for a simple black rain jacket, and this is definitely it. It does run big, as others have mentioned. I am normally a size medium (I wear a size 8) and a size small fit. My only complaint is that it is not longer in the back. It comes to the middle of the butt---I would prefer it cover the butt. But---really cute, totally functional, and a great value.

Its awesome to layer under, however, as a previous review stated I wish it were a bit longer. Which is saying something as I am 5'1" and I bought a small in hopes of layering a sweatshirt and my denali fleece under it as well. I most likely could have gotten a small however, I like longer sleeves but the torso is incredibly roomy although I only weigh 120lbs. I have worn it in some really rainy conditions already and I stayed completely dry and it really blocks out the wind too. Great buy and for the cheapest price I have seen.

I expected to be slightly more "substantial" but it is a true wind breaker style jacket with a good hood. I think it will work well for my purposes, but I was surprised at how thin it was... still considering if I want to exchange for another style.

I live in the rainy Pacific Northwest, and this jacket has served me well heading into the wet winter season. The hood stays nice and secure if you zip up all the way. Jacket fabric does a FANTASTIC job of blocking wind. It is definitely water-resistant, even through some extremely wet distance runs I've gone on. Sizes do run large, as others have noted. I have a small and can easily layer other clothing underneath if I want to.

Hey everyone. I actually have this jacket in red. I really like it for the fact that it can be buttoned up really tight so that nothing gets wet that is covered by this jacket. However, if you are in Mississippi as I am, with high humidities, you will sweat, if you aren't wearing a long sleeve shirt. If it's not in the heat of summer when our humidy is AWFUL, it's a great jacket!!

I recently wore my Venture on a 4-hour hike in steady rain. My hiking buddy wore a Marmot Precip. Afterwards she had to wring the water out of the fleece she was wearing underneath. Under my Venture I was dry, dry, dry. I've had it for almost a year and it's still going strong, I wear it almost every day. Now I'm going to get the Venture pants to replace my Marmot pants.

Such an awesome jacket! Best rain jacket I have ever seen. Most reliable product and brand money can buy!!

Such an awesome jacket! Best rain jacket I have ever seen. Most reliable product and brand money can buy!!

I purchased this jacket for my 20 year old daughter. She loves it!
We were taking a trip and our luggage was limited. It was light weight
and great to pack. It kept her dry on rainy days and was perfect
on windy days when on the ferry and in the mountains. Shipment arrived just as promised - the day our flight was to leave!!

I have this in the discontinued Alba Green and the color is brighter and more spring-y than in the picture. I'm very happy with the fit, but I'm petite so I expect others might find the sleeves too short. I love that the hood cinches in the back. It's stood up well to snow and high wind; I haven't had the chance to use it in heavy rain yet. It's lightweight and packs down small enough to always keep in my bag just in case.

I bought this one when I had "lost" one just like it and could not go without it the 2 weeks it took for it to turn up. So now I have two, but they are great and now I can keep one in the car for whatever weather pops up. Also this one is a perfect "Carolina Blue" for those who want to show their UNC National Championship Tar Heel spirit off.

I am really happy with this jacket. It's super comfortable, light weight and easy to pack in my little backpack purse. I love the fact that it doesn't wrinkle! The color is really nice too (Kelpie Green)...it just looks nicer than your average rain jacket. I wouldn't mind if the jacket were a little bit longer in the back (to cover my rear more), but it's not that big of a deal. It still hits about half way down and the draw strings help it to stay in place.

This is a windbreaker type jacket, I think the price is rather high. The lining is very cute and the fit is good.

I love this jacket...Recently ran a 5K in it...Handled the wind very well. The under arm zippers were great at the end of the race for cooling down...with out ending up freezing. I have also washed this jacket twice already and comes out Great...good as new. Very light weight, and deep zipped pockets.

wasnt sure that it would fit. tried it on and it felt a bit loose. tightened the elastic bands. now it fits like a dream. with or without layers underneath. great jacket for finicky new england weather. xs was true to size.

Although I haven't gotten to wear this jacket much (it's still 100 degrees + here, ugh) I love it. The fit is great, the color is nice, and the details inside just add to it. The North Face makes great products and I'm glad backcountry carries so many of them and at a price better than other stores. Thanks!

My 18 year old daughter received this jacket for Christmas and loves it. She goes to school at East Carolina and it rains in Greenville all the time. She wanted light weight so that she could wear it winter and summer.

I ordered this jacket for a trip to the UK and it was a lifesaver! Of course it rained at least once daily and I didn't even need an umbrella with this jacket. It is completely waterproof and I like the extra length on the front of the hood (covers your hair and face.) Was true to size and lightweight. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a versatile rain jacket!

I use this jacket to ski in on warm spring days, its brilliant. It keeps me dry without causing me to over-heat, while giving me lots of freedom to move and stay active. I'm thinking of buying another one in a different color, that's how much I like it.

Great rain jacket for warm weather.

Bought this for my daughter who has been walking a rain-soaked campus this fall. Here in SC, we don't need much more than a thin shell and this one fits the bill just perfectly. A great shell at a very reasonable price.

I purchased Venture Jackets for my teenaged daughters last Christmas. They love their jackets so much I had to buy one of my own. I am 47, 5'7" tall and weigh 158 pounds. The medium fits me perfectly. It is form fitting enough that it looks attractive over lightweight clothing, but I can comfortably wear a sweater under it. The Fever Pink is a beautiful color and I get lots of compliments. My daughters have jacktets in light blue and white. My oldest daughter is in college and says her white Venture, which she keeps in her backpack, is indispensable. It looks good with everything she wears. I want to add that I have ordered jackets from Backcountry.com for everyone in my family and their customer service is wonderful. Love them!

My jacket arrived in only 3 days from Backcountry Outlet (even though I ordered the free ground shipping), and that was just in time for the rainiest weekend out here. I was canoeing in pouring rain for 4 hours and my fleece underneath stayed miraculously dry. The water-wicking effectiveness might have been partially because it was so new at the time, but I was the only one in my group that wasn't soaked under my jacket. The hood worked pretty well too, but it was fairly windy and it blew off a couple of times. I got the brown XS and the sizes must run big because I would normally wear Small, but this was still roomy enough to wear a fleece hoodie underneath and have breathing room. It isn't really tapered as it looks in the picture, but it still looks great.

I got this jacket after reading both good and bad reviews, but thought for the (reasonable) price, ok... If you are sitting still and not moving, the jacket keeps you dry. However, even with a bit of activity(biking) combined with hard rain means you are soaked inside. Yuck. 0 breathability. So much for hyvent. I became so frustrated with this jacket I bought a Mountain Hardwear Typhoon... Gore Tex is the real deal...

I live in Chicago so it can get really cold. by far this is the warmest jacket I have worn and not bulky at all. I ordered a size small should have ordered the xtra small. It runs a size large but I don't care it still looks good.

i am very happy with this jacket. I live in the south where it is VERY hot. I keep it on hand for rainy days - we get random showers alot, so it's great because it's light weight, has zipper vents, and keeps you dry! It does look nice - not bulky

Overall I am very pleased with my jacket. It is light, wrinkle free, and easy to carry. I got my size, medium, and it fits great! It is a little big around the wrists and the hood tends to be big, but it does have pulls on hood to tighten, so that helps. I would recommend this jacket to anyone looking for a light, durable rainjacket.

We received our rain jackets and packed them up to wear in the Washington State rain forests and while exploring rainy beaches. They zipped up easily, are well constructed with good pockets, lightweight, and kept us dry. They stored easily when the sun came out.

This is a great little jacket. Fashionable and functional. A must have.

I have the Denali fleece jacket in a size medium. Would I order the same for this model?