Patagonia Spraymaster Jacket - Men's - 2007 BCS

I am 6'1" with a 44" chest and the XXL is a bit slim, as others have mentioned; but it fits and the sleeves on mine are fine in length. I have had this jacket for 4 years and love it. Right now it's 15 degrees with wind chill in Seattle, Jan 19, 2012 and for the last few days I have trekked through 4-8" of snow and have been completely warm. Love the weight which makes this super portable. I purchased the bright green which has good visibility in the whiteout conditions. Maybe 2 more inches in the chest would allow layering.

This review is based on initial impressions. Overall well constructed jacket. The cut is indeed trim....almost too much so. I'm 5' 8", 147 lb and the medium is a tad tight in the chest but the material stretches nicely. A tad short in the arms when reaching forward. I would be hesitant to use backpacking because you can't layer much more than 100 wt fleece under it. Packs down fairly small into the internal pocket (which is not a quick process). The fabric has a nice hand. No impressions of waterproofness yet however the specs do indicate the undersides of arms are H2NO treated. I was assured by Patagonia there were provisions to roll down the hood and fasten but there is none. As I will be using it for mountain biking I may return it for this reason alone.

I own the Spraymaster in black. It was a little pricey and I kept going back to the store and looking at it. I was in great need of an entirely waterproof jacket. After a great deal of thought I bought the jacket. I am somewhat satisfied. There is one main flaw, the underarm ripstop material isn't waterproof and if there is a strong wind with rain, the material becomes soaked. If you're looking for something entirely waterproof I would look elsewhere.

3.5 stars. I think this is a great jacket - waterproofness is impressive, though I haven't used it enough yet to comment on the ripstop material. The material is a big plus - feels like actual cloth, unlike my last Gore-Tex jacket, which felt like a mylar balloon. BUT - As far as I can determine, there's no stowage system for the hood. So, if you engage in fast-moving activities like cycling, the hood will unfold, inflate, and hover behind your head like a parachute. Very annoying, and now I need to find a soft shell or something to wear on my bike.