Stoic Welder Insulated Softshell Jacket - Women's - 2009 BCS

Awesome Jacket.... my girlfriend says she loves it. I got it for her for christmas and she has been totally satisfied so far, even in subzero conditions. Also it looks awesome, and the shape is nice as well.

To preface: I'm an aggressive woman skier from New England and I ski regardless of the weather. Bought this as a ski jacket to replace my bulky, formless Helly Hansen.I too, am smitten with the styling of this jacket. The fit is great: athletic but roomy, feminine but leaves plenty room for under layers. I am 5'6, 165 lbs and a pretty serious skier. I have long arms and am frequently frustrated by jackets with short sleeves. Not the case here. Plus, the material is very flexible so movement is not restricted. It's nice and long so when I move the jacket doesn't ride up. The colors are great, I get many compliments from women of all ages and abilities.Another reviewer wrote that the hood is not helmet compatible but I have found the opposite to be true. I wear a Giro G9, the hood fits my helmet like a glove. I can zip up the jacket all the way with it over my helmet and the high collar fully covers my face for chilly chairlift rides.The lightweight insulation is great for mild to moderately cold weather. The liner is the same deep pink seen along the outer seaming. The liner has a silky finish and is quilted, so the insulation doesn't move around and my layers don't get stuck. At 20 degrees F I was comfortable in a base layer and a liner jacket. Between 30-40 degrees, I was happy with a base layer and an Old Navy fleece.However, when the temp drops below the teens or the wind picks up, this jacket starts to fail. Stoic claims that welded seams are far superior to taped seams.... to which I must disagree. There is seaming at the elbows and on day 3 of wearing the jacket when it was moderately windy- I could feel a strong draft at my elbows where the seams are. Also, after all the claims about how great welded seams are- they forgot to do something to the main zipper! There is no flap, inner or outer, that prevents a draft; nor is the zipper wind/waterproofed as many companies now do (though the jacket material is definitely waterproof, even sticking my arm under a faucet). A good wind gust and I can feel it straight down the middle of my torso. A major oversight! As another reviewer mentioned, the jacket is also missing a powder skirt.Overall, I really do like this jacket. For mild to moderate weather I will be wearing this jacket. But, before claiming the jacket will get you through the roughest of cold winter days, I suggest they spend some time in New England!! I will rely on my Helly shell and insulating layers for truly cold days.

I am 5'5" and about 125 lb. I normally wear a small in jackets and shells. I purchased this jacket in a size medium so I could layer under it when I am not being active in it and have plenty of room to spare without it looking to large or baggy. This is not a heavy jacket for standing around out in the cold - but has great features for activity... useful pockets, pit zips, hood, light insulation, etc. The liner is beautiful! Unlike the photo above, the liner in my jacket is the same dark berry color that accents the outer shell. It has a stitched quilted pattern in it and is smooth so when layering it does not get caught on your sweater or fleece. I love this jacket and get great comments when I wear it!

I got the black/jade color and I just love it, even though the green accents are more a light greener than the one in the picture. I ordered it size Medium and it fits perfectly, with a little space for layering. It is super soft and comfortable, long sleeves which is perfect. The liner design is pretty cool. I haven't used it yet in a really cold environment but so far is great even in warmer places, so I bet it works for different temperatures.

LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! I ordered it for my picky teenaged daughter and she wore it out of the house within minutes of it arrival! She hates winter jackets because of the bulk and "puffiness" so she will only wear fleece which isn't always a good choice during a Montana Blizzard! Also, heavy jackets won't fit in her locker at school.
Today is a perfect example - a heavy wet spring snow. The outside repelled the water, the light lining kept her warm. The lining is beyond soft and the quilting keeps it flat. Plenty of pockets - well positioned. And of course the most important is that it has a beautiful shape that makes her look "HOT"! To a mom, - well worth every penny!
We missed the ski season but she assures me she will wear it snowboarding next year.

I was a little iffy about this jacket when I first received it but after putting through a few tests (back country snowboarding,and hiking in a downpour), I think that it is great. I Stay pretty warm in it with a good base layer, and it is definitely waterproof. Also looks good.

I made this jacket my full time ski jacket. I know it might not be meant for that but all it needs are wrist gaiters and a powder-skirt for it to be one of the best jackets I have owned. I love the insulation on these stoic coats. Not too much but just enough to keep me warm. Another big plus is the breathability from the softshell fabric. It controls my temperature when I ride so I don't overheat. This coat has a lot of care taken into it like the interior media pocket with headphone cord rubber hole and then a loop up higher so you don't accidently zip up your headphones. I would suggest going 1 size bigger in this coat.

I'm pretty impressed with the thoughtful design and construction of this jacket. My favorite part is the tall collar with a soft fleece finish on the inside, very cozy for chilly, windy lift rides. I think this Stoic Insulated Welder may have the best collar out of all of my jackets, and that's really saying something for a gear freak (one may even say gear slut) like me. The cuffs on the wrists are really nice and soft, and you can get them tight around your wrist. I would not say that the hood is ski helmet compatible. I have a small head and wear a size Small women's Smith Intrigue helmet which is pretty low profile. If I put the hood up over my helmet, I cannot zip the neck up all the way. It's probably about 1.5" short of zipping all the way up. This would be worse with a bigger helmet. I think the hood would be just fine with a lower profile climbing helmet. Personally I wish this jacket had a powder skirt as I'll mainly use it for skiing. Other than that I will mainly just use it for wearing around town on milder days.

I'm quite fond of the cut of this jacket. It has a more feminine look to the cut than many jackets, without being overly tight or fitted. I find the sizing to be pretty standard. I wear a medium in most jackets (and occasionally a small, especially in more recent Patagonia pieces). The medium in this jacket is a great fit for me for some room for layering underneath.

There seems to be a lot of discussion as to whether or not this jacket is "warm." There is definitely a noticeable difference between this and an uninsulated shell. Personally, I have to wear a mid to heavy weight mid layer with it for skiing lift accessed terrain in temperatures in the mid twenties, depending on the wind. I'd throw this on over just a base layer for temperatures in the upper twenties and above, but that's just what works for me personally. In teens and lower I still opt for my down puffy, but this would do well with a thick fleece or down sweater underneath, I think.

All in all, I'm impressed with this jacket for it's good looks, fit, and good construction.

Product Description: "The fear-no-cold Stoic Women’s Welder Insulated Softshell Jacket outfits you for long days in deep cold with 100-grams of light weight Cirrus insulation and weather-shunning, four-way stretch softshell material."

I liked the material, style & fit, but was worried that it was too thin. My fears were realized when I stepped outside one 22 F morning and could feel the cold go straight through. I even had a thin wool sweater on underneath.

So, nice jacket for mildly cool days. I have returned it because I wanted a real winter jacket. I am a little annoyed that the misleading advertising cost me shipping there & back again.