Mountain Hardwear Synchro Hooded Jacket - Men's

I am about 5'9" and wear anywhere between 42-44 inch chest jackets...thus I typically order large. I ordered this jacket in the Classic Navey in large. Construction: Very good construction. One of the interesting things about this jacket is that the tape for the seams are sealed on the outside (its the grey dotted strips you see in the picture). The pockets are great, you get two on each chest, two deep side pockets, a large internal zip pocket and a large mesh pocket for goggles. The hood is roomy and I was actually able to fit it over a large sized ski helmet. Nice soft, micro fleece lining. The jacket feels roomy to me without feeling baggy...its not a slim, tapered athletic fit like some Arc'Teryx stuff but I think it has a nice, true fit. There is no powder skirt, which is a disappointing, but the hem of the jacket does have very nice drawstring enclosure that works very well and stays cinched. Now for the almost fatal flaw of this jacket. I cannot comprehend why the hell Mountain Hardwear (MH) would not put Velcro wrist closures on this jacket. In my humble opinion, this is a fairly technical jacket and it is freaking mistake not to have Velcro straps to tighten up the wrist opening. The wrist opening is not very tapered and it has a next useless internal collar of fleece material which I frankly find gets bunched up and just gets in the way. Performance: The conduit softshell construction works awesome. I used this jacket on several spring skiing trips and around the base of the mountain hanging out and it performed superbly. Water beads and just rips right of the jacket. I was lying around on the snow goofing off with the kids and although the outer material did get wet in some places, water never got through. I was skiing up in Loveland (which is in the Rockies right on the top of the Continental Divide) and the wind got fierce. I felt the wind go right through me and I started to get concerned that this jacket was crap...until I noticed that I had left the pit zips fully open. Once I closed those off...the wind was no problem. I am going to guess that the winds ranged between 25-45mph throughout the day and this jacket provided me with very good protection. I have the Arc'Teryx Seeker Comp jacket and this jacket is better than the Seeker Comp at blocking the wind. The micro fleece jacket does a surprising job at providing warmth. I was wearing a light base layer and a light fleece pullover and I found that in 30 degree whether, I was quite warm...once the temp hit around 40 in the late afternoon, I got fairly hot so I just skied in a base layer and the jacket with pit zips open and I felt great. This jacket seems to breath fairly well...but not a swell as the Seeker Comp. However, the pit zips provides added temperature range and overall, the jacket has fantastic temperature range and breathability. I love the hood. The hood definitely provides added weather protection from wind and moisture...further increasing its range of use. Conclusion: I really like this jacket but the lack of Velcro wrist closures almost killed the deal for me. The end of the sleeves feels like it's flapping around. However, this jacket just had too much going for it for me to return it ultimately. This jacket I think rivals and may out perform my Arc'Teryx Seeker Comp because it is fully waterproof, better at blocking the wind, has greater comfort range due to the microfleece and pit zips.

very nice coat, was looking for softshell with hood, and got this. moderate length cut fits nice, and inner fleece cuffs keep the wind out. thinner insulation in it, so not overly warm good with light layer into 40's. good choice if you want a soft waterproof outer layer.

:)

This is a great jacket that provides great spring ski conditions protection, combined with excellent waterproofness when you need it. I love this model with the hood for extra coverage and the generous pitzips that work great when the temps start getting higher. This hooded version is far more versatile than the standard Synchro jacket with no hood or pitzips!

Skied three days at Alta in this jacket under a variety of conditions and temperatures. From a Bluebird day to a snow squall, it handled everything wonderfully and breathed well. I like the fit (more generous that a typical softshell but a little trimmer than a harshell) and appreciate the versatility of the six different pockets, including the inner pouch which holds a water bottle and gloves. The soft inner lining of the softshell fabric provides just the right amount of insulation to go over base layers, and feels warmer and more pleasing than the inner surface of a hardshell. The hood fits fine over my full helmet, which was great for a chair ride up while it snowed heavily. At all other times, the hood stows neatly and never gets in the way. I love the feel and fit of the cuffs, but be aware that they require under-cuff gloves for a good match. Gloves with gauntlets will not gracefully fit over these cuffs. Since I like the jacket so much, I am actually buying a second pair of gloves, without gauntlet. I'll reserve my gore-tex XCR hardshell and gauntlet gloves for wet weather, and go with the Synchro softshell and under-cuff gloves for everything else.

I think this is a great product but it is not as warm as anticipated. I knew it only had a microfleece but still figured it would be warmer. The purpose of this softshell is a slightly warmer softshell than most. It breathes very well and looks good. The hood is very large as said and looks a little funny without a helmet. All in all a good jacket for a warmer softshell than most but I am returning mine for the windstopper insulated jacket by Mountain Hardwear.

Previous review "Satisfied" with 5 Stars. Changed it after using it a good amount. Doesn't breath as well as I thought it would. Sure it has pit zips, but I found myself having both fully open and the front open half way. Any jacket can breath with that much opened to the environment. Also the material started piling, for me mostly in the inner arms, which is kind of cheap for the money you paid. I emailed Mountain Hardwear about the piling, and of course I never heard back from them. I went with the Arcteryx Gamma MX Hoody and so far really like it. Breathes a lot better. Not waterproof, but then again, a waterproof softshell defeats the purpose of being a softshell and really changes its ability to breath. I would not for a water resistent softshell.

I have to echo other reviewer sentiments that the cuffs are too loose and was surprised there was no manual loop closure or at least an inherent tighter fit. Considering the ubiquity of the complaint, i imagine it will be corrected next version. Otherwise, great breathable jacket.

So far I am completely happy with my purchase. I initially ordered a MH swift jacket. I wanted something that was completely waterproof/windproof for everyday use and also snowshoeing and other winter sports. I wanted the breathability water/wind proofing of gortex pac lite, but the swift jacket was uncomfortable. It felt like you were wearing a rain coat..(the cheap kind)the arms were made for an arangatan. I am 6 feet tall and have normal to longer arms than most, and I still found that the swift jacket would bunch up over my wrists and hands. I know that the jacket is also made for ice climbing and MH has the extended ice pick position in mind while making this, but all-in-all the synchro is everybit as water/windproof, qhueter while walking/hiking due to the external material used, and the inteior of the jacket is lined with a lightweight and soft/very comfortable fleece like material that is a thousandtimes better than the swift jacket. The integrated hood feels much better than the swifts zip out hood that bunches around that back of your head, or when it is tucked away int he collar, it makes the collar feel tight and unnatural. I really like that the synchro has taped and welded seams to ensure maximum waterproofing. When comparing these two jackets side by side, I would handsdown take the synchro over ther the swift, you really don't need the gortex name to have a completely waterproof jacket. I have so far been in terential down pores in western New York and in very windy conditions and have stayed warm and dry. The arms are also cut to a normal length-a plus. It also has a good amount of pockets,2 inner, and 4 outer. This jacket gets two thumbs up from me. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a very lightweight, packable, wind/waterproof jacket that doesn't sacrifice comfort.

Have had this jacket for several months now. Very pleased with it. It is waterproof, except for two areas on the hood: where the MH symbol is stitched in, and the hole with the bungee pull, the inside is not taped over. But that is minimal, you need to be in a real downpour for those to matter. The jacket breathes well. Pit zips help. The pitzips a little difficult to operate, but not bad. Comfortable and allows for layering. The hood does fit over my BD climbing helmet. I had aftermarket hook and loop cuffs sewn on mine, as the sleeves were too long for me. Pleased with the purchase.

Great Jacket. Fits snug, but comfortable. Almost too snug to get that extra fleece layer underneath, particularly in the arms. The hood will not likely fit over your helmet. Ditto the review that the zippers are hard to pull. The quality and seam taping are top notch. I've skied in it at -9C without getting cold, but more ideally suited to mild weather conditions. Overall, very happy.

The synchro jacket has a nice trim fit, with the arms cut to prevent lift when reaching above the head, making it a great jacket for climbing. The conduit laminate breathes well, and the fabric is light and flexible. There are some areas that need improvement, however. The fleece cuffs don't seal out cold air, and even worse, act as sponges in wet weather, wicking rain into the arms of the jacket. The zippers are very hard to pull, requiring two hands to operate. Also, one of the drawcord keepers on the waist of my jacket will not hold the drawcord tight, allowing it to slip out so that the waist is always loose. I intend to replace that part myself, but it shouldn't be happening on a jacket this costly. It's worth considering the Mammut softshells as an alternative to this one.

I figured I had to join the softshell crazy and my decision to buy this jacket was a good one. Warm, comfortable, stretchy, and waterproof. Good venting, lots of pockets, and very stylish. Comfortable with a pack on or just to kick around town in. Wish it had hook and loop closure on the cuffs and the internal lining is a bit grabby forcing you to hold onto your shirt cuffs like a grade schooler. Overall a great jacket.

I own a pile of jackets and The Hooded Synchro is one piece of gear that might not leave my sight. It is a wonderful piece of gear it breathes incredibly and the underarm vents dump heat when needed. It is very comfortable and is just what you need when you need it. Lots of pockets in the right places. The only thing to take into consideration is that the fit is kind of techy (fitted). Also there are no cuff adjustments which would be very helpful... although it is one of my favorite new pieces of gear even for just lounging around town with a coffee in my hand.

This jacket truly is amazing. I just spent a week skiing in 10" of powder and sub-10 degree weather, and never got a bit cold. The jacket also looks great to wear out in town if need be. I am not surprised, however, having owned several Mountain Hardwear. They are always of the best quality and are designed to look great. I would recommend this jacket to anyone, like myself, who lives in a warmer climate, and needs not only a jacket to travel and ski in, but use in the rain, and merely cooler temperatures as well.

This is my first softshell. It breathes really well even though it is windproof and waterproof. I have toured in it several times and haven't had a problem with overheating. Pockets, pockets and more pockets.