The North Face Sonic Stretch Insulated Jacket - Men's

Pro's - Nice quality finish, Water proof / seam sealed,lighly insulated,breathable, mesh backed underarm vents, lots of pockets. Hood fits over ski helmet & zips off, hip length hem with waist powder skirt. This is a hybrid parka, with stretch fabric on the shoulders, back hem & elbow to cuff. The rest of the coat is a heavy weave ripstop. (looks durable.) I chose this over a North Face insulated soft shell (Odyssey) because it was more wind & water resistant,is a little trimmer fit, & has core venting. I wish this was as stretchy as the Odyssey, (As comfortable to wear.) but all around I think it will be a better ski jacket for colder & wetter conditions. I can't give it 5 stars because there is no neck collar cinch, & the linning is not as slippery as I like for layering in the arm area. (kinda grabby) Also after wearing the true softshell any hard shell feels a little clammy & restrictive.

Super Functional, Great Performance. Originally wanted the Grey color but could not find in my size. Setteled for Blue but the color is much nicer than I expected.

This is my first The North Face jacket and it replaces my 5 yr old LLBean ski jacket. After I researched and read reviews I decided to steer away from the jackets with fleece liners that zip out and go for one that was insulated. It was a good decision...I can still wear light fleece under this, and I do when skiing. Casual use, it's totally warm down to 20 degrees, under that add a heavier fleece layer. This jacket is totally featured out (read the specs) and great quality. Now about the fit. Like you may read elsewhere about North Face, this jacket runs a bit small. I am right between medium and large...42" chest, 5'11"/175 lbs. Typically on jackets I could get by with a medium because they make them larger for layering. But I went with a large and it was the right call. If you are on the top end of a large, you should go XL. When zipped all the way up it is a little loose fit around the neck, but I like that as I wear a neck gaitor when skiing. Zip-off hood is very large, I don't wear a helmet but that's what it seems to be sized for. Now for my only beef...and I didn't take a star off for this but for what it's worth, it does bug me that the sleeve lining is not smooth. It is the same material lining the body of the jacket, which is textured, and tends to grip other fabric. So when you stick your arms in, your shirt material doesn't slide easily all the way in and it may end up bunched around your armpits. Doesn't happen with all shirts but still, it detracts a bit for casual use outside of skiing. Other than that I am very happy with it.

Bought this jacket for a recent ski trip to Vail. Kept me warm and dry even on cold and powder days. Lots of great pockets, lift ticket holder, and warm hood. Would definitely recommend this jacket.