The North Face Free Thinker Jacket - Men's

FANTASTIC jacket that looks good off the slope as it does on. Crazy technical with all the things to keep you dry and warm, yet extremely lightweight. I thought about making the big investment for a while and let me tell you, its well worth it. One fyi is that I found that the jacket is a little big. I am 5'8'' 160 and ordered a L. The large size could probably accommodate up to a 5'11' person with a little more girth. I'd return it for a M but backcountry doesnt have anymore and I dont want to give up the jacket!

I,m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to ski clothing i bought a men,s small in red and i love it i have not use it yet but from what i can tell this is a great winter-sports jacket i also bought a free thinker pants to go with it great detail lots of pockets buy one u can't go wrong and the gor-tex pro is a great material i like it even better the old 3 layer gor-tex can wait to try it in colorado and calif.

I've just bought a Freethinker jacket in a small men's size (I am a woman usually a medium in TNF gear). I bought the jacket to go with the Freethinker pant (also a men's size small but I don't mind!). The Freethinker pant was excellent so that was why I went for the jacket. The fit is spot on by the time I've got a couple of layers underneath, although the sleeves are a bit too long with it being a men's size, but overall I'm really happy with it. I've not worn it yet, so I'll let you know what I think when I have! I do like the fact that the jacket comes right down over your backside so it should be nice and warm, a lot of the other jackets seem to come up too high so your back gets a draught.

I wore this jacket this winter and couldn't be happier. The fit is great - not too short like some shells or too big and tentlike. Also fits a stockier build without feeling restrictive. The technical and design details are top notch. It keeps out the nastiest of weather and breaths well. I liked it so much I bought the Freethinker pants a couple days later. Definitely recommend it!

I have 2 of these, one an '06 model and the other an '07 model. Both are used primarily for downhill skiing, with the '07 model being my Instructor uniform, (I coach skiing full time in the winter.) I have worn them in a variety of conditions from all-day downpours to white out blizzards and have not been disappointed. You do have to layer smartly because they are truly a shell, but what a shell!! No disappointments with these

Ok...I purchased the large Free Thinker Jacket. It is the 07-08 model that comes with the Gore-Tex Pro material. I typically wear 42-44. I started the season with the Arc'Teryx Seeker Comp but when the weather started to turn colder and meaner, I started using the Free Thinker exclusively. The activities ranged between snowboarding, ice fishing, winter hiking and general all purpose alpine winter activities in and around the Rockies and Continental Divide. Construction: Unlike some of the cheaper, "consumer" rate TNF jackets, this jacket is very well constructed. I would say on par with Arc'Teryx, Cloudveil, Mountain Hardwear and ect. The seams are superbly sealed and the zipper material is top notch. The Gore-Tex Pro material is tough...I mean tough. You will have absolutely no issues with piling...this material in fact feels slick, almost like its plastic. You truly feel like you could weather a real bomb of a storm and laugh at water and wind. The jacket feels that solid. HOWEVER, it feels pretty stiff, especially in the armpit and hood areas. This NOT your supple, softer softshell material...this is your true hard shell material that gives the middle finger to the elements. If you are looking for a more supple jacket, consider the Gore-Tex Pro softshell rather than the Enduro material. I got my wife the Cloudveil RPK Gore-Tex Softshell jacket (its still a three layer material) and she loves it. The Gore-Tex Pro Enduro is definitely lighter in weight though, even if it feels more stiff. NOTE...there is no insulation. If you want to use this jacket in colder weather, you have layer but once you do, it feels like you could sit in the artic and enoy what seems to be balmy weather. The jacket is light enough, breaths well and has pit zips so that you can use this in warmer weather under storm/heavy rain conditions and not feel like you will over heat. Pockets, bells and whistles: The pockets on the outside are well constructed. The two large side pockets are deep and can hold a ton of stuff or larger items if you want to get bulky (I prefer a slim profile pack back). There is a medium sized chest pocket on the left hand side. I found it perfect to fit in a trail map, cell phone or wallet when you want easy access. There is also a smaller pocket on the upper arm which can also fit a cell phone, money clip, trail map or smaller items like lip balm. Then finally there is an almost useless pocket on the lower arm with a clipp on cloth. I actually found the cloth handy to wipe my goggles and thus avoid scratching the lenses. But this pocket is very small. Furthermore, the cloth is attached to a clip which is leashed inside the pocket so it is a pain in the ass to detach and attach the clip since you have to do it one hand as the pocket is on the lower arm. Furthermore, the clip is small and difficult to manipulate. Frankly, I would like to see then use a clip that is more easier to manage and that uses a leash that is expandable so that you don't necessary have to unclip the cloth. Also, I wish they had made the clip in a way you could easily replace the cloth or just attach another item. The Cloudveil RPK has a better clip and retractable leash. I love retractable leashes on my gear...being a fly fisherman, I grew to love attaching various smaller items that get lost but you use often to retractable leashes. There are only two pockets in the inside. There is soft mesh pocket for goggles and a smaller MP3 player pocket. Both are mistakes I think...and quite useless. I don't know anyone who actually stores their goggles inside their jacket. Also, the soft mesh material is fragile...I've already torn mine when I stored my sunglasses and the hinge caught on the material and ripped it. I hate MP3 pockets...just give me a real pocket and I'll decide to store what I want in there. Frankly, I was suprised that a jacket which I see as fairly technical have a stupid comsumer gimmick like an MP3 pocket. It is so damn small you really can't put anything else in there but a lousy ipod. Last gripe, I love and hate the zipper. The zippers themselves are superb and waterproof. However, the zipper tabs are really small making it very hard to manipulate them with gloves or mittins on. My prior TNF Guide Jacket had some very strong, grippy rubber materials attached to the zipper tabs and made it easy to manipulate. The poweder skirt is nice and tight and I did not have problems with it riding up. There are also tons of straps to tighten and adjust the fit to make sure you are sealed to the wind and water. The pit zips are well constructed and use the same waterproof zipper. SOme of the cheaper jackets I have seen don't use waterproof zippers on the pit zips and pockets but this jacket has the same premium zippers in all areas. ver all no real deal breakers...just some annoyimg quirks which I think TNF can address in the next generation. Fit and Feel: This doesn't have the tight, athelitic fit/cut that an Arc'Teryx jacket usually does. It feel roomy in the chest and the sleeves feel nice... I think it fits true to size. The length is perfect. It comes just below the top of my ass...some of the Arc'Teryx and Mountain Hardware jackets feel a litte short (maybe due to their climbing heritage). The helmet works well and is quite useful but it probably won't fit over a ski or climbing helmet. One issue that bothers me is the arm-pits. The arm fits feel tight...don't get me wrong, are movement is superb without feeling restricted or bunched. I think its the waterproof zippers that are used in the pit zips. The zippers feel stiff because of the waterproof construction (i.e. the front and back backing along the teeth of the zippers) so I think it irritates my underarms a bit. I only notice this when I am not layering with a mid layer so I assume its not really a matter of not having enough room but just that the zippers are kind of stiff. Performance: Fantastic. I boarded in some seriously crappy weather and ice fished and hiked in some serious wind. This thing will keep you bone dry and the wind will NOT get through. The Free Thinker very solid construction prevents the wind and water from getting in through the seams, the waiste and the neck/hood area. Its like you are wearing high grade ballastic armor and the weather is shooting you with a BB gun...you will laugh at the weather. Water beads immediately and just rips off. Its like you're wearing some sort of titanium shell...just one that breaths. Yes...this thing breaths well. I wore it while hiking with just a light base layer and t-shirt and it got kind of warm but I didn't feel clammy. Also, this is a very light jacket. I used to have an old TNF guide jacket that thing feels like it has bricks in the pockets compared to this. Conclusion: Great over jacket that is tough, freaking-a-weatherproof, looks great and has some nice bells and whistles. The material is fantastic and the construction is top notch. There are some quirks that annoy me those do not detract significantly, making this one hell of jacket that I will be my main hardshell for years to come.

This is the best jacket I own. Stylish, functional, works great over a fleece in cold weather, and breathes well. I bought the white for safe, early morning walks on the street during the winter cold. I am tempted to buy another color just because I like the jacket so well

Warm beyond anything I'd expect from a shell and keeps me totally dry. Zippers stiff after a year but you know they won't break! Only problem...the white color won't clean. After a few tree runs and brush-ups, it's become stylishly gray...oh well, matches my hair. Normally one layer underneath is enough...very cold days get two. Great coat. Can't remember the price a year later.

Love this jacket! The only down side was that it was hard for my wife to pick me out of the crowd with the Asphalt/grey jacket. So , I have returned it and ordered the red one.

I've worn this shell more in the mountains than any other piece of gear. It is amazingly versatile in all conditions, from warm spring days to howling blizzards. Just use the proper base layers underneath and this shell can stand up to anything. The taped seams and pockets are awesome, and the asymmetrical zipper at the collar is brilliant. It is a pricey jacket, but for the amount of use it stands up to it is worth it.

The jacket is very light and water proof. It is very stylish and you can wear during winter. Fit perfectly on me. The best jacket I ever had.

Did not like this compared with arc'teryx jackets. Freethinker was too stiff, and too voluminous for my liking.

Jacket is unreal. Def reccomended.

I wore this jacket for the 2005-06 ski season. I took it in some real tough places--backcountry at Teton Pass to downpour conditions at Killington. It always kept me dry and it breathed well. The powder skirt works okay--it has to be buttoned to your pants to work at all, otherwise it rides up on your stomach. Lots of pockets. The hood is too small to fit a helmet. My one gripe was that the Recco reflector just fell off one day in the backcountry. However, as a testament to North Face, they provided a full refund for the jacket. All in all, I would buy again.

Many technical jackets tend not to be very stylish, not anything i would ever wear off-mountain. The free thinker however (i got it in white) is nice enough to wear around and enjoy all the benefits of this highly technical jacket.

This jacket looks great on my husband. He is hard to buy for as there are not many trendy styles in his size - xxl. He has the white one and it is fashionable without making him look like the Pillsbury dough boy.

This is the best jacket you will ever have, it sheds water like rubber, and breaths like silk. I was amazed when I got it, I put my arm under a facet for about 30 seconds, and when I took it out, and it was completely dry with like 2 tiny beads of water that just shed off. the only two downsides are, white gets dirty, and its not compatible with other North Face softshells that usually zip in to other north face hardshells, its not a big deal though. Get ready to be dry, and happy.

Okay, there is no doubt this is a pricey jacket, but it is worth every penny if you want to be warm, comfy and DRY either skiing powder at Alta or fishing in Northern Ontario in the pouring rain. I am dry as a bone after both activities. The other great thing about this jacket is all the pockets - cleverly placed and highly functional. This Jacket works in any season with proper layering, and is well thought out, The North Face obviously did some "free thinking" in designing this jacket!