I got this as a Christmas present, and was disappointed. Usually XL fits me perfectly for North Face stuff, but this top has some funky sizing. The waist is huge and the chest/back and arms are smaller than usual on North Face tops. Definitely a let-down.

Overall, I wasn't impressed with the garment, and even if it fit me correctly, I still would return it as it's not as nice as some other tops I've gotten from the Flight Series line. Yeah, I realize that this isn't a Flight Series garment, but still, it's TNF, so expectations are high.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I wanted a lightweight waterproof shell that I could use for outdoor runs. I was considering the M Venture Jacket, also by The North Face. However, when you compare the too, the DIAD is clearly several steps ahead. Even at the sale price the DIAD costs more than the M Venture's full price, but the DIAD is almost half the weight. With the added features of seamed front zipper, the DIAD doesn't need the flap over the front zipper, like the M Venture needs. This is a big feature advantage as I often get the zipper caught in these zipper flaps. I am very happy with the DIAD.

I picked up the Bark Camo Khaki with VR50 Emerald Iridium lens. I must say that they are much sweeter than they look in the pictures. Note: backcountry website lists them as 'Dark Camo Khaki' but Oakley site lists them as 'Bark Camo Khaki'. I ski mainly in Washington state, which is mostly overcast with some sunny days. The VR50 lens is meant for medium brightness days, so I think it will great for day skiing here. What I love about the lens is that the shapes and colors of your surroundings do not distort when you move your head up/down/side-to-side. For this reason alone Oakley lenses are great. If you've ever used the Smith Phenom Sensor goggle, you'll notice colors shift as you move your head up and down, which is very distracting when skiing at high speeds. I use a Giro Omen helmet and the goggles fit great with the helmet's grooves and goggle strap hook. Depending on your nerd factor, you might be like me and think it's an added bonus that the green frame and yellow/green reflection on the Iridium lens makes you look like Halo's Master Chief if you wear a helmet.

When I saw this item, I thought it was a premium styled North Face fleece with some nylon patches and a pocket. It's really more of a jacket than it is a fleece. For one, it has a HyVent waterproof liner and the interior of the fleece is all lined. Yeah, it is deceptively heavy, but it is really well built. It will be great for use during spring skiing as my outer jacket. And in the coldest parts of winter, it'll make a burly liner. I am glad that I picked this item up. TNF Red is a great color. It's too bad North Face is using Cardinal Red and Indian Clay on current products because TNF Red is so much nicer, in my opinion.