I purchased this jacket (in saphire because it's on sale) to replace a 13-year-old Mountain Hardwear "Chill" fleece jacket that is probably my favorite jacket of all time. The monkey fleece is every bit as warm as I had hoped, it kept me toasty late-nite on a camping trip at 8,000ft. elevation this week. I don't think the monkey jacket will be as durable (no abrasion patches to protect fleece at shoulders, cuffs or elbows) as traditional fleece, but I think it is even warmer as a middle layer under a shell. I wouldn't recommend as an everyday 3-season jacket, but it is unbeatable for warmth/weight as an insulation layer.
Bottom line: super comfortable, warm, light-weight, and chicks will want to pet you! Order a size big, runs small.

Purchased this coat for a June camping trip (BONAROO!) in Tennessee. This is supposed to be the lightest, best breathing Gore-Tex you can buy, and you won't find it cheaper than this. I was impressed with how well the jacket vented my body heat, but disappointed by the liner that accomplished this. The liner is rubber-like so it doesn't feel good against your skin on a warm, wet night. This forced me to wear a long-sleeve shirt underneath the coat (or have wet forearms), despite it being 65 degrees.
The outside of the shell worked perfectly, it beads water like plastic!
This is the first piece of Marmot outerwear I have ever owned, but I expect this jacket to last for many years. I trust Marmot because pro-guides trust Marmot. I ski 30 days a years at the resorts in Summit County, CO and I see as many outdoor professionals wearing Marmot as The North Face or any other brand.
I can't promise it will last forever, but it's dry, cool, and light.