cob2572831

These thermals made me nervous because they were supposed to come up quite high in the waist...not to mention they were tight. I am about 5' and 92 lbs., so I'm very petite. I bought the XS to see how it would work, since I'm an XS in all Arc'teryx gear. Upon receipt, I realized they were not tight at all, but quite loose-fitting all over (including waist, thighs, and calves). They did come high in the waist, but not bad. They were about 2" too long for my small frame, but not too bad. Also, to my surprise, they were slightly thicker than I first thought. They are quite thin, but they have a slight fuzzy layer on the inside, which makes it soft and a little thicker than I originally thought.

I ordered this jacket in XS, as I usually am an XXS or XS. It fits larger (TNF always fits a bit boxier than Marmot), but it's ok; I can use it as an outer layer with a lot underneath this. If needed, I would use it for a midlayer, but it might get bulky underneath the shell. Interestingly enough, when I received it, it sounded like plastic bags were inside the jacket. The crinkles sound just like grocery bags. Also, it holds its shape; the folded areas stick out (in the shoulder seams, etc.). I love the color, the warmth ratio (packs down very small; granted, I would not use this as a stand-alone piece in under 25F degree weather), and the style (does not make me look 50 pounds heavier). Maybe the seams will go down after a few tries, or the sound will go away after a while.

UPDATE:
I have worn this jacket several times now. The sound is going away a little (or maybe I'm just getting used to it), and it's a lot warmer than expected. I wouldn't wear it alone watching a football game in December, but would definitely wear it as a midlayer when skiing. I've worn it both alone and under a shell, and they both work great. It is perfect for running errands in any weather (water and light snow beads off the jacket) and amazingly enough, it's slowly becoming my favorite all-around winter jacket.

I ordered these boot and ended up returning them because they were incredibly stiff and heavy. They are very cute and warm, but I wanted something a bit more comfortable. The arch support was decent. If you like stiff boots, then these are probably good for you, but it wasn't for me. I ordered the Keen Vail and loved them. The Keens were much more comfortable and the warmth rating was similar.

When I first received these, I was a bit skeptical. They looked a bit goofy and clunky, but I love Keens, and I knew they wouldn't disappoint me. I tried them on, and I loved them. Incredibly comfortable (and I ordered many different kinds - did not like the Solomon's at all - very uncomfortable), and they fit me like an old pair of gloves (or boots). I really like how the boots are snug against my heels without slipping.I took them out on 18" of snow, and they kept my feet toasty. These boots had the warmest rating of all the boots I tried on. I did have some slippage when I was climbing a steep hill, but many would. I'm usually a 5 without socks (sandals), 4.5 dress shoes, 5.5 regular shoes, and 5.5 or 6 running shoes. The 5.5 I ordered was perfect. The only thing that's a design flaw is that it's missing (and why 4 stars and not 5) a pull tab for the zippers. I just stuck some string on it so I can grip the zipper better (like a jacket zipper). Other than that, I really do like the boots. Very comfortable, snug fit, warm, and Keen-like.