Wow - I can't say enough about this jacket. Simply the best jacket I've ever owned. First - insulated waterproof/breathable? Genius! Even the hood is insulated! The thing is warm too! Have worn it in 80+mph winds / -10degF - with only a lightweight shirt underneath and been toasty! It says it's not helmet compatible but I've worn a helmet underneath the hood without problems (caveat emptor). The number of pockets is perfect and the inner mesh pocket is a great addition. I guess my only complaint would be the drawstrings to cinch the hood are on the inside - means you have to open the jacket to adjust (a pain if it's miserable outside). BTW: The fit is true - 5'10"/155lbs = Medium with room for layers underneath.

Simply put - this is the jacket I would have asked for if I had had the chance to sit down with the folks at Patagonia and asked them to design me a jacket.

I've always found North Face to have "two lines" - the "consumer" line and the"pro" line. This jacket definitely falls in the former. It's a great jacket - for the price - and for a down jacket for <$150, the price is good. It's comfortable, fits well under shells, etc. Everything a down jacket should do. Stuffing it into the inner pocket is a nice feature - but it's not easy and I rarely bother. It loses down and I agree with other reviewers that it feels like it would rip easily. It's not a jacket I would expect to handle many seasons of hard use (hence the "consumer line") but for an inexpensive insulating layer under a tougher shell, it's a great deal.

Since I rely heavily on reviews, I thought it is about time that I contribute one of my own. Just bought these boots for some hiking/mountaineering. My impressions so far: Out of the box, they are fairly comfortable. I threw in an old pair of running shoe insoles and now they are amazingly comfortable. I had them out in <0deg F and my feet were toasty. The lace cleat midway up the boot is great - and can fix my BD Sabretooth crampons with no difficulties.
The bad: well, so far these boots have served me well so I can't say too much here - The two boots were a slightly different colour (strange). Overall - two thumbs up.