I think this is a fantastic rain jacket. I love the deep hood and the adorable black and white lining (I'm not sure whether the newer coats have the same print inside, but it is super cute on the 2008 coat). I have worn this jacket in heavy rain stayed completely dry. I was surprised at how dry I stayed as rain coats I have had in the past have not worked nearly as well. I have also recently worn it in snow layered on top of my Redpoint jacket and stayed both dry and toasty warm. I am ALWAYS cold, so I was pleasantly surprised. I also like the length of this jacket. I was torn between the parka and the regular venture jacket, and opted for the parka due to the insanely good deal Backcountry offered, and I am more than happy with it. The length is perfect for me (but I am tall at 5'7''). I wanted a little extra length because I thought it may help keep me dryer. I ordered a small, and it fits nicely with room underneath for layering. I wear a small in other NF jackets as well. I would say this one runs slightly bigger than my other jackets. I was also pleasantly surprised that the sleeves are plenty long enough for me (I typically find the sleeves in NF jackets a tad short for my ideal liking). Some people mentioned the zipper being larger than on other NF jackets, but on the particular version of the Venture Parka that I ordered, this is not the case. Some people also mentioned the jacket poofing when they sit. I noticed that it does do this if you do not adjust it when you sit. This isn't a problem for me though as I seldom sit in my jacket with it zipped unless I am in the car after rushing out of a building in the torrential rain and plan on exiting the car again soon. Overall, I love it, and it suits its purpose perfectly. My only wish is that it had a 2 way zipper.

I love my red point jacket! It is my first NF, and I think it was a great choice for me (Thanks ArkansasNomad for recommending it!) It is perfect for winter in the South. I am always toasty warm when I wear it (Of course, it doesn't get much below the 20's and 30's where I live, so keep that in mind). My jacket is Alba Green, and I get complements on the color all the time. I also get complements on it because everyone here has a Denali, so it stands out in a crowd of fleece. I love the texture on the Redpoint as well. It is so smooth. I opted for a small, and it fits nicely with room for a little layering underneath. My only complaint is that the sleeves are just barely long enough, and I normally like them a little too long on a jacket, but this hasn't been a problem for me really. Overall, it is just what I wanted. I think it will hold up and look nice for a long time because of the durable material.