Jennifer

I'm a 5'4" 150-lb. woman who likes her rain gear to fit long and loose, so I originally ordered a Men's Venture Parka size Medium but it turned out not to be suitable for people whose hips are as wide as or wider than their shoulders. It was too snug at my hips so it rode up on me.

I exchanged it for a Women's XL, Shoreline Blue and am now as happy as a clam. I could've gotten by with a Women's L but it would've been too form fitting for my own liking. Plus the XL makes it easier to layer underneath. (Definitely necessary for colder weather. Despite the name "parka," this rain coat keeps you dry, not very warm.)

I love:
- the long length: it covers my bum when standing, and though it's not long enough to sit on, it still goes to the chair when you're sitting, so no rain sneaks down your waistline.
- the adjustable hood, which is big enough to accommodate a ponytail and still keep my glasses dry. Plus it's adjustable in two ways (from the sides, to pull it around your face, and from the back, to pull it up off your eyes)
- the long pit zips, which really help for venting, especially when you're moving fast (like on a bike)
- the large mesh pockets, accessible from outside and inside
- the option to tuck the whole jacket into one pocket
- the color (shoreline blue - a bit darker than a sky blue, very attractive)
- the velcro at the wrists
- the waterproofness - I took it for a bike ride in a light, steady rain and it kept me completely dry.

The breathability is okay. If you're really doing a hard work out, if you sweat easily, or if you're in a very humid climate, you'll be a little damp inside, but still 100 times dryer than if you were wearing a non-breathable material. I'm no expert, but I'm assuming if you want more breathability, you'd have to go up to a higher price point.

The Backcountry exchange process was extremely easy. I had absolutely no shipping or billing problems at all.

I'm a 5'4" 150-lb. woman who likes her rain gear to fit long and loose, so I ordered a Men's size Medium.

I loved:
- the long length: it covered my bum when standing, and though it's not long enough to sit on, it still goes to the chair when you're sitting, so no rain sneaks down your waistline.
- the adjustable hood, which is big enough to accommodate a ponytail and still keep my glasses dry
- the long pit zips, which really help for venting
- the large mesh pockets, accessible from outside and inside
- the option to tuck the whole jacket into one pocket
- the color (red)
- the straight fit around the body (as opposed to the tapered women's fit)
- the adjustable cord at the waist
- the velcro at the wrists

The only thing that didn't work for me:
- the straight fit hugged my hips too tight and made it ride up. It's definitely made for men (or women whose hip-width is smaller than their shoulder-width).

So I exchanged the Men's M for a Women's XL in the same model (Venture Parka) and am now as happy as a clam. I could've gotten by with a Women's L but it would've been too snug for my liking.

See my review under the Women's Venture Parka for my opinions on the waterproofness, breathability and warmth.

The Backcountry exchange process was extremely easy. I had absolutely no shipping or billing problems at all.