This jacket is fine for around town and such, but is not for any trails or efforts where weight and convenience of use is important. It is heavy, much heavier than anything I will ever take on the trail Base Camp, if not carried up there by me, sure, on the trail, not on your life. The inconvenient zipper location, angled along the side and under some snaps that take some work to get through, and would be a total pain with gloves on , is a technical problem. Again, it looks nice, it is warm, and it does all the things advertised. It's just heavy and a pain in the but to get on and off. As long as you are just looking at warmth and a little bit of winter fashion, this is your potential choice.

This jacket does all that is advertised. It has great seam protection, zip-in capacity, removable hood , and great weather protection. However , the sleeves are shorter than I have experienced with most The North Face clothing. It's a sometimes you win, sometimes you lose thing with The North Face, and it largely depends upon where the garment is manufactured. I can see the hook-and-loop cuff system failing or ripping in a year or so as it seems a little flimsy. Time will bear that out. It is also a little heavier than I would prefer for mountaineering, and is comparable with a Mountain Hardware jacket of similar structure. It is definitely over 3 pounds!

This is my favorite and most effective winter hike base layer [in a deep freeze] and jacket in just plain old cold. It got me easily to the top of Mount Whitney through snow, ice, and wind in early June [when I actually forgot my wind jacket]. It is miles better than all the cheaper [brand name] Polartec wear I own - by far! It prevents cold air from slipping through the zipper area, the cuffs or waist. It seals great, the pit vents allow for smooth transitions during long hikes or "warm moments". The relatively light weight [given the pile of the fleece] makes it an easy add to the pack when in doubt of weather conditions. At 6'7" tall, the XXL fits my length and is just a tad short in sleeves. I would strongly recommend it to anyone and everyone. I've had it for almost three years, and it's been everywhere in this region, up Rainier, and in Canada.

I would give it a 5 if it fit me better, I am 6'7". It is a little short in the sleeves (XXL), but the body is fine. On several hikes and runs it has been oddly warm when necessary, wicked cleanly, and been cool in our extra-warm winter (85F in SoCal). Breathes nice, and you barely notice it's on you. It takes the wear from the pack with ease and there’s no chaffing with a heavier pack. I would buy another with confidence.

This jacket seals well along all external access points, there’s little to no loss of heat or cold air getting in. The internal pockets are perfect for hiking/packing, the mesh one will hold large items (thermal hats, balaclava, and more). The fleece-lined external pockets are convenient during those moments when the gloves must be off. The sleeves are perfect for me (at 6'7" and 37” needs in sleeves), but the body is a little short (right to the hip). Hood attachment keeps you VERY warm (almost no need for other head protection in sub-zero temps). You will look and feel much larger (it "puffs out" more than most down jackets). Problem: the main front zipper is a tough find (the jacket puffs out a lot), and it can take several attempts to get it in all the way so it will work. Overall a great jacket! Where was this when I was younger?

This jacket lives up to the challenge of tons of rain. Day one of its arrival proved that. However, the sleeves are wonderfully long, the body very short. Whomever they used to shape this must have had very long arms, very short body - sounds like a monkey. It is a less helpful fit than the Marmot I owned previously. However, I find the outer pocket and breathing "zips" on this more helpful.