I purchased the Sharp Point a few months ago because my old softshell was way too snug for comfort. I had the Alchemy from Mountain Hardwear, which is a good jacket but too snug to layer a sweatshirt underneath. I chose the Sharp Point over The North Face Free Climb jacket because the Free Climb was to cheaply made. One of the best choices I have made. The Sharp Point is wider and a little longer than the Alchemy which lets me layer a fleece underneath. The jacket sheds water just as well as any other softshell and wind does not exist while wearing this jacket. The WindStopper fabric is thick, tough, and more windproof than lightweight Powershield (I am not exaggerating. Look it up). Overall, it is from Marmot so you have to expect quality and that is what you get.

Before I bought the jacket, I read both good and bad reviews. In the end, I bought the jacket because it was on sale (too much at regular price). It had all the luxurious features which are expected for the price you pay (taped seams, tight zippers, power shield, etc.) Even though it sounded great on paper, I returned it. Why you may ask? Because it looked poorly made and was about to fall apart. The taping on the seams looked like they were cut with a dull knife and would fray with the slightest bit of friction. This really wasn’t a surprise considering the other reviews I read. Take my review with a grain of salt because I never tested it out in the cold. For all I know it could be a great jacket, but I wasn’t going to take that chance. I ended up with the Sharp Point jacket from Marmot. It may be like comparing apples to oranges because of the different fabrics, but I am extremely happy with the Sharp Point for both its durability and its quality construction.