Terry Dean

I'm 5'8", low 120-lbs. I found the size small to fit perfectly; it's perfectly slim in the torso - a first for any hoodie I've ever tried. If you're more built than I am, then you may consider sizing up unless you don't mind the fabric physically hugging you. The pockets and pulls are excellently finished. I ordered gray-orange - it's VERY nice - it doesn't even look like it's technical gear, rather, something far more fashionable. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone.

My hand is 7" from wrist to tip and 7.5" around the non-thumb knuckles. The medium's fingers were too long for me and there was too much extra space in the palm - but it did feel "just right" around my fingers. Nevertheless, I decided to go for the small, as I hate fingers that are too long. The smalls fit my finger length perfectly - but it's very snug around my palm and very VERY snug around my fingers. That said, I have a strong feeling that the glove will stretch a bit with use, so they're a keeper. They're easy on the eyes (but probably wouldn't use them if you have temps in the teens) and yes ... they're waterproof.

I needed a a slim (I'm 5'8", 123 lb, 38" chest, 28" waist), waterproof jacket that I could wear in snow, rain, and around town in a pinch. The last criterion rules out a LOT of jackets, as most look ridiculous. The caviar/blue-zippered Norrona fit the bill - when it came in, my wife said it actually looked good and that she wouldn't be too embarrassed to be seen with me if I wore it around town. Fit and finish is excellent - I agree with all of the good things that have been said about Norrona's quality. But here are some observations that I want to emphasize:

1) On me, the jacket is "fitted", but I wouldn't say it's "slim", as there is room for layering if you choose well (more later).

2) The sleeves are REALLY long. The armpits hit me exactly where they're supposed to - but then the sleeves could easily cover my thumb (and for suit jackets, I don't wear Short or Long).

3) The sleeves are REALLY roomy, but the cuff has velcro that can cinch down all the way to my [tiny] wrists, even without gloves.

4) Despite the picture above, the front pocket zippers are placed more like the Falketind Gore-Tex Pro model, i.e. on a slant, not vertically. Refer to the Gore-Tex Pro model to better anticipate how it'll look.

5) There are some different textures of materials used. On BC, the entire jacket looks like it's made of a single texture of fabric (it looks like little rectangles in the fabric - like a ripstop nylon). This is not the case - the hood, the top of the shoulders and arms, and the sides of the butt feature some some sort of brushed-like, soft-to-the-touch fabric - I took a picture of it so you can see. Despite the different fabrics, the entire jacket appears to be waterproof.

Overall, I feel that it's a superbly executed jacket - I'm just not used to the sleeve length or torso length.

UPDATE: For layering, I was using MH Compressor, but it just wasn't warm enough for me during my non-active pursuits (e.g. walking to work). So I coupled the Falketind with the MH Nitrous Hooded jacket (BC didn't stock it so I had to find it elsewhere - boo!) and that's a perfect combo for two reasons: the Nitrous is one of the few down-filled jackets I've seen that can fit under the Falketind's athletic fit shell and the Nitrous's torso is cut as long as the Falketind's torso (the MH Compressor is much shorter). Now I can sit outside in the 10-20's doing not a thing a still be warm.

The jacket is aesthetically pleasing (tomato color) and sized for someone who is a little on the tall side with longer arms, so it fit the person who I gave it to rather well. The roll-away hood becomes your collar (i.e. it doesn't fold INTO an existing collar) is a little annoying b/c when it's tucked, it's not that pretty. Pocket zips and pitzips function well. Now I only wish there was a Mountain Hardwear recommendation for what type of insulating layer should go IN to their jacket.

The Swift works well with an insulated layer, just so long as that layer is also slim-fit (I use MH Compressor PL Jacket, I’m not sure how some fleeces will work if they are too baggy). The result: a warm, waterproof combination. But why bother with THIS jacket? Because of the style. It looks modern (I have black) and is slim-fit, so I can use it in "inactive" settings (e.g. going to class) without seeming like I'm wearing a legitimate, outdoors-oriented jacket. People always wonder how I can stay warm because it doesn't look like I'm wearing much at all!