I live in Minnesota and we get pretty crappy weather in the middle of winter (-10 to -35F with heavy winds). I'm looking for a decent jacket and was wondering if this, combined with a decent fleece would be enough for someone who has to do pretty long walks from the parking lot to work/school (like ~1 mile). I won't be doing any crazy athletic activity, just walking.

I ended up getting one of these on sale and it is FANTASTIC. The earlier response was correct, because it's only a shell, it needs insulation. I bought a US Army ECWCS Level III Polartec 300 Fleece from a surplus store to go underneath it and it works perfectly! (The fleece is comparable to the North Face Denali, but only cost me $27 slightly used). With the two combined, it's just as warm as any of the north face or MHW jackets I've been testing. Fantastic buy, I highly recommend it :) Just thought this might help others who are in the same boat I was. This will definitely be comfortable in our MN winters :)

Hi, I'm from northern MI and have had this jacket for 4 years no problems. I wear a fleece under it when it is really cold and the underarm zippers are really helpful for the walking. When you get a bit warm but dont want to take it off. I also have the monkey man fleece which keeps me toasty.

Thank you very much! Those are good suggestions... I may choose one of those instead :) I will definitely use the underarm zips (I get too hot/too cold very easily, so quick adjustment is a huge bonus). I like the idea of being able to use this on non-freezing days as well, without an underlying fleece. I guess my question is, would this and a mid-heavy fleece be sufficient for a sub-zero very windy day? Doesn't have to be "toasty warm", but tolerable is a plus ;) I like the Mortise, but my fear is that having the insulation permanently attached, it will be too hot for me on warmer days. That was part of the allure of layering... but if I'm going to need 10 layers underneath the shell, it may not be worth it ;) What do you think?

This jacket would probably work for this. However, it is really just a shell, so while it will protect you from wind/snow/rain, for any real warmth you'll need to layer underneath. With a mid to heavy-weight fleece you'll probably be OK, but there's really not much that can make you toasty warm when it's -35F and windy. This shell is made out of Mountain Hardwear's Conduit material. While this does pretty good against the elements, it's not as good as Gore-Tex shells (but it also is much less expensive). One question is really whether this shell is too "technical" for your needs (e.g., will you really use the pit zips, or will they just irritate you?) Will you always have on enough clothing underneath to keep you warm? If warmth is your primary concern (and you want to stay with a Mountain Hardwear product) I would give consideration to a jacket that has some insulation built-in, such at the Mortise or Dado Jackets. When it's seriously cold out, an insulated jacket not only keeps you warm, but allows you to have fewer layers to take off once you get inside.