Can anybody comment on the difference in warmth and use between the easyrider and the mountain hardwear nitrous and north face thunder?

Thanks for the comparison J. Troxell, but maybe I'm mis-reading something. You say the Patagonia down sweater is warmer than the Easyrider. Then you say you use the Patagonia down sweater as a good mid layer. Then you say the Easyrider is too warm for layering?? I don't follow your logic.

I have the Easyrider and I have the Patagonia down sweater which is very similar to the other jackets you asked about. My opinion is that the Patagonia down sweater is warmer than the Easyrider jacket. However, the usage for these jackets is significantly different: the Easyrider jacket has a tightly woven outer fabric that is DWR-treated. It provides a good amount of warmth (especially when doing aerobic activities) and is reasonably weather-resistant - I've never had any problems using this in colder weather even if it is snowing (I haven't used it in the rain though). Since it is a powershield fabric, it has an excellent combination of breathability and windproofness also. The Patagonia down sweater/mtn hardwear nitrous/north face thunder provides a great lightweight insulating layer, but they use extremely thin, lightweight shells that are not going to be very durable as an outer layer. I use my down sweater almost exclusively as a mid-layer, and I love it because it is quite warm considering it is only 12 oz in weight, and it is surprisingly non-bulky. It works well for me when I am out for a few hours skiing and I know its going to be cold the entire time. If I were doing something very aerobic, I would probably not use the down sweater. I had originally purchased the Easyrider jacket for a climbing trip where it would be the primary shell that I would wear, but it could also be worn underneath a hardshell when necessary. If this is your intent, you might also want to consider either the Arcteryx Gamma AR or the Arcteryx Zeta jackets. The Zeta will breathe better but is less windproof, while the Gamma AR is more windproof but will not breathe as well. I think the Easyrider jacket is a little too warm and a little too bulky (for a softshell) to really make a good layering softshell.