I'm trying to figure out if this jacket will work for me, or if I should look elsewhere. Basically, I want a light softshell that is wind ressitant and very breathable. Winter use only, in temps between 0F and 30F, mostly for hiking and bouldering. I usually wear a hard shell on top of a lightweight merino base layer in those situations, the shell being there only to block wind.

How does the fit compare to the Marmot Leadville or TNF Apex Bionic? I'm a big guy- 5'11", 300 lbs, 42" waist- but find the 2XL Leadville to be a little big and the 2XL Apex Bionic to be way too big. I'm hoping for something that's true to size with an actual athletic/performance fit- enough room in the shoulders and upper chest, but arms and torso that are snug enough to not get in the way.

If you are just using this primarily to block the wind you should be ok. This is a fairly light jacket and probably not good to temperatures that cold unless you are being very active and wearing other layers.

@dalto As I mentioned, I ordered the Approach, and I ended up returning it. In some ways, it was spot on- the cut was a lot slimmer/more athletic than the Leadville and similar jackets, the arms didn't have a bunch of extra material flapping around, etc. If anything, the fit was a little to small- the Approach in XXL was somewhere between a Leadville in L and XL! I'll just post a review with the rest of it- thanks again for your help!

Dalto- thanks for the reply! I gotta say, I agree with your review of the Leadville- it does seem like a size larger than stated, even for a fattie like myself. I ended up going for it- got an XXL off of DoG at a good price. We'll see how it goes when it arrives. Your information has been very helpful- it sounds like an XXL should fit me well with just a long sleeve base layer, which is what I'm looking for. It's not a huge deal if a casual winter coat is a bit big, too warm, and doesn't breath well, but those are all show stoppers for active winter wear for me.

I literally just got the Approach in the mail. I have too many jackets and no reason to keep it, but it looks sharp! Also, it fits trim, which I like. To answer your question more directly, first off, I have a very different build than you. I'm 5-10 and weigh less than 140. But I've tried all three jackets. Both of the others seemed large to me. The Leadville was ridiculous, as if it were a size off. The Approach is quite trim. A Small fits me perfectly through the body. I could probably put on a midlayer, but it feels good with just a shirt. The sleeves are too long, but they're about the same length as the Leadville and Apex Bionic sleeves. I have short arms. I have no way of knowing what size to suggest for you, but I can say that the Approach fits much closer to the body than either of the other two. The other two seemed about the same to me with the Leadville seeming the largest of all. That was disappointing, because it's supposed to be for trail running but it doesn't fit closely at all. As for the Approach, I'm keeping it mainly because it looks nice. I doubt I'd run in it with the fleece lining throughout. It's also very light, so it's by no means a winter coat. I'd say it would be good for casual wear (looks sharp!) in cool weather or would be good for low-to-medium aerobic activity in colder weather.