I have this jacket and a Mirage SE (special edition made for Backcountry.com), both size XL. I agree with Jason that the Vapor is longer in the torso, which is appropriate for a skiing-oriented jacket. Contrary to the specs listed here, the Vapor does have a sewn-in powder skirt and pit zips, also very useful for skiing. But the Vapor is considerably baggier than the Mirage SE. The Mirage SE fits snugly over a mid-layer - not constraining, but not much wiggle room either, while I can wear a heavy sweater under the Vapor and it's still a bit baggy. That's a good thing for skiing, which involves more arm movement than hiking. The Mirage SE is more suitable for summer hiking - lighter weight, no powder skirt, no thumb holes. Both are terrific jackets, thanks especially to the eVENT fabric.

Longer fitting than most without being boxy, the back drops down to cover your butt. Size XL has a 32" center back length. When buying to achieve length, you don't have to size up with this one. Specs say there is no powder skirt (unless fixed after 3/25/09)but there is one, it is stitched in and not removable but designed in a way it won't be ferociously annoying when not in use. Get out of New England and come to Utah to shred some pow in March!

This jacket fits a little on the baggy side. For a slimmer fitting jacket you might check out some of the jackets from Backcountry.com. Some of them are slim fitting and they're amazing jackets.I don't know exactly on the weight but I do know that it weighs just over 1.5 lbs.Hope that helps.-------Actually the jacket weighs in at 17 oz. (barely over 1 lb.) and is fairly slim fitting for a hardshell. If you want a tighter fitting jacket, a soft shell would be a better option. Hardshells are meant to be used as the outer-layer and thus tend to be more loose. Westcomb seems to have found the perfect balance with the Vapor HX Hoody of allowing it to layer well, but not making it too baggy if worn alone. I love mine! -------Thanks for the info. 17 oz is an excellent weight for a full-featured hardshell. I'll well aware of how hardshells fit into a layering system, since I already have a few of them plus several softshells. My initial concern is that many hardshells tend to be too baggy for my tastes, and sized more like streetwear than technical climbing/skiing gear, so that when they're worn over thinner layers they're too roomy. I expect to wear this jacket in especially windy conditions or when the precip is too liquid for my softshells -- basically a typical New England winter day. I am pretty slim, though, so what might be tight on another person may feel fine on me. Do you know how this compares to the fit of the Mirage jacket, which also looks like a great piece? < br />Jim Orsi----------In terms of fit, the Vapor FX Hoody fits more snug. I've worn the Mirage and feel it is designed more as a mountaineering hardshell which means thicker layers like down and expedition weight fleece. The Vapor FX is designed for lighter layers and to be more athletic (my personal opinion). I really like the fit of both, but if slimmer is what your looking for, I would go with the Vapor HX Hoody.