DaBomb: call it mid-base

By BergMann Ranked #397 - Men's Fleece Jackets December 3, 2008

Apples to apples: compare this Marmot piece to other powerstretch tops on the market (e.g. Mtn Hardware's best-in-class Powerstretch Zip T), and you'll notice right away that this is NOT A PERFORMANCE FIT item.
Granted fit will vary based on your build & sizing choice:
I am 6'1", 165 lbs, with a 35" sleeve length, and I had to go with the L to get the wrist coverage I needed.
Even with the Medium I tried, however, the torso cut was roomy & the hem length is unusually long: Marmot has taken a traditional base-layer fabric and given it a mid-layer jacket design with full-length zip and hand pockets, and the end result is a very Cloudveil-like, roomy, new-school fit.
Don't expect too much of this piece as a stand-alone jacket: powerstretch isn't designed for abrasion resistance, offers little wind-resistance, and pills much more quickly, say than Polartec's beefier Windpro hardface fleece.
Where I do agree with the previous reviewer: this piece is amazingly comfortable. It excels over a t-shirt as a breathable spring/fall travel layer, or over your base layer and under a shell for colder days where the base layer alone just isn't quite warm enough.

View Details: Marmot Power Stretch Full-Zip Fleece Jacket - Men's

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