Comfortable, fits well if you've got long arms, windproof.

By Matt Ranked #2436 - Men's Softshell Jackets December 9, 2008

I grabbed one of these to compare with a few other jackets/shells -- and I ended up keeping this one and sending the others back!

That said, I'm planning on using it mostly as a midlayer for skiing in low temperatures, or on its own as casualwear when it's moderately cold/windy/raining (and maybe for skiing in warmer spring weather.) This is not warm/waterproof/windproof enough to be used as a true 'shell' most of the time for skiing, although it breathes extremely well and is very comfortable.

In terms of fit -- I'm big and tall (6'6", 265 lbs), and the XXL fits me great both in the chest and the sleeve length. The torso could be a *little* bit longer, but it's very good for a jacket that is not explicitly a "tall" size.

Construction quality is good (but not exceptional). The material seems fairly waterproof and wind-resistant, but doesn't have much insulation on its own. The material is slightly stretchy, which makes it comfortable and easy to layer over or under. The inner cuffs with thumb loops are actually pretty slick; they act kind of like glove liners if you wear gloves over them, and completely seal any water/snow out of your sleeves even with lightweight gloves. You can tuck them back into the sleeves if you don't want to use them.

If you want to stay warm, you'll need layers underneath -- and in bad weather, you'll need a real shell over it. As long as you don't expect it to be a waterproof shell, or to keep you warm in bitter cold by itself, it's a great piece of equipment.

View Details: Mountain Hardwear Icestone Softshell Jacket - Men's

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