The best jacket ever?

By Dominick Layfield Ranked #659 - Men's Softshell Jackets February 28, 2005

From the initial outing learning to tele in Utah to blustery days in San Francisco, the jacket is faultless. The weather outside may be grim and horrible but inside it's like the cabin of a private jet.

The jacket is great, but you just don't notice how good it is until you start to really work in it. Wind is not a bother, rain at the moment is shed gloriously -- though I'm interested to see how well it does after a few months wear and tear.

The jacket itself is cut on the roomy side, probably to take into account the fleece that you have to wear under it to keep warm when it gets really cold out. Which brings me to my next point, it's not that warm, could do with a touch more insulation. Yes, yes, I know that I should wear more layers but this jacket is very thin. I guess they were not lying when they called it a *soft shell*.

All in all, a fabulous jacket, one that is so good you won't know how good it is ‘til someone straps a pair of telemark skis to your feet at the top of a snowy mountain and tells you to "just ski down". And that front pocket looks way cool too!

View Details: Mountain Hardwear Alchemy Jacket - Men's

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