Tight Fit

By Jon D Ranked #326 - Men's Technical Shells March 26, 2009

I currently have an XL Alpinist jacket I got in 1999 that still looks brand new and performs great except for 2 things. Its big & heavy and the sleeves leak between the elastic cuff and the rest of the sleeve. I just got back from a trip where we backpacked for 10 to 12 hours in a constant 35 degree rain and I stayed completely dry except for my forearm.

Now that they have gotten rid of the elastic cuff, cut out the lining, and have more breathable fabric on the market its time to upgrade. After reading the sizing chart and some reviews I got this new model in a size L from SAC on a sick deal. The fit is great with a microfleece or similar underneath. Its a little tight over my XL Patagonia R4 jacket which by itself fits perfectly. The sleeves feel a little tight, as others have mentioned, mostly in the shoulders. I think this is because of the cut for the angel wing movement (that works perfect) and the stiff zipper on the pits keeping the pit pushed up further than normal. I am confident that once I get some break-in time, the stiff pits and extremely high collar will get more comfortable. I got this for backpacking so I need the cut to be tight to prevent the excess baggage I experience under my hip-belt with my old Alpinist. I am 6'4" & 215 and if I were looking for an around-town jacket to pair with a 200 or 300 fleece I would have to up-size.

I have a lot of marmot and the Gore-tex proshell is a no brainer so quality and waterproofness/breathability is a non-issue for me with this product.

Also, as someone else already mentioned, the Terra color is sweet and not as represented on-line. Its a burnt orange/rust color with black zippers. Great for those wet Virginia Tech football games!

View Details: Marmot Alpinist Jacket - Men's

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