The Perfect Ski Jacket

By shempe2013646 Ranked #1647 - Men's Softshell Jackets May 22, 2010

Just back from my first ski day wearing the TNF Odyssey. This jacket has all the features that a good ski parka should have. The goggle cloth in the left sleeve at the wrist came in handy today. I took some early turns at Timberline on Mt. Hood in Oregon. The Magic Mile lift takes you above the trees onto the southern slope of the peak. Today was a winter day. 25 degrees with blowing snow and wind gusts to 25 mph. I was wearing two layers under the parka. A mid-weight long sleeve MTS T-shirt and a lightweight fleece that zips up the neck like a turtleneck. Previous to the Odyssey, I would also wear a medium weight fleece with a shell to top it off. The Odyssey by itself performed equal to the just mentioned two extra layers. The hood fits well and is the right size to fit over a fleece beanie. The cord-locks for the hood adjustment are hidden in the hood's hem, are large and easy to work even with gloves. Keeping the tension on the hood cords also pulls the hood closer to the collar and keeps the hood from filling with snow. I'm 5'11" and 155 lbs. The medium fits perfectly with enough room for another layer should I ever need it. The parka that I received from Backcountry.com wasn't quite as pictured. The zippers in the body and sleeve are the same color red as the parka. The zipper pulls are a gray color so there's a little contrast. I actually prefer this look to the one in the pic. A bonus with this parka is that it's equipped with the Recco Avalanche Rescue reflector. A good thing to have if you like deep powder and your resort or heli-guides have the detector.

View Details: The North Face Odyssey Softshell Jacket - Men's

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