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By Ben Lyman Ranked #87 - Men's Vests January 10, 2012

I purchased this vest based on the "it's in my size, and available locally, so I don't have to wait for shipping" principle--and wish I'd done some research and then bought something else. I don't know about anybody else, but when I'm touring, I'm working HARD, and a puffy vest needs to be pretty light weight in order to stay on my body. This vest is NOT light-weight in terms of insulation--it rivals my Patagonia micro-puff jacket for warmth, but essentially just has really big pit zips (ie no sleeves). That said, I didn't really expect to tour with it on except in the coldest of conditions. I did, however, expect to be able to wear it under a jacket, and with a pack. Unfortunately, the front pockets are very low, so having anything in them interferes with the waist belt on my pack. With a long torso length, having anything in the front pockets also impedes my ability to lean forward, say to adjust a boot, click in to my bindings, etc. In fact, the pockets (when carrying just a few moderately bulky things) are so poorly located that I can't even drop into a tuck, but am limited to bending over at the waist with legs straight. So, if you're looking for a nice, warm vest that you can wear around town, this is not a bad choice. If you're looking for a ski touring or skiing vest, I would look elsewhere if you plan on using the front pockets--they just plain get in the way.

View Details: Marmot Cauldron Insulated Vest - Men's

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