Let me clarify...

By tsaylor45 Ranked #335 - Men's Technical Shells March 7, 2008

This jacket has a lot of things going for it: it's a 2L Gore Tex, so it's completely wind- and waterproof, and very breathable. Some of the reviews mention pitzips, which it DOES NOT HAVE. The Mountain Light has vents on the chest (which some people have perhaps simply mislabeled), that I personally prefer, but for some reason many people have a curious obsession with pitzips. Some of the reviews also mention velcro closure on the pockets, which it also DOES NOT HAVE. I'm not sure where this got started, the only thing I can think is that someone reviewed the incorrect jacket. It does have velcro along the front zipper, as it is not waterproof. Also, the zipper tends to stick when zipping it up, but this is symptomatic of the design, and not a flaw in the individual jackets--I know because several people mentioned this issue in their reviews, and I went to REI to test them in person. It isn't bad enough to return the jacket, in my estimation, but that's a personal preference. Overall, the jacket seems durable, functional, and versatile. However, it is quite heavy, and does not pack very small; I suppose "small" is all relative, but I expected more. You can zip in a mid-layer (I use my TNF Redpoint jacket--which is a fantastic jacket, stay away from the Denali fleece), but I find the fit is less constricting when you just wear it underneath and don't zip it in; I feel a bit bulky when I zip in the Redpoint as opposed to just layering it. My Patagonia Jetstream packs much smaller, is much lighter, has waterproof zippers, pitzips instead of vents on the chest, a more ergonomically designed hood, came with a better selection of colors, and was cheaper. All in all, a better shell than this one, but this one will get plenty of use as well, though when I'm packing light I will go with the Jetstream instead of this one. For the sizing, the Mountain Light fits like everything from TNF that I have tried. I am 6'0"/165 lbs, and wear a Medium from TNF, Marmot, and Patagonia.

View Details: The North Face Mountain Light Jacket - Men's

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