Rocky Mountain Goat

I am about 5'9" and wear anywhere between 42-44 inch chest jackets...thus I typically order large. I ordered this jacket in the Classic Navey in large. Construction: Very good construction. One of the interesting things about this jacket is that the tape for the seams are sealed on the outside (its the grey dotted strips you see in the picture). The pockets are great, you get two on each chest, two deep side pockets, a large internal zip pocket and a large mesh pocket for goggles. The hood is roomy and I was actually able to fit it over a large sized ski helmet. Nice soft, micro fleece lining. The jacket feels roomy to me without feeling baggy...its not a slim, tapered athletic fit like some Arc'Teryx stuff but I think it has a nice, true fit. There is no powder skirt, which is a disappointing, but the hem of the jacket does have very nice drawstring enclosure that works very well and stays cinched. Now for the almost fatal flaw of this jacket. I cannot comprehend why the hell Mountain Hardwear (MH) would not put Velcro wrist closures on this jacket. In my humble opinion, this is a fairly technical jacket and it is freaking mistake not to have Velcro straps to tighten up the wrist opening. The wrist opening is not very tapered and it has a next useless internal collar of fleece material which I frankly find gets bunched up and just gets in the way. Performance: The conduit softshell construction works awesome. I used this jacket on several spring skiing trips and around the base of the mountain hanging out and it performed superbly. Water beads and just rips right of the jacket. I was lying around on the snow goofing off with the kids and although the outer material did get wet in some places, water never got through. I was skiing up in Loveland (which is in the Rockies right on the top of the Continental Divide) and the wind got fierce. I felt the wind go right through me and I started to get concerned that this jacket was crap...until I noticed that I had left the pit zips fully open. Once I closed those off...the wind was no problem. I am going to guess that the winds ranged between 25-45mph throughout the day and this jacket provided me with very good protection. I have the Arc'Teryx Seeker Comp jacket and this jacket is better than the Seeker Comp at blocking the wind. The micro fleece jacket does a surprising job at providing warmth. I was wearing a light base layer and a light fleece pullover and I found that in 30 degree whether, I was quite warm...once the temp hit around 40 in the late afternoon, I got fairly hot so I just skied in a base layer and the jacket with pit zips open and I felt great. This jacket seems to breath fairly well...but not a swell as the Seeker Comp. However, the pit zips provides added temperature range and overall, the jacket has fantastic temperature range and breathability. I love the hood. The hood definitely provides added weather protection from wind and moisture...further increasing its range of use. Conclusion: I really like this jacket but the lack of Velcro wrist closures almost killed the deal for me. The end of the sleeves feels like it's flapping around. However, this jacket just had too much going for it for me to return it ultimately. This jacket I think rivals and may out perform my Arc'Teryx Seeker Comp because it is fully waterproof, better at blocking the wind, has greater comfort range due to the microfleece and pit zips.

Ok...I purchased the large Free Thinker Jacket. It is the 07-08 model that comes with the Gore-Tex Pro material. I typically wear 42-44. I started the season with the Arc'Teryx Seeker Comp but when the weather started to turn colder and meaner, I started using the Free Thinker exclusively. The activities ranged between snowboarding, ice fishing, winter hiking and general all purpose alpine winter activities in and around the Rockies and Continental Divide. Construction: Unlike some of the cheaper, "consumer" rate TNF jackets, this jacket is very well constructed. I would say on par with Arc'Teryx, Cloudveil, Mountain Hardwear and ect. The seams are superbly sealed and the zipper material is top notch. The Gore-Tex Pro material is tough...I mean tough. You will have absolutely no issues with piling...this material in fact feels slick, almost like its plastic. You truly feel like you could weather a real bomb of a storm and laugh at water and wind. The jacket feels that solid. HOWEVER, it feels pretty stiff, especially in the armpit and hood areas. This NOT your supple, softer softshell material...this is your true hard shell material that gives the middle finger to the elements. If you are looking for a more supple jacket, consider the Gore-Tex Pro softshell rather than the Enduro material. I got my wife the Cloudveil RPK Gore-Tex Softshell jacket (its still a three layer material) and she loves it. The Gore-Tex Pro Enduro is definitely lighter in weight though, even if it feels more stiff. NOTE...there is no insulation. If you want to use this jacket in colder weather, you have layer but once you do, it feels like you could sit in the artic and enoy what seems to be balmy weather. The jacket is light enough, breaths well and has pit zips so that you can use this in warmer weather under storm/heavy rain conditions and not feel like you will over heat. Pockets, bells and whistles: The pockets on the outside are well constructed. The two large side pockets are deep and can hold a ton of stuff or larger items if you want to get bulky (I prefer a slim profile pack back). There is a medium sized chest pocket on the left hand side. I found it perfect to fit in a trail map, cell phone or wallet when you want easy access. There is also a smaller pocket on the upper arm which can also fit a cell phone, money clip, trail map or smaller items like lip balm. Then finally there is an almost useless pocket on the lower arm with a clipp on cloth. I actually found the cloth handy to wipe my goggles and thus avoid scratching the lenses. But this pocket is very small. Furthermore, the cloth is attached to a clip which is leashed inside the pocket so it is a pain in the ass to detach and attach the clip since you have to do it one hand as the pocket is on the lower arm. Furthermore, the clip is small and difficult to manipulate. Frankly, I would like to see then use a clip that is more easier to manage and that uses a leash that is expandable so that you don't necessary have to unclip the cloth. Also, I wish they had made the clip in a way you could easily replace the cloth or just attach another item. The Cloudveil RPK has a better clip and retractable leash. I love retractable leashes on my gear...being a fly fisherman, I grew to love attaching various smaller items that get lost but you use often to retractable leashes. There are only two pockets in the inside. There is soft mesh pocket for goggles and a smaller MP3 player pocket. Both are mistakes I think...and quite useless. I don't know anyone who actually stores their goggles inside their jacket. Also, the soft mesh material is fragile...I've already torn mine when I stored my sunglasses and the hinge caught on the material and ripped it. I hate MP3 pockets...just give me a real pocket and I'll decide to store what I want in there. Frankly, I was suprised that a jacket which I see as fairly technical have a stupid comsumer gimmick like an MP3 pocket. It is so damn small you really can't put anything else in there but a lousy ipod. Last gripe, I love and hate the zipper. The zippers themselves are superb and waterproof. However, the zipper tabs are really small making it very hard to manipulate them with gloves or mittins on. My prior TNF Guide Jacket had some very strong, grippy rubber materials attached to the zipper tabs and made it easy to manipulate. The poweder skirt is nice and tight and I did not have problems with it riding up. There are also tons of straps to tighten and adjust the fit to make sure you are sealed to the wind and water. The pit zips are well constructed and use the same waterproof zipper. SOme of the cheaper jackets I have seen don't use waterproof zippers on the pit zips and pockets but this jacket has the same premium zippers in all areas. ver all no real deal breakers...just some annoyimg quirks which I think TNF can address in the next generation. Fit and Feel: This doesn't have the tight, athelitic fit/cut that an Arc'Teryx jacket usually does. It feel roomy in the chest and the sleeves feel nice... I think it fits true to size. The length is perfect. It comes just below the top of my ass...some of the Arc'Teryx and Mountain Hardware jackets feel a litte short (maybe due to their climbing heritage). The helmet works well and is quite useful but it probably won't fit over a ski or climbing helmet. One issue that bothers me is the arm-pits. The arm fits feel tight...don't get me wrong, are movement is superb without feeling restricted or bunched. I think its the waterproof zippers that are used in the pit zips. The zippers feel stiff because of the waterproof construction (i.e. the front and back backing along the teeth of the zippers) so I think it irritates my underarms a bit. I only notice this when I am not layering with a mid layer so I assume its not really a matter of not having enough room but just that the zippers are kind of stiff. Performance: Fantastic. I boarded in some seriously crappy weather and ice fished and hiked in some serious wind. This thing will keep you bone dry and the wind will NOT get through. The Free Thinker very solid construction prevents the wind and water from getting in through the seams, the waiste and the neck/hood area. Its like you are wearing high grade ballastic armor and the weather is shooting you with a BB gun...you will laugh at the weather. Water beads immediately and just rips off. Its like you're wearing some sort of titanium shell...just one that breaths. Yes...this thing breaths well. I wore it while hiking with just a light base layer and t-shirt and it got kind of warm but I didn't feel clammy. Also, this is a very light jacket. I used to have an old TNF guide jacket that thing feels like it has bricks in the pockets compared to this. Conclusion: Great over jacket that is tough, freaking-a-weatherproof, looks great and has some nice bells and whistles. The material is fantastic and the construction is top notch. There are some quirks that annoy me those do not detract significantly, making this one hell of jacket that I will be my main hardshell for years to come.

Ok, I bought this jacket because when I read the reviews and the description of the jacket, I was lead to believe this thing is water proof...I mean tight! It is not... The Hard shell material IS waterproof but the softshell component is only very highly water resistant. I talked to the folks at Arc'Teryx and they told me that this was NOT a jacket they deem "waterproof'. And folks, we know that Arc'Teryx is not mincing words when they describe their gear. What I was told was that the hard shell components are waterproof and the softshell parts are approximately 65-70% waterproof. The softshell material itself isn't waterproof in of itself (i.e. doesn;t have a waterproof membrane) but rathher is water resistant and made veryra water resistant by the DWR treatment. So...from a technical standpoint, the materials do not make this a bombproof, waterproof jacket. Now, Let me describe my real world experience. Just this Thanksgiving (2008) I went to playa de carmen for vacation and the first 2.5 days was rain soaked. I expected some rain and I took the Seeker Comp with me to test out its water resistance.... Let me tell you, this thing may not be completely waterproof, but it is very damn near close. This thing kept me dry in 15 minutes of walking around in a deluge and 30 minutes of light rain. The only areas where I noticed a bit of water coming through was in the back, where I had been leaning back against a tree and some rocks. The back is the soft shell material and water WILL GET THROUGH if you but too much pressure against the material against really wet surfaces. By the way, the seams on the Seeker are beautifully sealed and the waterproof zippers are great. With respect to breathability, it is outstanding...even in the muggy 75 degree weather during the rain showers in Mexico...I didn't have that nasty clammy wet feeling inside the jacket. With respect to warmth....forget about it. This thing is a light shell. The folks at Arc'Teryx told me that this thing has only about 65-80% wind stopping. This turned out true. Here in the rockies, we have had some very windy days recently, and I can tel you that when the wind picks up to more than a strong breeze, you will start to feel the wind...especially in the soft shell areas. Also, the Seeker Comp is not your insulated or heavier softshell jacket. If you want to wear this thing in sub 40 degree weather, you may want to start thinking about a mid layer or a decently warm base layer. At about freezing tempature...this thing is not going to provide the warmth you need. Now, this is subject to your level of activity, as I was just taking a walk in the neighborhood so not realy getting my body tempture up. As for pit zips...who needs pit zips. This jacket breaths. Now my question is, when do I wear my TNF Free Thinker and when do I wear the Seeker Comp... I just received my 2007/08 TNF Free Thinker Jacket and I will post a review after my upcoming snow boarding trip. Hope this review helps....

Ok, I bought this jacket because when I read the reviews and the description of the jacket, I was lead to believe this thing is water proof...I mean tight! It is not... The Hard shell material IS waterproof but the softshell component is only very highly water resistant. I talked to the folks at Arc'Teryx and they told me that this was NOT a jacket they deem "waterproof'. And folks, we know that Arc'Teryx is not mincing words when they describe their gear. What I was told was that the hard shell components are waterproof and the softshell parts are approximately 65-70% waterproof. The softshell material itself isn't waterproof in of itself (i.e. doesn;t have a waterproof membrane) but rathher is water resistant and made veryra water resistant by the DWR treatment. So...from a technical standpoint, the materials do not make this a bombproof, waterproof jacket. Now, Let me describe my real world experience. Just this Thanksgiving (2008) I went to playa de carmen for vacation and the first 2.5 days was rain soaked. I expected some rain and I took the Seeker Comp with me to test out its water resistance.... Let me tell you, this thing may not be completely waterproof, but it is very damn near close. This think kept me dry in 15 minutes of walking around in a deluge and 30 minutes of light rain. The only areas where I noticed a bit of water coming through was in the back, where I had been leaning back against a tree and some rocks. The back is the soft shell material and water WILL GET THROUGH if you but too much pressure against the material against really wet surfaces. By the way, the seams on the Seeker are beautifully sealed and the waterproof zippers are great. With respect to breathability, it is outstanding...even in the muggy 75 degree weather during the rain showers in Mexico...I didn't have that nasty clammy wet feeling inside the jacket. With respect to warmth....forget about it. This thing is a light shell. The folks at Arc'Teryx told me that this thing has only about 65-80% wind stopping. This turned out true. Here in the rockies, we have had some very windy days recently, and I can tel you that when the wind picks up to more than a strong breeze, you will start to feel the wind...especially in the soft shell areas. Also, the Seeker Comp is not your insulated or heavier softshell jacket. If you want to wear this thing in sub 40 degree weather, you may want to start thinking about a mid layer or a decently warm base layer. At about freezing tempature...this thing is not going to provide the warmth you need. Now, this is subject to your level of activity, as I was just taking a walk in the neighborhood so not realy getting my body tempture up. As for pit zips...who needs pit zips. This jacket breaths. Now my question is, when do I wear my TNF Free Thinker and when do I wear the Seeker Comp... I just received my 2007/08 TNF Free Thinker Jacket and I will post a review after my upcoming snow boarding trip. Hope this review helps....