The North Face Classic Denali Fleece Jacket - Men's - 2007 BCS

Don't get me wrong this is a nice fleece and it's very warm and very durable but it's bulky and not wind resistant at all. As soon as there is a little gust of wind you might as well not be wearing a coat at all. This coat has no practical uses outside of casual wearing. For the money buy something that is wind repellent, less bulky, and maybe even water resistant. You will be much happier with a coat like that.

Broken zipper, soft fleece, better garments out there for less dinero.

This jacket is HEAVY, not packable, hard to layer, and simply not very good quality. While this jacket might suffice for keeping you warm at a frat kegger, it won't do a damn thing on a mountain but overheat you and then be too big to stuff anywhere. Also, why in the world anyone would buy this jacket now that Arc'Teryx's Strato is only TEN dollars more, baffles me.
If you want this for style points, I guess it works, but if you're looking for any kind of serious outdoor performance, keep looking.

pretty rad tnf fleece, i see practically everyone in denver wearing it, so, i was kinda iffy, and i can kinda understand why. it looks pretty good and is a pretty warm fleece with vents so you don't overheat. does fairly decent in the wind, but not the best, i'd go with the arcteryx apache. it is half zip, however, it's super water repellent and very very warm. it looks rad and it has laminated pockets and reinforced forearms. it has a much higher quality fleece. this is a cool fleece, just too pricy and not as much output as i'd expect. there's other several things i could recommend over this, however, it's still pretty nice.

The point of fleece is warm, comfortable insulation. 300 weight polartec fleece is just that, but the North Face kinda ruined it in their design. The 2nd chest pocket is overkill and combined with the pit zips leaves way too many zipper pulls hanging around. The nylon chest piece does give some wind protection, but leaves the jacket incredibly boxy, looks like I have shoulder pads when wearing it and I already have broad shoulders. That and the zippers in your arm pits just detract from the warmth and comfort. The cut is disappointing in that it's not fittted at all, which is fine for stacking layers underneath, but makes it bulky to try and layer over and basically it looks better in pictures and on a hanger than it does on you. It's not that this is a bad jacket, but warmth and comfort can be found packaged better elsewhere.

Classic!

If you happen to live in a cold, dry climate, this jacket is your ticket on chilly fall and winter nights. However, if you live in a windy city (like Chicago or NYC) or somewhere that receives significant amounts of wet precipitation (i.e. Seattle, or PNW), then I would suggest you look elsewhere (MHW Windstopper Tech for your Chicago folks, and MHW Synchro for you folks in wetter climates). While very warm, the Denali lacks a wind blocking membrane that is essential for retaining warmth. The cut of this jacket is on the larger side, but its meant to have layers worn underneath. Its a great casual piece that can be zipped in as a very warm midlayer.

Sure it’s true what the other reviewers have said. Yeah, the wind cuts through this jacket like a hot knife through butter. Yeah, it doesn’t shed water. But they’re missing the point. This jacket isn’t meant for serious backcountry use. It’s meant to be a fashion statement for the college crowd. Still, it’s a well constructed garment of quality materials. It’s warm enough for 30 degree days (without a lot of wind) although a bit on the bulky side. The zip pits come in handy as the day warms up. Not a good value at $160 but who ever pays full price for anything?

This is the most cozy fleece i've worn. Super thick fleece feels like it will hold up well. Breathes great! It has lots of pockets and features, but is a little thicker than I like for layering except for on the coldest of cold days. All in all I am pretty psyched about it and think it will make a great fleece for cruising around town or the mountains.

Though it never claims to be a techincal jacket, the Denali is by far the worst jacket for the money you can buy. The only positive it has is it is a 300 weight fleece. But for $165 retail, you can get a Windwall 1 or 2 or pay $195 for an Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan, which is not techincal, but still warm and very fashionable.

I'd give it a zero if I could.

Wear it to the kegger and then to class the next morning. A great insulating layer, but when worn as a jacket the wind bites right through it. I gave it 4 stars because of all the products TNF has now with WindStopper and this jacket being a flagstone of their product line, it only makes sense to solve the wind problem by offering a Denali WindStopper edition. C'mon TNF, get it right for Winter 2009.

Though this jacket has kept me very warm on the occasions when I have used it, it is WAY to heavy and hard to back for any backcountry usage. I have several lighter, more compressible fleeces that insulate just as well. For this kind of money, look elsewhere.

The Denali is one of The North Face Company's best selling pieces and is very popular and you will see it everywhere you go on college students. It is almost a uniform top! As a layering piece, it is very warm and breathes very well, but is very bulky and heavy. Although it has DWR, it's ability to resist moisture and rain is minimal. Although some wind blocking is afforded by the panels across the front, over the shoulders and the elbows, wind whistles through the unprotected parts of the body and sleeves. It is very stylish, but you will be in a crowd of Denali wearers where ever you go. It's best uses are on a day with temps in the 30's, 0 wind, and no rain or as a super bulky wool sweater replacement. Better choices in The North Face line for people looking to have a jacket that can shed some light rain and provide warmth by blocking wind include Apex Bionic or the The North Face Apex Mckinley Softshell Jacket and the warmest choice, The North Face Apex Bionic Thermal Jacket. All are around the same price as the Denali and more versatile.

Overall this is a great fleece, don't know if it's worth getting at full price though. Doesn't block wind very well and is a little bulky like others have said. I prefer my TNF Windwall 2 fleece, warm and it blocks the wind like a champ.

The North Face Denali Fleece "Jacket" - in my view is not real outerwear. It is not intended to compete with DOWN PARKAS. What it is is a nice soft and warm fleece garment.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
1) Wear this Denali indoors - if the dead of winter when there is a bad chill in the house.
2) Wear this Denali after you have been skiing.
3) Don't expect this Fleece Garment to be a warm parka! It was never designed for this purpose.
BOTTOM LINE:
CONSIDER THE DENALI A WONDERFULLY WARM SWEATER OR SWEATER LIKE GARMENT!
This way you will appreciate the Denali, rather than having to criticize it - as though it were a Parka - which it is not!

By: msh4046391
1 minute ago

incredible customer service, I have not find this type of customer service in my last 40 years in USA. Customer service peoples are soooooooo friendly and you make every effort to make your customer happy. each and every person in your customer service person gets five stars from me Thank you Mahendra shah

I've never really had problems, but I guess I was working up a sweat too.

Definitely a very good quality jacket. but...its pretty bulky, and has near ZERO wind resistance. Just not what I was looking for. It would be perfect for safety meetings and chillin around the campfire. If you are looking for a more active, technical jacket, i'm going to sound repetitive, but MH Windstopper Fleece. I just retured the Denali for it. I still give it 4 stars, because if you are looking for a relaxing, snuggly jacket, it fits the bill & will last.

Stop buying TNF Denali jackets unless you're in high school or never plan to where it outdoors. There are so many better options out there in fleece for this prce range. Even other TNF models. Are you going to wear your Bugaboo when you hit the mountain? Can't believe this was reccomended to me in the "Customers who bought this item also bought:" section.

If you're looking for a heavier weight fleece jacket or liner for a waterproof shell, this is the one! This jacket is very warm to wear on it's own and zips in perfectly with a #5 zipper to any shell. I use it when backpacking through the Black Hills where temperatures can get pretty frigid at nights during the spring and autumn and have stayed very warm in it. The Denali also dries very quickly when it gets wet, but since it is a fleece, it really doesn't repel much water. The tactical zipper pockets and pit zips are nice features as well, and make it all the more versatile. I'm a ranger for the National Park Service and this is my jacket of choice on colder nights, and when the weather really bottoms out, I zip it into my Marmot shell to stay both dry and warm. The only negative connotation I can really see some people having with this jacket is that it is not windproof. The wind-resistant panels do a fair job of blocking out the wind but I knew it wasn't designed for this purpose when I bought it, so that's why I didn't deduct any stars from it.Great product by The North Face

Best all around jacket
Great under a shell

Well if you have never heard of north face you must live on an island
the denali is really the gold standard as far as these go
this is me second coat they fit well and really are worth the money!
Love this even more as i got it half price disc color !!!

This jacket doesnt really have much technical performance, but for some reason i still wear it 4+ days a week in the nothwest. In my opinion is is quite fasionable, clean and simple, but a little annoying when you can start a club of Denali Wear-ers everywhere you go! Its very warm, and really comfortable because its soft fleece inside and out. I like the pockets and pit zips (not mesh lined), and its sooooo light too. The bad part is that its not windproof at all, after youve worn it for about a week the fabric stretches and just lets all air pass thru withought a fight, and that makes the warmth of the fleece usless. In your normal size it is pretty roomy and too bulky to layer under a shell, but in a size down it will work ok as a layer, but be REALLY hot so high-output activites like snowboarding would not be a good idea with this as a layer. The nylon panels are very waterproof with the DWR and can easily withstand a light shower, but the rest gets wet and nasty and doesnt dry very quickly.

The optimal use ive found for this is just indoor casual, with a sweatshirt under it most of the time...besides that its good for any cold weather environment that is not windy or rainy - which i cant really call an example to mind.

I gave it 4 stars because i really like the jacket as a casul piece, but its lacking performance.

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This jacket is warm up in till there is a little breeze. Its also really bulky. Dont waste your money unless you want to look like the rest of the sorority girls and wanna-be locals.

Pros: I used to wear REI fleece (affordable ones) with a Sierra Designs windbreaker/rain shell over it when gets windy or wet. I got the mens TNF Denali KCS version on sale and it is warmer, better quality and lighter than my REI one which has seen 26 miles backpacking in Bryce Canyon (froze at night, 50s during the day). A thick wicker shirt, the Denali fleece and a soft water proof compressible rain shell fits in my pack just fine and was a perfect decent combination for 3-seasons backpacking (I wouldn't consider it for winter treks though). Small, fits me perfectly. (5'7", 155lbs, 40chest/31waist). Also it wears well with a good pair of jeans in the city, which is a plus, not a minus for me.

CONS: There is more technical fleece, form fitting, more wind resistant and such. This fleece is not wind resistant at all! Get the TNF Windfall if you're looking for wind resistance. It's more a technical fleece, it's basically wind proof. The Windfall Vest is great too, I wear it everywhere.

Conclusion, this is a great non-wind proof fleece, if you want windproof... get the TNF Windfall which is essentially wind proof

got this jacket for my birthday and it is ok. its more of a style jacket. its almost like people think your not cool unless your wearing a 170 dollar jacket. it does do its job though. i wouldnt want this to be my jacket if i lived any farther north though, but down here it is warm enough.

Great jacket.
Does run on the big size. I ordered a M and it was huge, returned it for a S and it was perfect (5' 10'' & 140 lbs). I would recommend that you where a long sleeve underneath it because it does not block wind, but NO regular fleece does unless it has different fabric in it. Keeps you warm and I have worn it as a base layer and it is PERFECT.

Over a hundred dollars for what? This jacket lacks a lot - mostly function. Not windproof, bulky, whats the nylon on the shoulders for? Get one if you want to look trendy and you have cash to blow (but then again everyone has one so you might just look lame). Am I the only person who thinks you should get a better and more functional piece for this price?

About 5'10 150 lbs, lean build here. Ordered a black Medium, was too large on me, gave it to dad. Ordered a small in charcoal grey, fits me perfectly. Both colors are beautiful, and as you may have seen, the Denali is played out, and the reason is that they are GREAT looking jackets. You want this to fit snuggly b/c of the nylon panels, they are stiff, and you don't want to look like a football player with shoulder pads sticking out. Also, this jacket is BULKY, which means you can only layer with a large shell. As a standalone jacket, it is really a fashion piece, a slight gust of wind and I freeze. Bottom line, looks "A+", usability "C-".

I went with XXL due to my body size 120kg/191cm (264lbs/6.26") and the sleeve is a little bit too long. probably like 1 inch compared to my apex paradigm.
The fabrics are quite obvious of good quality but the cut is weird.. i feel weird at the shoulders.. like being in a cardboard box
I also got a size M for someone around 5.4" and the sleeve is terible long even though the fit on the body is perfect
So i recomand this jacket if
1. you dont buy at the horible retail price of 165$
2. you can find a size that would fit your body/sleeve combination

Search for Denali Wind Pro... for all the reasons you want this guy, but with actual warmth!
You'll look like the next guy, only YOU don't have to be cold to look the part.

Buy this coat if you want something trendy to wear indoors or maybe on a very calm fall day. It does very little to block wind or water, so the instant the weather goes south you'll be wishing you bought a Windwall 2 or Apex Bionic jacket.

It provides a decent amount of warmth; I find that on fall days I can wear it outdoors with just a long sleeve shirt and be fine. Indoors, wear just a t-shirt or you'll get too warm in it. The fitment is a bit looser than other TNF jackets so you can definitely layer with this. It might make you look fat, so I really suggest trying this on somewhere to test the size.

Avoid the black color if you have pets, as it shows every last hair and spec of dirt.

There are matching gloves, which is nice. The gloves don't do much to block wind or rain either.

Overall the coat is "okay". It's a trendy thing to wear, and offers enough warmth for indoor wear. I can't recommend it for anyone spending long periods outdoors, or for venturing outside in poor weather. Go for a Windwall 2 or Apex Bionic if you want a single multi-purpose jacket.

Cyrus said it all in his review. He is dead on in the review. I have one Denali, i wear it because it matches my work colors perfectly. While it's not part of the uniform, I get away with it.

I got this jacket for xmas, almost right after taking a trip to NYC and seeing everyone and their mother wearing TNF apparel. That being said, I would have never bought this jacket thinking everyone wore it just because..everyone else wore it. It's a great looking jacket and I thought it was just for style.But, like I said, I got it as a xmas gift from my girfriend, so i had to wear it for a little while. It is a nice jacket and replaces an older jacket I wear to work that needed to be not worn in an office environment. It worked great, it kept me warm in upstate NY, and only moderate to strong winds penetrated it.I kinda was thinking of returning it because I wanted a REAL mid layer jacket, not a half zip. But before that, I had a trip up marcy planned, I had brought another mid and wore my denali in the car to the trailhead, and at the last minute I decided to give the denali a shot knowing that it would be sunny during the trip. I tell you, this jacket performed awesome! As body temps rose, and they did as we showshoed up, the pit zip are easily opened and I was not uncomfortable the whole time. When the peak hit, I threw on my shell and stayed perfectly warm in 50 mph winds.It worked perfectly as intended; a synthetic fleece mid layer. I can't wait to try it out again in the backcountry, until then, I can look good in it at work...since no one here wears one :)

this is a perfect example of what's wrong with The North Face: overpriced overbuilt heavy fleece that fits like a potato bag and cannot be used for outdoors.
The medium fit fine for arms and shoulders, around the trunk I could have fitted twice! Very heavy. I would never this this on a hike or climb.
Who buys this? Maybe it it were $20 and you would wear it home??

This is probably the best fleece jacket that has been made. Simply classic. It has great functionality which gets overseen by the 5 billion people who own it and wear it to the mall and never try it out in the backcountry. My only criticism of this product is that I wish it had more "athletic" fit. It is a little bulky.

This is the classic fleece zip-up. I remember stealing this from my Dad when I was younger because it was so comfy, even though it was a few sizes too large. I wouldn't use it for anything too technical, except for maybe using it as a thick layer during a cold day on the mountain. Definitely pricey, though, so I would either wait for it to go on sale or find some coupons.

This was one of the first fleece's i ever owned and it was adequate for the job. as TNF grew over the years, the quality of this jacket has decreased so the "style" factor can increase making it affordable to everyone (which is nice)but resulted in TNF more interested in getting their name out instead of quality jackets. This jacket is more of a "around town" jacket and not recommended for backcountry adventures as it is super heavy and not built to quality.

Too expensive and lacking function for the high price tag. Honestly, only get one if you want to look trendy. This jacket is bulky, not windproof, and everyone has one. NorthFace should and can do better then this.

It's a fleece jacket, so yes, it is warm, but not technical. Use for layering. The only thing you could hope to conquer wearing this jacket alone would be a heightened social clique in a suburban high school.

This was a great jacket. It kept me so warm. I should buy another one of these.

As far as fleece jackets go, this is the most versatile one I've owned. It keeps you warm, its durable and the vents work well to cool you off on warmer days. I've had it for five years now and have no complaints. I use it as a base layer for skiing when the temp drops below 10 and it always keeps me warm. Also works well for New England spring skiing. Great for fall hikes as well.

Brought this jacket for a gift and it was a BIG hit!! I will be coming back for another! Thanks Backcountry!

It's interesting reading these other reviews with the few complaints it's received. I've had a Denali Jacket for about 5 years now, and I love it. People may complain about the wind whipping through it, and it's true. However, you should understand that this is not "windstopper" fleece. This is 300 fleece, which is really warm as an INSULATOR, which means on a cold windy, rainy, or snowy day, you should have a waterproof shell over it. That's what it was made for. It's great as an outer layer when it's cold and not raining or windy, but don't expect it to be a great storm proof jacket, because that's not it's purpose in life.

This is the standard around college campuses and it works on the ski hill as a warm layer

Still have an older Denali Jacket ~5yrs old or so.
Recently bought the newer hooded version. Same styling but add a hood and the quality/feel of the fleece was also updated.

Still very pricey!! Buy it when it's on sale ONLY!!

It's "adequate" in that is warm but NOT when it's windy! The wind will cut through the jacket and you'll literally freeze!

The purpose of the jacket is insulation so it's best when used with either a shell jacket or under an insulated jacket!

Fleece is very bulky when compared other 300-weight fleece jackets.
It's not "as warm" as other jackets that are made with Windpro or Windblocker fleece materials as those jackets use thinner fleece with a laminating layer to block out the wind, which makes those jackets WARMER!!

The NTF Denali jacket has become too "stylish" esp. amongst teens and college kids! The company is now owned by Vanity Fair!!

There are other jackets available for less that'll block out the wind and keep your warm.

Overall, it's still a good fleece jacket but not when the temps drop below freezing and/or when it's windy!

Great jacket really warm. Not entirely wind resistant, but pretty close. Match up with the Gortex and you got a great winter combo. Sizing is a bit interesting though. I'm 5'10" around 185 and a medium fits great. In any other jacket, I wear a L or XL.

Too bulky, cut too long, and does not block any wind.

Nice jacket

I haven't had much time yet to really test my Denali in difficult conditions. as for fit, i'm 5'11 175 athletic build and the medium fits me very well, as for wind protection, it has none, but then again it is not designed or marketed for wind protection. i bought it as a midlayer for backcounty hiking/skiing, as well as, daily use. overall, great jacket, would recommend for "daily" wear alone, but definitely want a shell over it if you might run into some wind or precip. if your going to use the fleece more for extreme backcounty than daily use, i would recommend something a bit more technical.

There is a reason that this is possibly the top seller in fleeces and that is because of how good it looks. Everyone I know that works in the cold has 2 or 3 of these things. They look good but the performance of these are not that of what im looking for. They keep you warm in moderate cool weather but if it gets colder than about 50 these just do not work which a fleece should do in my opinion. But they look great and people still buy them

Too bulky, cut too long, and does not block any wind.

Love the jacket and love the color. It is a nice dark chocolate brown, NOT red as the name PHANTOM RED would suggest. I am a female, 5'3" and bought it for myself in a Men's Small and for my son and future son-in-law in a Men's Large. Lots of compliments and it's a nice change from the black jackets everyone else wears!

I think im going to give away all my other sweaters and jackets away, cus this is the only jacket i need, very warm, light, very very extremely confy, i take it everywhere with me. You can run, hike, walk, sleep, eat haha with everything. Really great jacket, never paid so much for a jacket before, but VERY WORTH IT. so far i like my Denali more than my Apex Northface.

In milder climates this is all you need: lightweight and very stylish. Perfect for layering when skiing or great alone for some snow play without the added bulk.

I got two of these jackets for $99 each on Backcountry.... which is a steal (if you consider my mother-in-law spent $164 at REI for the same one). About a week later, I noticed that it was even further discounted ($85), so I called BC and they credited my card with the difference (Great customer service). This fleece is really warm, and you can tell that it is constructed well. It does like to collect lint on the fleece. Once I got my jacket, I wore it around Washington DC, and noticed that almost everyone else in the city is sporting one... which is a bit of a bummer, but it must be popular for a reason, right?

Love the jacket and love the color. It is a nice dark chocolate brown, NOT red as the name PHANTOM RED would suggest. I am a female, 5'3" and bought it for myself in a Men's Small and for my son and future son-in-law in a Men's Large. Lots of compliments and it's a nice change from the black jackets everyone else wears!

I got this jacket b/c I wanted an inner lining for the Alliance:
http://www.backcountry.com/store/TNF3533/The-North-Face-Alliance-Jacket-Mens.html?mv_pc=r200&cmp_id=EM_TRN1003

It was recommended that this was the best fit for the Alliance. With the zip in compatibility and the sleeve buttons, it does line into the Alliance nicely, however, it is very bulky.

It looks and feels very baggy when I wear it w/o the Alliance. When I wear it in the Alliance, then my movements are a bit restricted. I got a size small for both.

Anyway, the jacket itself doesn't provide that much warmth as people mentioned the lack of wind proof. But I didn't get it to wear it as a standalone jacket. I got it on sale and the main purpose was to wear it with the Alliance. I have been pleased with the warmth that the combination of the two provides.

If it weren't on sale, then would return it. But for the price I paid, it serves the purpose that I need.

TNF jackets have always impressed. The are not as bulky as other's in their class and still warm. I am able to easily drive in this jacket without feeling twisted or bound up.

This particular jacket isn't the" best" for wind resistance but does a fairly decent job. I also wish the prices of TNF would come down as I believe all their products are priced a little high, but for the most part it is worth it.

If you are looking for a stylish jacket that will hold up well in quality and cold, look no further.

I have other North Face products but this is my first Denali jacket. I got a real good deal from backcountry on a discontinued color. This is not your regular fleece jacket. It is heavier than even comparative leading retail models I have bought elsewhere. Worth the $84.95 I paid but I would never pay the $165 MSRP from North Face. The jacket is a little warm for spring but I know it will be great fpr late fall into winter. Pockets are huge and if you carry too much stuff like me, the jacket will get heavy. Overall I am very happy with it and the discontinued red color is awesome and not the same black, blue or brown the rest of the world is wearing.

South Windsor, CT

Ok, well I have been wanting one of these for a while. At 99 bucks on sale from Back Country I had no more excuses. I got a black one.

The free shipping was quick and the key word being free. Awesome.

Bottom line, This fleece jacket is warm. I have a 12 year old Polartec 300 from another company and this new 300 classic stuff is about twice as warm.

It holds up in cold, damp, misty conditions. Drizzle just beads off. It will also keep you warm in low to moderate winds in the 40s and 30s. It hasn't been any colder than that this spring here in San Antonio.
For rain and high winds, I recommend a shell but yeah, this is a fleece jacket so that sorta goes without saying. The Denali makes for a good stand alone jacket in most average conditions, or a toasty insulator under a shell.
Great pockets and the vent zips come in handy too.

The Denali's looks are great. People take notice of the jacket. Many people want to touch the fleece. So some admire and some are jealous. What really matters is I like it. :) I hope it lasts as long as my older Polartecs that I still wear even today. I rate the Denali as a good investment for those who like what fleece has to offer.

Thanks Back Country!

I got two of these jackets for $99 each on Backcountry.... which is a steal (if you consider my mother-in-law spent $164 at REI for the same one). About a week later, I noticed that it was even further discounted ($85), so I called BC and they credited my card with the difference (Great customer service). This fleece is really warm, and you can tell that it is constructed well. It does like to collect lint on the fleece. Once I got my jacket, I wore it around Washington DC, and noticed that almost everyone else in the city is sporting one... which is a bit of a bummer, but it must be popular for a reason, right?

If you can this shirt under $100, definitely go for it. I ordered the Phantom Red and returned it. I simply could not digest the color. I finally had the black from another site offering 100$. It is very stylish and well built and high quality.

Second thought: Why TNF manufactures these colors?

First of all I read the other opinions before buying this jacket. With that said I would like to say I love the jacket and the price I got at backcountry.com.This is a very styles Jacket and comfortable too.There are a couple things other buyers should know before buying. The first and most important thing is this jacket was made as the inner liner! this means the first jacket you put on as part of a layering system. It does not block the wind! As long as you keep this in mind I believe you will be happy with it too.The second thing to be aware of is the fit. I went and tired a couple on at another store before buying. I find the sleeves seem to run long for some reason but its not a big deal.

I bought this jacket for my boyfriend, because my dog ate his first one... Not fun. Anyways, it's a great fleece jacket. People seem to complain that it doesn't protect from the wind and rain, well get the shell that goes over it. It's a warm jacket and very nice looking. No complaints from me and my boyfriend loves it. Backcountry definitely had the best price and the jacket came in earlier than it was expected.

Decent jacket when I was able to snag it on sale for $100 last year.

I found it to be a good insulating layer under a shell, though as others mentioned, it's a bit bulky. I'm 225 #'s and went with XL, which fit in shoulders but left a lot of material around the waist.

I've also worn this as an outer layer over a base layer, and it's kept me more than toasty on 15-degree days on the trail with a heavy pack.

In retrospect, a wind blocking fleece would have been a better choice, but for the money (on sale), I'm able to make do.

My son loves this jacket and wears all winter.

This is a great fleece. I zip it into my north face mountain light jacket to form a great winter combo. The pit-zips are nice for when I am outside working up a sweat, not that many fleeces have that. It is very warm, although a bit bulky. The sizing is a little big, which is good when using it as a zip-in or layering underneath, but not that ideal for stand alone. But I find that all North Face fleece seem to have a looser fit on my (5'9" 185, size medium) compared to other brands like Mountain Hardware, Marmot or Arcteryx. If you have a zip in north face shell this is a must buy for cold weather areas.

I want to love this jacket. It is very warm aside from letting in (and out) any sort of wind -- a great middle layer. However, this jacket just doesn't look right on its own. The fit is big/puffy in the arms with very wide shoulders. At the same time, the length of the arms and chest is appropriate to the sizing. I am about 5'10" 140lbs lean and the small has shoulders that are at least 2 inches too wide. Your mileage may vary heavily depending on your frame/build.

I have just purchase this jacket for my husband at half price. I have one myself and it does keep me warm without over heatin in this chicago weather. I do agree its not wind resistant at all but the windwall do a great job for that. Its a good buy and hopefully hobby love it.

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