The North Face Odyssey Softshell Jacket - Men's - 2009 BCS

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.

Just returned from two days of skiing in true Maine conditions and the coat worked very well. Saturday was cloudless, windless and hit 30 degrees. Did run after run of screaming groomers with two light layers under this and actually got a bit warm in the afternoon. Sunday was in the low 20s with 20-30 mph wind. Same light layers under the jacket and it was warmer than I expected. Coat has a good number of pockets, a useful powder (or wind here in the northeast) skirt, a hood that fits over my helmet and detaches easily. One of my favorite features is a fairly high collar that is lined with fleece and protects my chin. Fabric is forgiving, feels very wind resistant and fairly durable. Only time will tell with the last comment. I think I've finally found the ski jacket that I will have for a number of years. My only complaint, really only a slight whine really, is that it is a bit heavy. I would not let this sway you from buying the coat though....

I bought this coat as a gift for my husband and not only does he look stylish, he's also kept very warm for these cold temps in NJ. I couldnt believe that he was so warm since the coat isn't so heavy. However, once I saw that he wasnt layered up with tons of sweaters, I knew he was good to go. The customer service and prompt shipping was definitely the cherry on top!

This is a very comfortable jacket that is warm to 20 degrees on its own, with a fleece liner or sweater its good to zero. Have worn it skiing and found that it did a nice job of breathing and it stayed pretty dry from the outside. I am 6'8" and the XXL had plenty of sleeve and body length.

Perfect. This jacket is comfortable, warm and not too bulky. I researched and tried many different jackets on with this one being my top pick. Great for snowboarding, and simply cold weather.