The North Face Sentinel Thermal Jacket - Men's - 2010 BCS

Great jacket. Not necessarily warm by itself, but definitely windproof, water resistant and comfortable.

Maybe not as tough and durable as the apex, but clearly more comfy and warmer with the rachel fleece backer. the pocket angle is an improvement over last seasons, doesnt flair out when open. Fit is pretty much identical to last seasons, it's a trim fit.
My only gripe would be the unlined handwarmer pockets, they deserve fleece lining. Also, the pockets are not mesh like many softshells, the softshell material continues throughout the pocket. Windstopper is awesome material as usual.

It's hard to explain the texture of the outer surface, I'll just say that the Apex feels like a hardshell compared to this. Elastic cuffs, and cinch cords pull from inside the pocket simlar to many arcteryx jackets.

Lastly, fit: im 5'9, 165lbs, slim build. this being a summit series, I fall right between SM and MD. Medium was a loose fit, but length was great all around. Small fit nice and close, but was too short in length. I love the jacket, but due to sizing I went with the Arcteryx Firee jacket.

Right off the shelf this is a comfortable jacket with the luxuriously soft fleece backing and a fit that is true to the sizing charts. Further it promises to remain comfortable even in more extreme or demanding conditions, with its breathability, zero wind penetration through the fabric, water resistance (not waterproof) and midweight thermal properties.

Looks are good (the asphalt grey with green zippers looks great!) unless you are concerned that this looks like similar TNF jackets worn by everyone else.

In short this has quickly become my favorite jacket and could easily replace some less versatile jackets in my wardrobe.

Wanted to upgrade my TNF McKinley and get a little more warmth, got the Sentinel and it is great. I was out in some nasty horizontal ice pellets that turned to very wet snow in 30 degree weather with just a 100 weight fleece underneath and it kept me warm and dry. My wife made fun of me when we got out of the snow and thought I would be soaked, not a drop got through it and it was only slightly wet to the touch. I'm 6'3" and 210 lbs and the XL fits great. Compared to the Apex or McKinley this is worth the extra $$.

This jacket is pretty stylish and is constructued with the typical The North Face quality. Its outer shell material is smooth and wind resistant. Its inner shell is made out a material that feels like fleece but of much better quality. The jacket is light but surprisingly warm! I wore it in sub-zero weather for a while and didn't seem to miss my thick parka. The only complaint perhaps is that it lacks an outer (or inner) chest pocket--unlike most other The North Face jackets, which is a feature that I had grown accostomed to. The only other small complaint is that this jacket is somewhat overpriced. I've seen very similar jackets from Patagonia, for example, for less $$ than this one. All in all, however, you can't go wrong with yet another cool and innovative product from The North Face like this jacket!

I live in the North East... and after last years three major snow storms combined with old/outdated "cold gear" i decided to invest and gear up this season. So, I did... I bought BOTH the Sentinel Thermal (Black) and the Plasma Thermal (Black). I posted my review of the Plasma under the Plasma link on Backcountry. As for the Sentinel Thermal, this is one of the best jackets i've ever owend and i use this for walking into the office , running the dreaded weekend errands, and late fall outside sporting events. The ligh weight jacket with "windstopper" and plush interior rachel thermal backing defies the laws of thermodynamics and good ole fashion keeping warm... It took me a while to research and try on others, but i finnaly pulled the trigger and after wearing the Sentinel Thermal during one of the coldest and windy Decmebers so far - i have to say that i am overly impressed. It's a great jacket and i have NO complaints. I am 6'3", I bought the XL which fits great. Others i looked at were the Bionic and Apex - both seemed hard to the touch. The Sentinel Thermal has a better/softer exterior feel and the inside is really soft. IMO the Sentinel feels way better and worth the $$. Bought it from Backcountry.

when i researched this, i couldn't find one in stores to try on- so i took a leap of faith and ordered one. based on description, i was expecting a heavier insulation....this is fairly lightweight. it is perfect if you're in motion...not so warm if standing still for a long period. it totally sheds wind and breathes out body heat & perspiration very well. sheds water fairly well (like any softshell). size XL fit me at 6'1" and 230#...an athletic fit, not much room for layering. not quite what expected, but a very functional piece for cold weather activity

I own several North Face coats and this is by far my favorite. It's the first one I ever decided to pay full price for. I tried it on at the North Face store and decided I had to buy it, and it was July. It's the only one I felt I needed to write a review for also. It's not as stiff feeling as the bionic, and the lining is so soft and warm. No wind gets through this jacket. I'm 6', 175 lbs and got the large. The medium would have probably worked also for a more snug fit.