Western Mountaineering Meltdown Down Jacket - Men's

Wow, this is an incredible piece of gear. By far the best down parka I have ever used. The quality is as near perfect as is possible. The down has an incredible amount of loft for its weight. The fabric is highly water and wind resistant. The fabric is very light and is not extremely durable but it is not overly fragile either. My parka (size small) runs in at under 17oz. This parka make for a perfect belay jacket and gives comfort of mind when you through it in your pack for a day out in the mountains. Standing around at camp this thing is a blessing. The hood is very nice and has lots of loft. I wouldn't store it with the hood stowed away, I think you could ruin the loft of the jacket. Also this jacket is made in Canada which is a nice change from overseas manufacture.

This is a parka that I wish I could wear more often. My days of expedition climbing are probably over. Having climbed Denali and Western Canadian peaks, I can only say that I wish I'd had this jacket during my most adventuresome climbs. Like all Western jackets, the Meltdown uses minimum 850 fill goose down. Most of our down tests higher, in the 900 to 950 range. The fabric is slightly heavier and water resistant than the stuff used in Western's Flight or Flash Jackets. This adds to the durability and suggests its use without a layer over top. Only the soggiest days would wet out this jacket. This begs the question: Why would you wear this jacket anywhere above 20 degrees F, anyway?
The downfilled hood tucks easily into the collar yet reappears to provide super cold weather protection. The jacket's fit is generous to accommodate layers underneath. My size large weighs 17 oz. on my postal scale yet would be my jacket of choice for another shot at Alaskan peaks or winter camping in my state of origin, Minnesota. Don't be fooled by the overall weight. It's got more than enough down to keep you toasty! It's just the good stuff!

This jacket has been a life saver. Sort of. I've actually never been in a position to have my life saved before. That I know of. The jacket is very warm and the hood is a big plus. Use the hood when you need it and put it back in it's zippered neck compartment when you don't. It's very warm and a good addition for anyone wanting to make sure they will be warm in the winter. I had to break mine out over the new year while winter camping around lake Tahoe. The temps were much colder than expected so I just put the jacket on and slid back into my sleeping bag. Kept me toasty warm. All in a very lightweight package and super compressible. As a note, you can't hide the hood on the fly. You have to take the jacket off to stuff the hood back inside its compartment. There has been a tiny loss of feathers but nothing major. Not yet. This jacket is really built to last and it should for the price.
I'm 6'0 85 athletic build and the large is perfect. Especially when you have some layers underneath.