This jacket frustrated me enough to spend my Sunday afternoon writing a review about it. I really wanted to like it. I've been looking for a hooded, warm, hip-length, waterproof jacket that can keep me comfortable and dry for my daily, hour-long NYC walking commute. After several weeks of reading reviews and price/value analysis, this was an easy top contender. Seemed to check all the things I was looking for with strong customer and editorial reviews. (And it was deeply discounted for the holidays). Specs; M, 5'8" 180lbs/81kgs, muscular frame. Jacket Ordered: Medium, Black What I liked: - Lightweight. The jacket I'm retiring is incredibly warm but so heavy it doesn't travel well for weight. This is about the third of the weight and compresses well. - Good storage. There are plenty of pockets... but I'll come back to those - Good warmth. IF the jacket is worn when warm, and IF all possible areas of venting are sealed, then the jacked does keep one comfortably warm at sub-freezing temperatures. - Removable hood. The simple snap-on hood with drawstrings does the trick. But the hood is so large that it really only makes sense if wearing a beanie underneath. (and I have a very big head)... I'll come back to this.... - Removable lining. With the removable and (mostly) usable puffy lining, this really can be a fully three season coat. - Hip length. It's only a couple inches longer than a waist length jacket, but that makes a world of difference in the worst of weather. - Waterproof. I hate carrying an umbrella, and I don't mind getting damp. But my coat should keep me from getting soaked. This coat does that. - The Gold Lining. I know some people hate it, but I like it. My kind of quirky flash. What I didn't like. - The Pockets Are Ridiculous. Most humans, when wearing a jacket, will reflexively put their hands in their pockets where the line from elbow to wrist is at 45 degree angle, fingers pointing to the ground in front of them. In that position, you can walk comfortably for miles. But this jacket's multitude of pockets don't give you that option. You either point your wrists straight down to enter the top-sided pocket, which is an unnatural position, or point your wrists fully parallel to the ground to enter the side-entrance pockets, which is an even more unnatural position. I had not realized how much I had taken the pockets in my previous (excellent) coats for granted. This is the first jacket I've owned where I can't comfortably walk long distances with my hands in my pockets. Also, the pockets of this coat aren't fleece lined, so they are both uncomfortable, and not especially protective from the cold. - The slick material. Both the inside and the outside of the coat are very slick. Lost count of the number of times it has slipped off a chair in the short time I've had it. That slickness is the material which may make the jacket great for rain, but it does require intentional placement. (I can easily see this sliding off a barstool onto a drinks-soaked tavern floor in a way I never worried about with my retiring jacket) - It stays cool to the touch. Unlike a fleece-lined coat, the inside of this coat is very cool until you put it on. In our first outing I was wearing a light sweater underneath and was struck by how chilly the fabric felt even through the sweater. As someone who takes a while to warm up, this doesn't work. - Very limited adjustability. You only have two points of adjustment for the sleeves, which means if you have slightly shorter arms or narrower wrists, like I do, the sleeves will extend down to the fore-arm because there's now way to adjust them tightly enough. Similarly, the neck's tightest adjustment just isn't tight enough, so wind rushes down the neckline if you don't have a hoodie or neck-warmer in place, (Not something you want when crossing a bridge on foot through howling winds). Using the hoodie with the drawstring tied tightly across the face can reduce the wind-tunnel effect. But, overall, I found the jacket strikingly inefficient at keeping cold from entering through the neck-line unless wearing neck-protecting underlayers. Maybe getting a Small might offer a better fit, but I suspect a Small would be too small if I have more than a thin layer on. - Lack of a fleece lining. This quickly became a deal breaker for me. When taken off, the inside of the jacket quickly reverts to the ambient temperature, so if left in a cold room, it feels much colder when put on than a fleece jacket. I don't want a jacket which needs to warm up to keep me warm. - It crinkles. Noisily. Like a grocery store plastic bag. You are not sneaking up on anyone in this thing. Bottom line: Can I find ways to live with it? Sure. Always have a hoodie or neck-liner. Always carry gloves and only use the pockets for storage. Always be conscientious when putting it down, especially in places where it might get nudged off chair or table (or hanger). Try to keep the inside minimally exposed to cold so that it doesn't take long to warm up. And learn to ignore the crinkling sound that will stalk you to the end of your days. Doing these things would make it possible to live with the coat. But they are far more effort than I intend to spend on a promising but deeply disappointing coat. So I'm returning it. The search continues... EDIT: The reason why warm, comfortable pockets are so important to me is that I'm a photographer. Having warm pockets spares me from constantly having to put on my gloves when walking between shooting locations.
