Description of The North Face Alliance Jacket - Men's:
If your winter outfits usually include a touring backpack or a climbing harness, grab The North Face Men's Alliance Jacket. This durable softshell's waterproof breathable fabric fights the elements, and high-placed alpine pockets won't be blocked by your waist-belt. The Alliance Jacket's Underarm zips, plus core vents in the two alpine pockets, help you dump heat on your ascent. A removable hood with a lower-face protection panel keeps your head and face dry during winter storms, and The North Face Alliance softshell's standard fit leaves room for a few layers underneath.
Bottom Line: The North Face Alliance Jacket goes well with ski touring backpacks, mountaineering backpacks, and climbing harnesses.
I choose this jacket partly because of the price, but also because I already own a North Face Fleece. I have worn this jacket by itself in the rain, or on windy days and it holds up great. I have also added the fleece to it and it has made an excellent winter parka, warm, and resistant to the elements. I would absolutely recommend this jacket both as a light jacket and as an outer shell.
I got The North Face Alliance to protect my lighter down coats on a January trip to the Boundary Waters and it performed exceptionally. The jacket kept me slightly warmer as it blocked the wind flawlessly and it saved me a couple hundred bucks in replacement gear when I found myself crawling through the thick pine forests. I now use the jacket for all snow sports and I cannot compliment TNF enough for creating an afforable shell with zip-in capabilities that performs as well as the alliance does. My only gripe is about the crinkling sound the jacket never seems to loses.
Overall: Protection on the cheap.
I got this jacket at the end of the winter beginning of spring season and a nuptse down jacket for the liner. There were a few colder rainy days in very early spring and it helped repel the rain great. And with the zip-in capabilities it keep me very warm. I then went to Virginia for a weekend and it was idle for the humid and breeze climate there. Being able to open the armpit vents was great. The only thing that I would change would be longer sleeves, but I have long arms compared to my other sizes. All and all a great purchase.
