Reviews by User: tsaylor45 (20)

This jacket doesn't breathe as well as some others, and could be lighter, but for this price, it's fine. I have been happy with this jacket, I am 6'0"/165 lbs, and I got a Large in the event that I'm layering, but I should have gotten Medium.

The material seems to be great, and I like the high pockets...and that's about as far as I got. The jacket is cut incredibly short; I am 6'0" and 165 lbs, thin and lanky with long arms. The jacket left my T-shirt hanging out as I tried it on, and the sleeves covered my entire hand, with a size Medium. Bizarre. Never even got to test it out, it went right back in the bag.

This jacket is very well designed. The two pockets could be higher up for when I have a pack on, but other than that it's fine. I am 6'0"/165 lbs, and usually wear a TNF Medium, and the Medium Redpoint fits like all other TNF I have tried. I works as it's own jacket, with a thin layer underneath when I'm heading to class, or a fleece underneath when it gets colder. You can zip it into a shell if you're going to be out in some serious weather, though the water- and wind- resistance of this jacket is more than I expected. Warmer than a fleece, thinner than a fleece, slides under a layer better than a fleece, doesn't pill or attract lint like fleece...overall, better than fleece. I use it as a replacement for fleece a lot of times, so I don't have to throw a shell over my Patagonia R4. Between this and the R4, I'd say the R4 is a little warmer (maybe, it's close) and blocks wind a little better than this one, but the one will resist light rain and snow more so than my R4. I'd say, for the price, you can't go wrong with this jacket.

The other reviewers have touched on the warmth, which is really quite good. I wear a Medium in all Patagonia, and the same with this jacket, so sizing is as to be expected with this brand; for reference, I am 6'0"/165 lbs. This coat will keep you warm no matter what you're doing, and it retains warmth even when soaked through (which is hard to do with the DWR outside). All in all, recommended.

This jacket is very well designed. The two pockets could be higher up for when I have a pack on, but other than that it's fine. I am 6'0"/165 lbs, and usually wear a TNF Medium, and the Medium Redpoint fits like all other TNF I have tried. I works as it's own jacket, with a thin layer underneath when I'm heading to class, or a fleece underneath when it gets colder. You can zip it into a shell if you're going to be out in some serious weather, though the water- and wind- resistance of this jacket is more than I expected. Warmer than a fleece, thinner than a fleece, slides under a layer better than a fleece, doesn't pill or attract lint like fleece...overall, better than fleece. I use it as a replacement for fleece a lot of times, so I don't have to throw a shell over my Patagonia R4. Between this and the R4, I'd say the R4 is a little warmer (maybe, it's close) and blocks wind a little better than this one, but the one will resist light rain and snow more so than my R4. I'd say, for the price, you can't go wrong with this jacket.

I have owned this piece for almost two years now and it never lets me down. Living in MN, windchill is always a factor so you need to have something that blocks the wind. TNF's Denali might be warm around the house, but with the slightest breeze you might as well not be wearing it at all. The R4 cuts the wind and is incredibly warm. I'm a big fan of the higher pockets too, and you don't need pitzips when your pockets double as vents. I am 6'0"/165 lbs and I ordered a Large so I could layer underneath on colder days, though a Medium would have worked a bit better if I wasn't going to layer. With this jacket all you need to remember is to throw a hardshell in your pack in case of rain or snow. Hands down, this is the best fleece ever and I won't buy another one until this one wears out, and then I'll get the latest R4 again!

I have this jacket and the Winter Guide, also from Patagonia. I love my Winter Guide (it's fleece lined, so a bit warmer, and a HOOD!), but this one is a good addition to my closet as well. I like the tight-fitting sleeves, so no air gets in. I am 6'0"/165 lbs, and I fit into a Medium in everything I have bought from Patagonia, and this is no different. It is very windproof, will stop anything but a downpour (I tested in the shower for 10 mins, dry as a bone underneath) and can be layered over or under other jackets as weather requires. Also breathes very well, and I like the higher pockets, which double as vents (it has no pit zips, be warned). All in all, highly recommended!!

This is the best down jacket I have tried so far. I tried the Marmot Ama Dablam (didn't fit right) and the The North Face Aconcagua (not warm enough) and the Patagonia down is just right. It is a little bit shorter than I would like, but it's not enough to deter me from keeping it. I am 6'0"/165 lbs and got a Medium; everything from Patagonia fits me in Medium, so this is standard Patagonia fit. Haven't had it long enough to tell about durability, but it seems like it will hold up nicely, the fabric seems sturdier than some down jackets that seem as if they would rip easily. Recommended.

The sizing is really strange. I tried to make this work, I'm 6'0"/165 lbs, and I fit well into a Medium with Patagonia, TNF, and Marmot. With this, I tried a Medium and it was too tight in the chest, shoulders and sleeves; I tried a Large, and it was great in the shoulders and sleeves, but cut for a gigantic belly. Too much room for layering, I just looked ridiculous.

This is a slick bag, the laptop compartment is padded, and my MacBook Pro fits like a dream. I have the Large size...the XL is WAAAY too big! It's durable, waterproof, has lots of organizer pockets, looks great (colors are awesome!), and is very stylish. All in all, nice bag.

I haven't been out to test in the mountains yet, but I have had this piece for a week and it's solid. It keeps me warm hiking around campus all day long. I live in MN, and yesterday the weather dropped to -20F (-37F with wind chill) and I had my R1 Flash Pullover, Marmot Afterburner, and the Winter Guide on. I was warm all day long going to and from class. I haven't had any snow or rain to test it in yet, and I will report again after more rigorous testing. I am 6'0"/165 lbs, and the Medium fits very well, room to layer but not too bulky. It seems to be constructed well; the zipper goes off to the side a bit when zipped all the way up (more comfortable) and it zips very high to cover the face (very handy). Also, the hood is great to cover up your head, fits snugly so you can actually see when you turn your head. The only thing that I am not crazy about is the way Patagonia uses their pockets to double as vents, rather than having pitzips. Honestly, this jacket is heavy enough that two zippers wouldn't weigh it down anymore, and it means that you can't really use the pockets for your hands when you wear casually. Also, it has a tendency to get snow/rain/wind inside rather than just air to cool you off. Otherwise it would be a five-star piece I think, though I am judicious with my five-star ratings!

This fleece does fit very close to the body; I am 6'0"/165 lbs and the Medium fits well with just a thin baselayer underneath. I couldn't get anything else under it, so if you want to layer, just order a size up (which I've found is the case with most Marmot gear). However, it blocks the wind and is warm, so I can throw it under a soft- or hardshell as needed to warm things up. Overall, I've been happier with my Patagonia R4, and if you're looking for a fleece that is windproof and warm and easier to layer underneath, that is the fleece you should be looking at. But all in all, this is a good piece of gear that I can use by itself in spring and fall and under a shell in winter.

I have yet to take it out on the mountain, but for the week that I have had it just around town I have been impressed. I live in MN, yesterday temps got down to -18 (-37 with wind chill!) and I had my Patagonia R1 Flash Pullover, Marmot Afterburner fleece and the Winter Guide on. I have to say, just hiking around campus and waiting for the bus, I was comfortable. I'm a big fan of the hood--not enough softshells have them in my opinion--and it came in handy yesterday! Solid construction as usual with Patagonia, I am 6'0"/165 lbs and a Medium fits great, plenty of room for layering but still an athletic fit with only a light layer underneath. I have the blue color, though I wish I had gotten the red; service on this site was exemplary as usual. I don't get my gear anywhere else anymore.

This is a good, solid jacket. I bought this to keep me warm in the coldest Minnesota winter, and I wasn't disappointed. The shell is great on wind/water, and I wear it in the spring now when it's windy. The liner is also a good spring/fall jacket, and all together it's downright toasty. TNF doesn't ever blow me away, but it's solid. Other brands, like Patagonia, have provided me with better quality from top to bottom, but they are pricier. You get what you pay for, and this is a solid, versatile and stylish jacket.

This is a good, solid jacket. I bought this to keep me warm in the coldest Minnesota winter, and I wasn't disappointed. The shell is great on wind/water, and I wear it in the spring now when it's windy. The liner is also a good spring/fall jacket, and all together it's downright toasty. TNF doesn't ever blow me away, but it's solid. Other brands, like Patagonia, have provided me with better quality from top to bottom, but they are pricier. You get what you pay for, and this is a solid, versatile and stylish jacket.

I like this softshell pretty well, but I don't like it as much as I like my Patagonia Winter Guide. First, the Bionic has no hood--a big draw back. Secondly, although it feels bulky, it isn't nearly as warm as my Mountain Guide. However, for half the price, you get more than half the quality...hence, four stars. I am 6'0"/165 lbs and the Medium fits well with a thin baselayer underneath, or a thicker fleece but with added thickness you lose mobility and start to feel bulky. And really, if you are using this jacket as you should be--cold-weather exercising, like hiking, biking, and running--you're fine. For walking around campus only, like 95% of the people at the U of MN use it for, it's inadequate..try something thicker.

This jacket has a lot of things going for it: it's a 2L Gore Tex, so it's completely wind- and waterproof, and very breathable. Some of the reviews mention pitzips, which it DOES NOT HAVE. The Mountain Light has vents on the chest (which some people have perhaps simply mislabeled), that I personally prefer, but for some reason many people have a curious obsession with pitzips. Some of the reviews also mention velcro closure on the pockets, which it also DOES NOT HAVE. I'm not sure where this got started, the only thing I can think is that someone reviewed the incorrect jacket. It does have velcro along the front zipper, as it is not waterproof. Also, the zipper tends to stick when zipping it up, but this is symptomatic of the design, and not a flaw in the individual jackets--I know because several people mentioned this issue in their reviews, and I went to REI to test them in person. It isn't bad enough to return the jacket, in my estimation, but that's a personal preference. Overall, the jacket seems durable, functional, and versatile. However, it is quite heavy, and does not pack very small; I suppose "small" is all relative, but I expected more. You can zip in a mid-layer (I use my TNF Redpoint jacket--which is a fantastic jacket, stay away from the Denali fleece), but I find the fit is less constricting when you just wear it underneath and don't zip it in; I feel a bit bulky when I zip in the Redpoint as opposed to just layering it. My Patagonia Jetstream packs much smaller, is much lighter, has waterproof zippers, pitzips instead of vents on the chest, a more ergonomically designed hood, came with a better selection of colors, and was cheaper. All in all, a better shell than this one, but this one will get plenty of use as well, though when I'm packing light I will go with the Jetstream instead of this one. For the sizing, the Mountain Light fits like everything from TNF that I have tried. I am 6'0"/165 lbs, and wear a Medium from TNF, Marmot, and Patagonia.

This jacket has a lot of things going for it: it's a 2L Gore Tex, so it's completely wind- and waterproof, and very breathable. Some of the reviews mention pitzips, which it DOES NOT HAVE. The Mountain Light has vents on the chest (which some people have perhaps simply mislabeled), that I personally prefer, but for some reason many people have a curious obsession with pitzips. Some of the reviews also mention velcro closure on the pockets, which it also DOES NOT HAVE. I'm not sure where this got started, the only thing I can think is that someone reviewed the incorrect jacket. It does have velcro along the front zipper, as it is not waterproof. Also, the zipper tends to stick when zipping it up, but this is symptomatic of the design, and not a flaw in the individual jackets--I know because several people mentioned this issue in their reviews, and I went to REI to test them in person. It isn't bad enough to return the jacket, in my estimation, but that's a personal preference. Overall, the jacket seems durable, functional, and versatile. However, it is quite heavy, and does not pack very small; I suppose "small" is all relative, but I expected more. You can zip in a mid-layer (I use my TNF Redpoint jacket--which is a fantastic jacket, stay away from the Denali fleece), but I find the fit is less constricting when you just wear it underneath and don't zip it in; I feel a bit bulky when I zip in the Redpoint as opposed to just layering it. My Patagonia Jetstream packs much smaller, is much lighter, has waterproof zippers, pitzips instead of vents on the chest, a more ergonomically designed hood, came with a better selection of colors, and was cheaper. All in all, a better shell than this one, but this one will get plenty of use as well, though when I'm packing light I will go with the Jetstream instead of this one. For the sizing, the Mountain Light fits like everything from TNF that I have tried. I am 6'0"/165 lbs, and wear a Medium from TNF, Marmot, and Patagonia.

In a word, this shell is amazing. It keeps me dry from any kind of rain or snow, blocks any and all wind, is super light and packable, has a great hood that seals tight and still allows me to see when I turn my head (somehow, this is a rarity in these shells) and HUGE pitzips. What else can I ask for? Well, the green color is pretty sweet too, and is incredibly light! Wow. Runs true to size, I wear a Medium in everything from Patagonia, and this is no different. Highly recommended!!

Solid bag has served me well winter camping, on campus, hiking across Japan, as a carry-on bag, and anything else I've used it for. Just big enough to hold what I need, the sternum strap is nice and the waist belt tucks away when I'm at school, which is nice. All in all, quite nice, but at full price it's a bit steep for a school backpack...which is what it is designed for clearly.

Solid bag has served me well winter camping, on campus, hiking across Japan, as a carry-on bag, and anything else I've used it for. Just big enough to hold what I need, the sternum strap is nice and the waist belt tucks away when I'm at school, which is nice. All in all, quite nice, but at full price it's a bit steep for a school backpack...which is what it is designed for clearly.

Well, I have been burned by MH's sizing before (I'm 6'0"/165 lbs and it's all cut too short for me in the torso), but with rave reviews and the closeout on last year's model going on, I gave it one more shot. Boy, am I glad that I did! The jacket has a distinctive look with the "monkey phur" that may put some off. However, it is incredibly warm! Also, the warmth-to-weight ratio is great, this thing is so light and fits the body so well I forget that I'm wearing it; it stretches in all the right places. One thing: the cuffs are made with stretch material, and don't seem very durable...but only time will tell. As far as the sizing goes, I always go with Medium from TNF, Patagonia, and Marmot, but I got a Large here. Fits like a dream!!

This is a slick bag, the laptop compartment is padded, and my MacBook Pro fits like a dream. I have the Large size...the XL is WAAAY too big! It's durable, waterproof, has lots of organizer pockets, looks great (colors are awesome!), and is very stylish. All in all, nice bag.

This is a great piece that is incredibly versatile, as the reviewers have both mentioned previous to me. You can wear it in the coldest winter as a baselayer, and as a middle layer when things aren't as cold, or in very mild weather just over a T-shirt. Well constructed, like all Patagonia products, and is extremely compressible, and dries quickly if you get it wet. The fit is pretty standard for Patagonia, I'm 6'0"/165 lbs and got a Medium. You can fit a thin baselayer underneath--but that's all you're supposed to be able to--and it stretches so I don't feel claustrophobic. Kudos to Patagonia!

Overall, this jacket was decent. It wasn't as warm as I expected it to be, it doesn't zip in to any shells, and the cuffs are made very poorly. The cuffs are made with cheap elastic that got all stretched out a week after I had it and began to let in cold air, since there is no way to tighten them up. And so...back it went, and I found something else that was better.