Marmot Mountain Down Jacket

This jacket is amazingly warm. We've had numerous days of 0F degrees and below temps this winter so far, and the mountain down jacket has kept me perfectly toasty. I've had it out in windchills approaching -30F. Thus far, I've used it for numerous winter hikes and around town.

Pros:
The design is very functional and provides a good fit for me (I have a medium and am 5'9 160 with large shoulders). The beyond-the-hip length is perfect for fending off ultra-cold wind, and the snap-snow skirt keeps anything from getting in. The hood is extremely warm, and the Membrain material has stood up to wet snow very well thus far. Removability of the hood is a plus, because the hood by itself (unless compressed a bit) takes up space and can be annoying if it isn't freezing cold. But if it is? Put the hood on and nothing, absolutely nothing, gets in. The reinforced elbows and shoulders are great for fending off twigs and branches that would normally tear into lightweight material. The chest, internal and hand pockets are well sized.

Cons:
Very few. Weight is one. It's a bit too heavy (and takes up too much space) to throw into my pack for day-long ski tours. If I were going overnight winter camping or touring, though, it would come with me in a flash. The hood can be cumbersome, and I've also found that the pocket zips get stuck on the jacket's material quite often; more of an annoyance than anything. The jacket can be too warm for anything 30 degrees or more, at least for me. If you are briskly hiking, you'll heat up too quickly. It does breathe fairly well.

Overall, I highly recommend the Mountain Down Jacket. Quality piece of outdoor gear that could be used for multiple pursuits and man, is it warm! No need for anything more than 650 fill unless you're going to extremely high altitudes. I'd feel comfortable taking this jacket along basically anywhere that I play during the winter.

After a 5 km trek over a snow covered treacherous terrain with a 50 pound backpack strapped on my back, we arrived at the camp site. My underwear and the upper layers were soaking wet, the wind was not storm rated but very strong. After taking the backpack off, the windchill was on my neck first then on every inch of my upper body.

The first thing I got from the backpack was this Mountain Down Jacket, neatly tacked away inside a compression sack. When I put it on, the effects of the outside weather eased almost instantaneously. I felt like I was being heated with a supplementary heat source. It took me 10 to 15 minutes to dry up completely. If you zip the jacket all the way up with the hood closed tight, it is unbearably hot, if you continue working, erecting the tent etc.

Outer shell is water repellent. I do not know the breathability because I took it off after half an hour due to the fact that I needed to erect the tent and to build a snow wall. The activity kept me cozy already so I did not need the jacket. I used it in and around the camp site, it performed amazingly well.

The only drawback was that I could not properly adjust the fit of the hood. It came off quickly if one kept going head on to the opposite course of the wind direction.

Down quality is good, I stuffed it in a small sized compression sack, it kept very little space in my backpack. Overall, very nice jacket.

Purchased this coat from a local dealer who is a friend of mine (hence the great price). Actually the day of purchase was a miserable, rainy, snowy, blustery day in which my son and I were leaving for an over-night backpacking trip. I put the coat on immediately as I left the store. It was raining cats and dogs. The coat repelled water like a canvasback goose. When we got to the trailhead, it was blowing so hard it was snowing horizontally. The actual temp. was probably 28 degrees and the sensible temp was probably 10 degrees as the wind was supposedly gusting to 40 to 50 mph. I was toasty. The coat behaved excellently.

The hood is generous in size. I believe it would cover a climbing helmet. As I said, the coat was absolutely waterproof and extremely warm. The fill is 700 weight down. While not as extreme as Marmot's 800 weight expedition parka, the Mountain Parka is adequate for all but the most extreme conditions. I would certainly purchase another should something happen to this. I generally have been pleased with Marmot's quality. This is coming from a diehard Mountain Hardwear fan.

Bought the jacket to use it as a belay parka for ice climbing. It's hot highly water resistant due to the membrane and the hood fits my helmet. The double zipper allows me to belay effectively and the many pocket let's me keep the chocolate bars handy. It stuffs up to around a 8 by 15 inch tube once really compressed. 

I also use it in the city. I like the fact that the hood is removable and rises up to the eyes, wich is good because on windy days it made a difference for me. I've used it as a hat more than once when I forgot/lost mine. The fact that there is a powder skirt is also pretty good as it keeps you hotter on the long belays.

I have the old version with the much tougher nylon on the exterior, the new version seems to have the same tissue everywhere. I don't like the tough of a down jacket without abrasion resistant reinforcement since there so fragile.

Of course, if you're carefull you oughtta be allright.