MEC Urbane Composite Jacket

Okay, let's get it straight. If you want to use this jacket, make sure it's cold, REALLY cold. Otherwise it's like standing in the boiler room of an old apartment complex. This jacket has the highest warmth-to-weight ratio that I have ever seen. The UC has a lot less bells and whistles than the Pamir or the Ferrata from MEC (see the reviews) but it is soooo warm. Awesome is an understatement.

Good stretchy outershell. Two handwarmer pockets and the coveted brushed chin guard, yay again. Backwards ass Canadian zipper, but who cares. Polartec Powershield High Loft is the material. It's just like regular old Powershield and the Lightweight Powershield, but it's a lot higher loft fleece against your skin. I was wearing this thing in the Rockies for seven days. After the third day, I was down to just a couple of T-shirts underneath. A little more weight than the others, but a good sacrifice for warmth. Maybe 2-3 ounces at the most. Get one and never buy another.

Two stars for the cut. If the sleeves were long enough and the torso long enough, it would be five stars.

The fabric is great, Polartec PowerShield High Loft. They claim 98% wind resistant/proof, and that is the great part. Outside, winter bike riding can get pretty warm, but that bit of breathability really helps. The fabric beads water and/or snow and resist abrasion. The fleece/fur seems to resist pilling.

If only MEC would create a "long/tall" version of the jacket, I would love to keep one. The price is right, the fabric is right, but the cut is WRONG. At six foot two inches, I just cannot recommend it.

The internal "high loft" fleece is just like fur, so not only does it work very well, it feels really nice. It will have you wearing it with a tee shirt when you could get away with less. Of course you'll have to leave the zipper mostly open or suffer the heat build up.