The North Face Men's ThermoBall Eco Jacket, Black / XL

The jacket is not advertised as being a slim fit, but it is. I found the forearms a bit tight, and I am not that muscular. But the worst thing is, you cannot unzip the jacket with one hand. You must use two hands and fiddle with it until eventually the zipper comes free. It's made by YKK, which is a normally top-of-the-line brand, except it's thin plastic. I'm told by the store representative that all the jackets of this type are hard to unzip. Vanity Fair, you need to fix this it looks pretty, but it is not functional. I have returned mine.

Okay, this is long but worth the read.I'm somewhat of a TNF snob and have countless pieces of clothing, backpacks, gloves, hats, etc. I'm 6ft and hover between 175 and 180lbs, I am a medium in everything from TNF.I wanted to love this jacket, I first ordered medium. I knew this item was slim cut before ordering but the shoulders were so restrictive it was hard to move. Driving, for instance, made the shoulder area so tight I was afraid it would rip. The sleeves would ride up 2 to 3 inches above my wrist if I did something like tie my shoes.Long story short I traded for a large which had an equally terrible fit for different reasons. It looked like I was wearing a pillow case so I returned that too.This item might be fine if you literally do not move your ... MoreOkay, this is long but worth the read.I'm somewhat of a TNF snob and have countless pieces of clothing, backpacks, gloves, hats, etc. I'm 6ft and hover between 175 and 180lbs, I am a medium in everything from TNF.I wanted to love this jacket, I first ordered medium. I knew this item was slim cut before ordering but the shoulders were so restrictive it was hard to move. Driving, for instance, made the shoulder area so tight I was afraid it would rip. The sleeves would ride up 2 to 3 inches above my wrist if I did something like tie my shoes.Long story short I traded for a large which had an equally terrible fit for different reasons. It looked like I was wearing a pillow case so I returned that too.This item might be fine if you literally do not move your arms. For the first time I am going to a competitor, I think anyone reading this knows who that competitor is.North face if you're listening. Make these a tad larger and with a little bit of stretch and you might have the best jacket on the market!

I've used this jacket for winter backpacking, winter climbing, Nordic skiing, and as a causal downtown jacket.It's stylish and functional. I've never had any cold spots and it retains warmth better than any other synthetic jacket I've used. The water repellency is decent, BUT it dries SUPER quick, and unlike down jackets still keeps you toasty when damp.I use all my gear hard/ around fire and sharp tools and I haven't scratched or ripped this jacket at all, there isn't even a stain on it.Great outer layer in dry conditions mid-30 degrees and above and great mid layer for anything below freezing.I might buy a second one with the hood just as a backup because I love this jacket so much. And the price is completely fair.Self-packs down to about 10 x 4 inches if ... MoreI've used this jacket for winter backpacking, winter climbing, Nordic skiing, and as a causal downtown jacket.It's stylish and functional. I've never had any cold spots and it retains warmth better than any other synthetic jacket I've used. The water repellency is decent, BUT it dries SUPER quick, and unlike down jackets still keeps you toasty when damp.I use all my gear hard/ around fire and sharp tools and I haven't scratched or ripped this jacket at all, there isn't even a stain on it.Great outer layer in dry conditions mid-30 degrees and above and great mid layer for anything below freezing.I might buy a second one with the hood just as a backup because I love this jacket so much. And the price is completely fair.Self-packs down to about 10 x 4 inches if you need that, not a bad camp pillow either!If you need a new mid layer or just a better version of what you already, have look no further!