I have worn 3-in-1 jackets for the past 20 years. For a long time, I was a fan of a big name American manufacturer, and my first jacket lasted for years. Then I had a series of the supposedly same model of jacket, but the zippers would fail after about 2 years and the number of pockets kept decreasing.I bought this jacket because it was under $100 and had features I wanted, including the very necessary waterproof outer shell. I walk my dogs in all weather, so I really need a waterproof outer shell. I figured the zipper and the Teflon coating would last two seasons, which would mean I'd get the same wear out of the jacket as I would have from the big name brand, whose zippers notoriously fail.With respect to fit, I would be between the medium and the large. I opted to go with the large and it is a bit large. That's okay. I can layer underneath to extend the temperature range. If you prefer the snugger fit or don't plan to layer, then go with the recommended sizing.The construction has some nice features and one serious design flaw. The nice features include the underarm vent. I would prefer a pit zip, but this is one of the areas that the company used for cost control. The outer shell has 3 exterior pockets, which is nice. The puff jacket has two. There are no interior pockets, which is again a cost-cutting decision. I very much appreciate the adjustability in the waist as well as the outer shell sleeves and around the hood. This is a nice feature. The Teflon coating made the water just shed off the jacket, which was awesome!The 3-in-1 design fit together as I'd expected. For those unused to the design, the inner jacket zips into the outer one, and the zipper is typically hidden under a flap on the outer shell. To secure the sleeves, there's usually some sort of loop on the puff jacket through which you thread a snap closure that's attached to the outer jacket. There's also a loop and snap near the collar.The one serious design flaw lies in the sleeve loop. The loop is so small that the snap barely fits into it. I struggled to push the snap through. I suggest the company enlarge this loop for an easier fit. The hood is quite large. I would recommend wearing a hat under it because the wind will whistle around your head and make you cold.I haven't had the jacket long enough to attest to the warmth. I can say that I've worn both layers at 22F (-5.5C) and been very warm. I have worn the inner puff jacket at the same temperature for a short trip to the mailbox and been okay. I would expect to keep warm to about 15F (-9C), but I think that even if I layered, I'd be pushing it to go much lower, unless I was doing a lot of physical labor like shoveling my driveway.Overall, I think this jacket is excellent value for the price.
Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]