Marmot mens Guides Down Hoody Jacket

Been wearing this model of Marmot Guides Down Hoody for ~7+ years. I had several+ top brand name expensive parkas with 550 down and heavy thick non breathing shells even though they stated good venting fabric and they all weighted ~6-7 times more and I sweated in them everyday all day and they where very difficult to wash too. This jacket is super light weight, easily washes, dries good in the clothes dryer and is good at very cold -35C temps. See my video review!

Been wearing this model of Marmot Guides Down Hoody for ~7+ years. I had several+ top brand name expensive parkas with 550 down and heavy thick non breathing shells even though they stated good venting fabric and they all weighted ~6-7 times more and I sweated in them everyday all day and they where very difficult to wash too. This jacket is super light weight, easily washes, dries good in the clothes dryer and is good at very cold -35C temps. See my video review!

The Marmot Mens Guide Jacket is generally well designed and constructed with excellent sewing, good zippers, adjustable cuffs and bottom hem, very large inner and outer zip chest pockets, and generous dimensions in the arm-to-shoulder area for comfort and ease of movement even with multiple under-layers of clothing. I normally wear mens size XL, but for maximum layering capability, comfort and warmth (butt coverage) in this garment, I ordered size XXL. I recommend this strategy for this jacket for best results, since getting your normal size will not reduce the dork appearance factor of a hooded down jacket! The Marmot Mens Guide Jacket has one glaring flaw - a significant lack of down fill! It appears Marmot chose to make this jacket a higher-margin product by cheaping-out on the most expensive component - the goose down. Marmot could easily double or triple the amount of down in the jacket's baffles for a substantial improvement in insulating capability. Compared to my old REI down jacket which I got on closeout for $50, the Mens Guide Jacket seems rather anemic with regards to loft and the potential for this jacket to keep one warm in sub-freezing weather. It is ironic Marmot claims this garment to be "constructed using 700-fill down with water-resistant Down Defender to keep you warm and dry", and then you get the product and immediately observe by look and feel that someone in Vietnam apparently spilt half the goose down on the sewing room floor. Having observed my Mother construct a Frostline down jacket many years ago, I know it can be difficult to keep the down in the baffles as you sew. However, I am fairly certain the Marmot Guide Jacket is missing down fill by design to reduce cost, but contain just enough down to satisfy customers unfamiliar with down insulated products. This jacket had potential, let down by this single poor design decision. I bought mine for less than half the list price, so I may keep it unless I find a better deal. This was my first Marmot product purchase. I am aware Marmot has have been around for decades, and up until I received the Guide Jacket was under the impression they were a producer of top tier outdoors gear. I now see Marmot are not immune to the widespread practice of turning out substandard product deftly disguised as a thing worth more. I deducted 2 stars from my Overall rating for the disappointment I feel in this missed opportunity.

I bought this as I've moved to the cold and wanted a warmer jacket. It supposedly has 700 power down when 800 power jackets go for over $600 (e.g.mountain hardware absolute zero). Don't know if the Chinese were short of geese, but it probably has about half that insulation. I you need a really warm jacket, cough up for something better...

Really good feel fits great looks great but it’s not near enough thickness for cold weather of northern states gets much more colder than this jacket can handle this only a spring and fall jacket it was meant for hard cold temperatures so I’m a little disappointed only that it’s only good for around 40 degrees Fahrenheit I need a jacket keep me warm in the below zero temperatures on up to 20 degrees above Fahrenheit This is not for extreme cold other great jacket .