Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero Parka

If you're looking for a jacket to keep you warm, this will do it. But the cut on this jacket is odd. The sleeves run short for a puffy jacket. A puffy jacket will always require more play in the sleeve length because when you move your arms, the puffiness of the sleeves won't have typical drape and flow.

Mountain Hardware could have easily resolved this with either a longer sleeve but preferably an inner fleece cuff. The jacket utilizes Velcro tabs on the sleeves to close up and make the otherwise roomy opening tight, but these are awkward and uncomfortable if cinched tight to work out the kinks of the sleeves. You end up with a big puffy sleeve narrowed and puckered on the end by the wrist. If the jacket had inner fleece cuffs to hold the sleeves in place, I'd rate it with 4 stars.

The length of the jacket is sweet, top thigh and the chamois lined collar which zips high and lined hand warmer pockets are great. The jacket is also very light, fluffy and compresses into a stuff sack.