Patagonia Powder Bowl Jacket

Summary

A clean, sturdy jacket that reeks of quality.

I bought this jacket at a super discount about a year ago, and looking back I cannot believe how lucky I was to find it; I payed 1/4 of the price for what is arguably the best piece of outdoor clothing I have ever owned!

I have been using the jacket (and pants) mostly for skiing, but also for a few weekends out with the snowmobile. For skiing, this jacket is definitely doing the job. A few things that I like about it:

• Great breathability
• Very resistant to abrasion
• Powder skirt + loops connecting pants and jacket to keep that pesky snow from finding a way in

I am a fairly large person, and though that the XL would pose some problems for layering, which is usually the case for me. The Powder Bowl gives me none of those problems, as I could easily fit two layers underneath and probably even a third if need be.

Also, the fabric does a great job of breathing. This was especially obvious when I managed to get my snowmobile stuck in drift snow during a weekend trip: about half an hour with the shovel and some heavy lifting/dragging made for a decent workout. I was pretty much expecting to be soaking wet after getting the snowmobile out, but I was happily surprised that it was not even half as bad as I thought; damp, yes, but definitely manageable.

I find the jacket to be extremely comfortable, and with very clean looks. The build is solid, with the pockets standing out with taped, easy to open/close zippers. The only bad thing I can come up with is that the buttons are made out of some kind of flimsy plastic; replace those with a sturdier material and I would say this jacket has no drawbacks at all.