The North Face Amplitude TriClimate Jacket

I really didn't want to be "that guy" with a North Face jacket like a huge majority of college kids, but hey, at least I'm not rocking the black softshell like the rest of the world. Do you get a free bowl of soup if you buy it or what? Hey, I'm just kidding. It looks good on you though!

More seriously, the deal was too good to pass up. The jacket has kept me warm without extra layers down to 30 degrees. When it dips below freezing it's best to toss on another fleece layer but then you are golden. It's stylish, and definitely a civilian jacket just as much as a backpacking jacket, but I use it for both.

In 4 season backpacking it was nice to zip out the liner when we were on the move and then put it back in as soon as we hit camp. It has pockets in all the right places and of course the pit zips are critical.

I'm not entirely sure the hood will accommodate a ski/climbing helmet, which is a drawback. Also, a powder skirt would have been sweet, but maybe I'm being optimistic.

Know that for just staying warm around town and looking nice, this jacket is awesome. For winter backpacking (a bit heavy for summer) this jacket is good/decent, and for action sports you might want to look elsewhere depending on your needs.

This is a great 3 season jacket. It's fully waterproof, it's kept the snow out, kept me dry in a down pour and warm in the cold and the strongest of winds. I live in Virginia Beach, and got to test it out at the ocean front in a hurricane. I also recently tested it in the snow on a day hike, stayed dry and warm.

The inner coat can also be worn separately and you can snap in other North Face fleece and jackets with the 3 point system.

The jacket features vents under the arm which are very useful for venting heat when you start to sweat.

Overall I really like the jacket, it's also stylish, the only downside is this jacket weighs in at about 2.8oz, almost 3 lbs.

It is fairly compressible when you stick it in a compression sack, but if you do, I suggest taking out the inner liner.

Overall I am very happy with this jacket.