The North Face Heathen Jacket

So after doing tons of research and wracking my brain for a good hardshell jacket, I decided to purchase the TNF Heathen in men's large. Initially I was thinking about another shell membrane like Hyvent Alpha but decided to go with the Pro Shell jacket.

As for fit, it's pretty good. Unlike alpine climbers (I'm not), I don't really care for performance fit garments. I have a wide torso, chest, and shoulders which means I can't squeeze into a medium. I purchased a large and it fit nicely. The arms are a tiny bit long but I prefer long arms to super tight shoulders and torso. I'm a stocky 5'9" at about 185 lbs. If you're slender, go with the medium.....if you're stocky, do yourself a favor and go with large.

The features are pretty standard with a pro shell jacket of this caliber. I was surprized it didn't have pit zips, but now that I think about it, I like the venting coming from the front pockets....easier access in my opinion. The zips are standard water resistant and work well (no snagging).

The only disappointing feature in my mind is the face fabric. It's only 20D nylon and has me concerned about long term abrasion resistance. I would prefer something like the 30D or 40D on some of their other Summit Series shells. The tradeoff here is weight and feel. It's uber light and the fabric feels almost like a softshell....not like a plastic freezer bag like a lot of Arc-T shells. If the shell ends up being super durable, it'll be amazing.

I'll update on waterproofness and outdoor functionality once I get a chance to (weather permitting).