The North Face MET5 Jacket

I have had North Face products that were great... not the case here. The MET 5 worked fairly well for almost a year. The control mechanism was awkard to use and sometimes shut itself off. After it completely stopped working I sent it back to The North Face for repair and they informed me I purchased a second and because I did not have my receipt they would not honor the warranty.

I assured them I did not and my wife who purchased the item for me as a gift paid full price from a very reputable store. After much frustration and sending the jacket back several times THEY DID NOTHING. Poor customer service. I am still working to get my original jacket repaired or some sort of credit applied, but after this I don't think I will buy another North Face product.

Read the warranty carefully, watch where you purchase the product, and SAVE YOUR RECEIPT! They look for any excuse not to repair the product and honor their warranty.

Oveall the jacket worked well, but the controls on the newer MET 5 jackets are awkward and have a tendency to turn themselves on and off at will. Overall it's not really worth the money, but it's a great gimmick.

It's extremely warm and I use it instead of wearing most bulky jackets. Of course, you cannot wear anything thicker than a T-shirt underneath, but no worries. Just turn on the heating unit and you are warm. The thoracic pads are all you need! I've used this jacket for temps as low as 38F and was perfectly comfortable. The jacket is also wind resistant and keeps the draft out. Worth every penny. I actually have two of them! I have both the 2003 version and the 2004.