REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

I just picked this jacket up last week and took it on a three day packpacking trip that weekend in subfreezing temps. So I don't have tons of use with it yet but I'll give the jist so far. For starters, this jacket is not a competitor to the Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero parka (for the review below). That parka is designed to be a mountaineering jacket used in extreme conditions. It has a lower grade fill down and a tougher shell with a great DWR coating to repel snow and stand up to use in extreme conditions and exposure to sharp objects like crampons and ice axes. It is a fantastic jacket if that is your intended us for a down parka. This is not that jacket. The Antifreeze II is incredibly lightweight and rediculously warm. Lighter than the most down parkas with comparible warmth. It is also extremely compressible. The material for the outer and inner shell is comparible to the material that REI uses in their high end lightweight sleeping bags and this jacket feels as comfortable as one when you put it on. That being said the material is thin. It is intended to be a lightweight jacket. As far a durability goes I did take bushwacking and it scraped against some braches and brush and survived without a scratch. I was however being very careful as to where the jacket was hitting and avoided all possible branches. You do have to be a little cautious where you take it because it probably won't stand up to serious abuse. It has tapered sides which make it a lot more comfortable and not as poofy looking. The fit is standard to fit over a few layers (not larger like mountaineering jackets which are designed to fit over ALL of your outer layer). This standard fit keeps the jacket relatively close to you so your body doesn't have to heat up as much dead space before getting to the insulating down. And this jacket is incredibly warm (I've already said that but I can't over state how warm this jacket is). The hood is also a very nice feature for keeping in that extra heat and is removable when it's not needed. The fleece lining around the neck and the fleece wristcuffs are a nice touch and add to the overall warmth. Also the drawstring waist locks in that little bit of heat that would escape from the bottom. Now to the downsides. The zipper of this jacket is a little flimsy (I assume to save weight) and sometimes tricky to zip up. This is the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. For mine I have to make sure the zipper handle is held ALL the way down to the bottom of the coat before inserting the opposite part otherwise it won't catch and zip up or down. Kind of annoying but once you get the hang of it you don't really notice it. There also isn't any durable material between the zipper and outer shell of the coat, so if you go to zip the jacket up in a hurry, sometimes the shell gets caught in the zipper. This happened the first few times I tried to zip up the coat and I noticed some zipper lines in the shell but no real damage. So you have to take your time zipping this coat up or you risk repeated abuse to the shell. Also I've noticed some very minor down leakage from the seams of the coat. Nothing major but just a tiny more than I would like, but this will most likely slow down over time as all down pieces tend to leak a little down when you first use them. There also hasn't been much down leakage from the shell itself.In recap, I love this jacket. I haven't found a down parka that matches the Antifreeze II for warmth to weight. It's light, compressible, and as comfortable as a down sleeping bag. If you're looking for that kind of jacket, or you want a warm, lightweight winter coat to wear around town, then this is a great choice. If you're looking for a jacket that'll be exposed to a more harsh environment, or you're just tough on your gear than this may not be the jacket for you, and as the other reviewer stated the MH Sub Zero parka is a great place to look. I[...]Hope this helps.

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

I own the REI Antifreeze jacket (the precursor to this jacket), and it is by far the warmest and most compressible jacket I have ever owned. This updated version can only be better. The hood does wonders for warmth, and there are cinch cords at every opening that cold air could get in, so it keeps you warm by keeping cold air out. This jacket is especially useful for backpacking because it compresses down so small, and it is SO WARM. It is also wonderful for traveling because you can keep warm with it in the cold, and then when you get into a car or plane, you can stuff it into its stuff sack (included) and use it as a pillow. When you get out, just pop it out of the stuff sack and put it right on. To give you an idea of how warm this jacket is, I was warm outside in 20 degree weather last winter just wearing a t-shirt and this jacket for my upper body layers. This is a SPECTACULAR product.

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

The other reviews covered the good things about this jacket adequately, so I won't repeat them. One thing online shoppers should be aware of though, because you can't tell from the pictures, is that this thing has a shiny metallic sheen that makes you look like you're wearing a spacesuit. I got the black, but the shininess makes it look more like silver. If you're someone with a quieter fashion sense, be aware this jacket will make you look like a lunar explorer.

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

I tried this jacket on at my local shop and it fit nicely and seemed like it would be warm. I noticed the polyester material used felt a bit flimsy compared to the nylon used on Mountain Hardwear's jackets, but I figured with REI's satisfaction guaranteed policy, I'd give it a shot.I ordered online as the local store did not have the color I wanted. I picked it up shortly before closing and I was anxious to put it on as I had left my coat home and it was now 40F outside. As soon as I opened the package, I noticed there was a hole about twice the size of a ladybug with feathers popping out. I hadn't even put it on yet and it was ready to be returned.Because it was 40F outside I decided to put it on anyway while I called REI. Wearing only an REI tech tee and a pair of Under Amrour running pants, I actually started to sweat after 20m with the jacket zipped. I know 40F isn't that cold but that was impressive considering my lack of a proper base layer and the extreme light weight of the jacket. It's a shame the jacket is made so poorly that it rips before you even wear it.Anyway, the jacket is headed back to REI the day after I got it and I have already ordered the Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero parka. It cost me an extra $80 but having looked at both in the local store, I can see the MH is made a lot better and I expect it to hold up for some time.

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

I really wanted to like this coat. It's light, has a hood, baffled, and appears to be a great design. Best of all it doesn't say North Face or Mountain Hardwear out the outside – too many of those where I live. The first one I bought had so little down in one of the sleeve baffles that there was nothing but fabric for insulation. I replaced that one at the store making sure the sleeves had adequate down, but it appears the design of the sleeves doesn't provide adequate insulation. I bought the coat to wear in temperatures from 10 to -20F, which I think is appropriate for this type of coat. I live in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska, and we get lots of that kind of weather in the winter. I've worn the coat in temperatures for -5 to +15F so far. I can feel the cold coming through the inner sleeves even with a wool base layer and a light fleece jacket underneath. Today I climbed the mountain above my house in -5 weather in those base layers and an old MH Chugach synthetic coat, and I felt no cold in my sleeves. After I returned I took my dog for a short walk and switched the MH coat for the Antifreeze. Almost immediately I could feel the chill coming through the sleeves. The rest of the coat is very warm, but for me the sleeve design is a deal killer. I'm honestly very disappointed. I replaced a MH SubZero with this coat, because the MH coat was too short in the body. I'm 6'1", so I figured that was the coats style. It looks cool, but it leaks around the waist. The Antifreeze is a better cold weather design, but the choice to put less insulation in the inner sleeves is lost on me. This coat is going back.

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

I am very impressed with the cut, fit, and movement of this jacket. The cuffs are the best design I've seen and the hood and neck fit great. Just the right amount of down - most other brands (TNF, Cloudveil Down Patrol, Mtn. Hardwear SubZero) are a bit overkill, but I tend to run warm. I would say it's a nice compromise between an arctic parka and a down sweater. The zipper could be better but it hasn't been a serious problem. The jacket is so light and fits so well I can hardly tell I'm wearing it. I was looking for a jacket that would be warm enough at 20F with just a T-shirt underneath. Yesterday I tried exactly that and it passed. I have two gripes. First is with the fabric. It's the thinnest ripstop I've ever seen. I am remaining optimistic that it won't tear, but I wouldn't want to take this thing bushwhacking. If you want light weight and compressibility then I guess this fabric would be a plus. You could pack this jacket anywhere. My other gripe is that there are cold spots at the front of the elbows. I think they reduced the fill at these points to facilitate bending your arms, but when your arms are straight (which for me is most of the time) you can feel cold spots there. I am going to call REI to see if this was intentional or not. If it was, I'll live with it because otherwise it's a great product. If not, I will exchange it for a new one. Overall, this jacket is well put together. I could see Patagonia making something of comparable quality and charging [$]. I got this on sale for [$]!

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

I tried on multiple jackets in store...same problem on all...bi-directional zipper is small and will not start/mesh easily...not a good thing when having cold and wet hands in foul weather. I purchased another major brand down jacket instead.

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

I'm a lean guy and a medium fits pretty big on me. Other than that its great for casual cold weather wear as well as hiking/camping etc.

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

Jacket is super warm and puffy, and extremely comfortable. The main zipper is a little finicky, but isn't too bad. I love that the pockets are lined with fleece and that the hood is removable.

Comments about REI Antifreeze II Down Jacket - Men's:

There is no jacket that offers this much warmth for so little weight at such a reasonable price. Nothing comes close. The tapered cut of the jacket concentrates warmth where it is needed most. The fit is outstanding. The North Face Prism Optimus offers a similar combination of light weight and warmth, but for more than $100 additional. This jacket does not offer the ultimate in abrasion resistance and toughness, opting instead for light weight and low cost. When I use this jacket in rough conditions, I use a large, tough shell over it and this seems to work fine.