opriate to wear to work because it makes me look like a dirt-bag. So I wanted to get a second one to wear everywhere except the trail and keep the dirty one for the backwoods. Unfortunately, My house got messed up pretty bad and both my cars were totaled in Hurricane Mathew and a lot of the stuff I wanted or needed this winter had to be dialed down so I could afford repairs. Then I found this black Columbia Ascender soft shell and found it was half as much as the northface and even better, the one with the electric blue zipper was even less! I wasn't too keen on the blue zipper but after I wore it a while it grew on me and I love it now and glad I got it over the plain black on black. It was worth it both on looks and the bargain price.The following information is based on my opinion when comparing the NorthFace Apex Bionic to this Columbia Ascender:1. The Columbia is fitted in a way that is more complimentary to my shape. Its wider at the shoulders its slightly tapered at the waist and the sleeves are a little more snug compared to the Northface. the Columbia is more formfitting and is flattering to the body even if you don't have a perfect six pack body (which I definitely do not). The northface is generally more loose fitting and creates the illusion of a flattering body shape by the two tone color design (obviously not true of the (TNF Black on Black version).2. isulative ability i find that both jackets are equal in this area.3. Water resistance, both are very impressive, neither one is completely waterproof, and the Columbia I think is slightly better in this area.4. Comfort wise , advantage goes to Columbia. They have a fabric lining where the northface has fabric with a web like netting material in some sections. Both are comfortable Columbia is just more comfortable. also because of the way its fitted, the Columbia is more snug while the Northface is a little looser so if you are wearing this with your regular clothes to go to and from work or to wear a sweater while working outside in the cold, the Columbia will be comfortable. If you are doing winter Camping and spending long periods outside in freezing or sub freezing, then the Northface can accommodate more layers and fit more comfortably. I have worn a long sleeve compression Tee, thermals, cotton tee shirt, and hooded sweatshirt with wool lining and the North Face Bionic over the top and was warm and my movement was not restricted. Was able to hike in sub freezing temps, with good mobility and not need a heavy coat.If you are not hiking and just sitting still for several hours you will need a warmer coat but if you are active this will be adequate with sufficient layers. If you prefer the look of the Columbia and want to wear this many layers buy a size larger than your actual size.

stance at this point since I won't be using this for another 3ish months.The fit...I'm 6' tall and 250 lbs. Yes, I have a belly, 40-42" waist depending on the pants. The XL fits exactly as I'd hoped it would! Again, being August, no stores here have this jacket in stock, so trying one on in person is a no-go. Based on the sizing chart (chest size, specifically), this jacket fits just like I want it to. The sleeves fall just barely past the wrist. I'm excited for the cold weather to give me a reason to use this. The fleece lining inside is quite warm. I've had similar jackets and know this lining will be warm without adding bulk. As others have stated though, it will grip most materials, and has a tendency to create static cling... not a deal breaker for me, though!The black/blue combination is better than I expected too, but that's just personal preference.Columbia is quality all the way.

slightly water resistant. During heavy rain, it tends to start wicking rain but I never feel it from the inside. I don't recommend wearing just a soft shell below 50F, and instead layer up with a fleece or liner like Columbia's Mighty Lite.Overall: 5/5 stars

. The Velcro on the sleeves are good; I find myself adjusting them when I take on/off the jacket to keep wind from going up my arms (I live in a windy area).One thing about the jacket that bugs me is the collar; it never seems to lay down exactly right. If you 'pop' the collar, I think it looks weird and feels a bit weird too. I think I'm just picky though.It also seems to be a bit difficult to spot wash. I got some sawdust on me and it took a few days for the dust to go away and the color to go back to its deep black. No amount of brushing the dust off seemed to do the trick. Other things you may get on it seem to stick around for a while too, but will eventually fade away. The color after wearing it daily for a few months is still as dark as when I bought it.The jacket is warm, especially for just being a softshell. If you're looking to go play in the snow, Columbia has better options for you. This is more of a casually cold weather jacket.Would recommend.

impressed. The sleeves were unusually long, and they don't have any elastic or velcro in the wrists, so they just hang. I also found the forearms strangely tight, so that it was difficult to get my arms in when wearing long sleeves. I also though the rubber stamped north face logo looked cheap, compared to the stitched columbia logo. Definitely not worth $150.Marmot gravity: this is a nice jacket, but it had limited color selection, and the waistband was too tight compared to others. A good choice if you want black or grey and don't mind spending the $150.Oregon research ferrosi: also a good quality jacket, but much thinner than all the others. It doesn't have a soft fleece lining inside. It's more of just a shell. Its fabric is much more stretchy, which is nice for mobility, but it makes it look less crisp and more frumpy. Good for the trail, but not so good for casual use around town. Definitely not suitable for the office.The columbia was just right. Warm, but not too warm. Comfortable enough to wear on a hike. Attractive enough to wear to the office. My only complaint is that the velcro tabs at the wrist are a bit clunky, but they work well, and I'm glad to have them. I'm 5'11" 165lbs and the medium fit perfectly.Colors: be aware that the amazon pictures are pretty inaccurate. The boulder is a lighter grey than pictured. I think of it as "1980s sweatshirt grey". The graphite is a darker grey with a slight bluish tint. This is "postal worker uniform grey". The black is a stark black with a stark white logo. The blacks of the north face and marmot were softer and (to my eye) more attractive. The surplus green is darker than pictured, more of a forest green. I liked the green quite a bit (more than I expected) and kept it over the others.

and regular fleece doesn't block any wind. A capilene 3 base layer shirt plus this jacket is a perfect setup.The arms are just the right length and I don't need to mess with the velcro cuffs at all. I really like the chest pocket and the collar is just right; some are way too stiff and high.My only criticism is the slight tightness around my neck. Where the zipper starts to turn up, it sort of pokes my throat. A half inch larger neck opening would be a lot more comfortable. I'll probably just not zip it up all the way.I have a size large coming just out of curiosity, but I'm betting I'll keep the medium and return the large.Update: as expected, the large was way too big in the torso.

des and on the chest (1) The fabric feels great.

slim. This jacket is awesome, super warm on the inside and like it states in the description, has a sweatshirt feel to it. The outside feels nice and sleek, and lives up to being wind and water resistant.The fit is somewhat large on him, not width wise though. It looks like it's meant for some one tall and skinny. I bought him the smallest size but the quality of the jacket is really nice so he's willing to deal with a little bit longer than normal sleeves. The waist part is a little long too but it doesn't look bad. He also really liked that there were multiple pockets.Definitely worth, and when we bought this it was $60 - saw it in stores for $115 so felt like we got it for a steal! Recommend, just know it does fit larger than expected.