Great, lightweight, warm down jacket with awesome hood - Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket - Men's

Lots of people are obsessed with ultra light gear. I personally just want my gear to last for a long time and still be pretty light. I think this jacket fits the bill perfectly. It seems really well made and rugged for a down jacket. The hood is awesome. I love that it can cover my mouth when it gets really cold and the soft fleece at the chin is comfortable. I like the draw strings on the hood and the hem. The system at the hem makes it so the strings don't dangle out of the coat when tightened. The zipper on the opposite side (because it's made in the UK) doesn't bother me in the slightest. I wouldn't ever pay full price for it, but that's because I'm cheap. So getting it at almost half price on camp saver was perfect.

At just over a pound, I will totally use this backpacking in the mountains (where it drops into the 30's or 40's Fahrenheit at night). I've worn it in 32 degree Fahrenheit and was warm. As it dropped into the 20's I got a little cold, but not bad. Even in the 20's the hood kept my head completely warm. This was with only a t-shirt on, so a light base layer or even fleece would take the comfortable temperature for this jacket down even lower (at least for me).

Lastly, I'm 5'10" and 190 lbs. I have a 43-44 inch chest and thought I would need the XL. However, the XL was way too big. I have broad shoulders and long torso, and the large was perfect for me. There's plenty of room for movement and layering, but it's snug enough to keep me warm.