Rated 5 out of 5 by eschwebach Cool/cold weather fleece jacket
Buy this jacket now! I've owned it for less than a year but that includes fall, winter and spring here in MN and I wore it all three seasons. It is very warm and cuts the wind about 90% I would say. We had a pretty mild winter so I wore this jacket more than any other. If you are being active you can wear this jacket with a decent layer underneath well below freezing (about 20 deg F). IMO it is too warm for anything over 50 deg F, but I get hot easy. The coat is also very well constructed and shows no wear so far.
May 18, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by chas357 Wind Challenger Fleece Jacket
Excellent all purpose jacket. The weave is very tight so wind does not penetrate like other fleece yet it breaths so as not to overheat. The fit is loose enough to layer a light sweater underneath. The collar can be closed with the zipper to protect your neck in severe windy weather and is enclosed by fleece so as not to chaff your chin. Very nice design and function.
March 13, 2010
Rated 3 out of 5 by pickerdude51 sizing is the usual headache
I am 5' 11" tall and 185 # with a 31" pants inseam, so my upper body is a little longer than the average 6' guy, but also a tad shorter than a true tall ... so finding upper garments with sleeve lengths and upper body lengths that work is always a bit of a challenge .. the Large regular length Wind Challenger Fleece showed my belt buckle when reaching the arms overhead and was too short .. the Large tall was a tad too long in the body and sleeves, but I figured it would shrink a bit when washed and dried and would probably work ... well, it did shrink a bit in the arms and body length to perfection, but also shrunk around the chest so it ended up fitting tight to the armpits and chest ... one would think my 43" chest would still leave comfy layering room even after laundering, but no dice ... so I ordered an Extra large regular, as it is about 4" bigger in the chest and a bit less than 1" longer in the sleeves and body than a Large regular ... after washing, it fits perfectly in the arms and body length and the chest still has a good 4" or so overall of layering room around the chest under the armpits ... wisely, however, I actually ordered 2 Extra Larges, as I also know from long experience that Bean's fleeces tend to be somewhat whacko in the sleeve opening dimensions ... the sleeve opening can vary up to 2" on the same fleece and finding 1 fleece with the same dimension sleeve opening that is not so wide it slides down over your wrist onto the hand is also a problem ... well, 1 of the 2 received was perfect and the other 1 had a sleeve that was over 1" wider than the other sleeve, so that 1 is going back ... let those who have ears, hear.
April 25, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Vinosaur Great Jacket
I needed a new fleece jacket to wear since the Columbia fleece I had been wearing the last 3 years finally gave up. I ordered this one in black and LOVE it. It is lightweight, warm, and the fit is excellent.
I was a bit aprehensive about ordering the jacket without trying it on first, however, the fit is perfect and like everything else LLBean, the quality is in the details.
March 29, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by ColoradoGardener Favorite Fleece
This is my favorite fleece jacket, in fact I ended up buying it in 3 different colors. It fits well and is comfortable inside as well as outside on a cold day. Blocks the wind very well.
March 25, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by VickyL Best jacket I've ever bought
Very impressed with this jacket. It is nearly as cozy as polar fleece without the bulk or suffocating feel. Lightweight and easy to move in -- hardly heavier than a windbreaker, but provides excellent protection from wind and moderate cold. In very cold weather, you'd need to layer over a sweater.
I haven't been out in the rain in it, but expect it to be reasonably rain resistant.
I just ordered a second one because my son keeps stealing mine.
February 25, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by ExiledJedi Stops the wind in its tracks
I've purchased several Wind Challenger jackets, as well as the vest version, over the past few years. They are effective against cool temperatures in the 40-50F range (5-10C), and they make a great mid-layer when it gets below freezing outside. Don't let the light weight of this jacket deceive you! The windbloc fleece material has a completely windproof membrane in between the outer and inner fleece layers, which means that the wearer won't have a lot of body heat stolen away by a gust of cold wind. Light rain and snow won't get through either, but wear a raincoat as an outer layer when walking through a downpour.
This jacket also has plenty of pockets: a chest pocket for mobile phones, two front zip side pockets, and two internal mesh pockets. This is great for taking along hats, gloves, flashlights, and other items one might need for a walk or hike.
The only thing I want to note about this jacket is that after washing, it should either be air dried or, if you must using a drying machine, dried on LOW HEAT only for a short time. A few years ago, I put one of my older Wind Challengers in the drier and accidentally left the drier on medium heat. This caused the windbloc membrane to melt in some places (the fleece layers themselves were fine), resulting in misalignment of the inner and outer layers of the fleece where the melting occurred. I was able to pull and stretch the fabric back into shape for the most part, but the jacket never fit quite as well after that. Following this incident, I have generally air dried my Wind Challengers, or "half dried" them on low heat and let them finish drying in the open air. Overall this is a great product and I will continue to purchase it.
January 31, 2013
Rated 3 out of 5 by yearoundgolfer not for golf
This is fine for taking walks in brisk weather or out on the town but I wanted it for playing golf in windy cold conditions and it not suited for that unless you have a slippery layer underneath. Just too restricting a grabby for swinging a golf club. My other 'normal' fleeces work much better. Quality is very good as always so has become a non golfing jacket.
January 15, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Golfore Amazing!
This is the jacket for you if you want a jacket that will defend the wind, rain and cold! I replaced an older Poloartec fleece with this and could not be happier. I am 6ft tall and the large /regular is a perfect fit. This is a product i will continue to buy for years to come. I have the entire family wearing this style due to the elements it repels. Do not hesitate to buy, worth every penny it costs.
December 30, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Spiirose Satisfied with reservations, description lacking
Bascically, I am satisfied with this jacket but I must admit that buying by internet has its difficulties. Thus the color that I saw on my screen is significantly livelier than the jacket I recieved. The fit is good but indeed, as somone else commented, the sleeves are a bit tight for layering-- I am not a muscular type, if so, it would allow for even less layering.
LL Bean could be more precise as to what weather it is fit for-- I believe that in the past I have bought articles with clearer indications as to the degree range they are good for. Saying that the jacket is good for "complete protection for cold, windy weather" is rather vague. I have worn the article for 10 days now and it works very well inside an unheated Spanish country house in light winter conditions and is fine outside with minimal layering underneath in the 40° to high 30s range but, admitting that I am a bit cold-blooded and over 60, when it gets to the middle to low 30s it needs more layering if you are not very active.
December 28, 2012
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