Rated 5 out of 5 by PecanProprietor Nice Jacket!
A warm jacket with great styling - a bit dressier than your typical fleece. I ordered mine in a medium (which I typically wear) and the fit was perfect.
February 26, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by MacDaniel Highly recommended but not at this price.
irst. This is an exceptionally good looking and comfortable jacket.
Some facts. I'm 6'4" and wear a LL Bean tall, large jacket. this jacket is a nearly perfect fit. Like other reviewers observed it can be a little snug in the shoulders and arms. The first time i tried it on it was too snug, when a light sweater was taken off the Jacket was totally comfortable. So you are not going to wear this jacket with lots of underneath layers. It's external pockets, particularly the hand pockets, are great. Also, in spite of a number of reviewers complaints about the collar, the ability to zip the collar up all the way is for me ( with a large neck ) a very big plus. A final thoughts about pockets, to my great annoyance the two inside pockets are fractionally too small for an iPAD, not a mini. Just another quarter of an inch and this jacket would be perfect.
It's important that any would be purchaser of this jacket know about just how warm it is. LL Bean says it's comfort range is down to MINUS FIVE DEGREES F. Not a chance. DO NOT TRY IT. Let me compare this jacket with two LL Bean jackets purchased over a year ago - The Northwoods and the Allagash. Both of these jackets are perfect. They have about same weight inner lining: the Northwoods is a heavy cotton and I find it comfortable from the mid 50 deg F down to the low 40 deg F, the Allagash is a wonderfully warm wool jacket and I wear it from the the mid 40 deg F down the mid 20 deg F. The last few weeks have exceptionally cold for the SF bay area, and I have warn this Wool Soft-Shell Jacket comfortably down to the mid 30 deg F. However, when it's damp and/or windy I'm uncomfortable in the low 40's. I'm outside for many hours and when it gets cold the Allagash wool jacket is the only choice.
OK. I really like this Wool Soft-Shell Jacket. Over the years it will be well warn. But as far as recommending it: Not at $159. Mine was purchased at an sale price of $44. WOW! Personally, that's the price range that this jacket should be sold for. Don't ignore the fact that this jacket MUST be dry cleaned.
An afterthought, The Northwood has buttons. The Allagash has good snaps. This jacket has, as mentioned, zippers. Snaps are far, far better than buttons, but zippers are the best choice.
January 15, 2013
Rated 3 out of 5 by jmak4man Awkward fit
I am 160 lbs. and wear 15.5" neck x 34" sleeve shirts. I ordered a large (which is usually the size I wear in unfitted shirts), but the fit was too roomy for my liking. The jacket seems to be good quality in the construction, but the fit just doesn't work for me (it kind of resembles a box with sleeves). The price is a bit high and it is dry clean only.
January 12, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by sweetwaterguy Excellent cool weather jacket
I just received this jacket yesterday. It is clear this jacket will be an excellent cool weather jacket--not cold weather. I read a number of reviews before buying, and the most common complaints were about fit and comfort in cold weather. As for fit, I am 69 years old, 6'5" and about 215 pounds. I wear a 36 sleeve on my shirts. Bean clothing in my size--Large, Tall--have been consistent and fit well. This jacket is no exception. It is a snug fit. You would add layers over it, not under it if you are wearing layers to be warm. Otherwise, you should order a larger size.
Regarding cold weather comfort, this jacket wasn't designed for cold weather, nor is it windproof. This jacket is what the catalog says it is. From my perspective, it is an attractive medium weight jacket that will work well in moderate winter or spring and fall temperatures.
My only complaint is that is only 40% wool and dry clean only.
January 5, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Wanabe Good Stuff!
Very comfortable for this no longer can fly snow bird suffering in 30 to 50 degree temperatures.
December 19, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by BostonCPA Would recommend but,
Nice fabric, great detail work, and it fits well.
In terms of fit, I ordered a large, and measure 5'11" 175lbs and it fits like a tailored jacket should not overly roomy, but not to snug.
The fabric is good quality, however it is not heavy weight nor is it wind resistant. After a month of wearing in New England during November and December, the jacket is warm for temperatures above 32 degrees. I would not recommend for "cold" below freezing days without an additional warm layer. Other than the temperature rating, the jacket lives up to my expectations.
December 6, 2012
Rated 2 out of 5 by MCBeans Nice but not warm
Regretfully, I'm sending this jacket back. I like the styling and it's comfortable. The problem is it doesn't keep me warm and it's definitely not windproof. I'm not sure what they mean by wind resistant. I wore it on a 47 degree day with some wind and I was cold in the jacket. I generally get warm in jackets. Wore it a couple more times and came to the conclusion it's good for 50 degrees or above. I need a jacket for temperatures between 25 and 50. I thought I could add a sweater to help out, but the jacket fits too snug in the chest to add any bulk.
February 24, 2012
Rated 1 out of 5 by Mark59047 looked good on paper
This looked like a great jacket and it probably is if you have narrow shoulders, long arms, a huge neck and a big gut. It has to be the worst fitting jacket I've ever owned. I don't like sending things back even though LL Bean makes it easy, so I plan on using this as a liner. The material is great but the fit is a big disappointment.
February 20, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by DCBikeCommuter Nice (for the sale's price)
Nice, well constructed jacket, but as others have said, a bit odd on the sizing. I bought this on sale at my local LL Bean store and had intended to get a large, which is what I normally wear in the numerous pieces of LL Bean outerwear I already own. The large was tight in the shoulders and across the chest; the XL fit better in both areas without the sleeves being noticably longer. The term "soft shell" is a little misleading since the wool fabric is a bit stiff--I personally prefer that--so that this jacket hangs more like a casual jacket than a technical one.
I've already worn it in the cold, rainy weather just hitting the mid-Atlantic and it performs very weill. Chin guard would be nice as the zipper is a little irritating when the neck is zipped all the way up.
Pockets are excellent with two zippered handwarmer pockets, a zip chest pocket with an additional insert to keep your MP3 player in place and open pockets on the inside of the jacket.
Conclusion, good solidly built, attractive, functional jacket for a wide variety of purposes, but with a fit that does not make it a real alternative to a true technical soft shell.
January 17, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 Solid winterwear
This jacket is great if you're looking for something that's a bit nicer than a fleece but more casual than a peacoat. The wool blend material is soft, and it seems durable enough to wear in an outdoor setting. For everyone choosing the tall option: I'm 6'3" 190lbs and the tall large fits well. Finally sleeves that fit! It leaves some room to layer as well (not ultra fitted around the waist). All in all a quality jacket.
January 9, 2012
Zoom in
Zoom out
Reset
