Mountain Hardwear Hooded Compressor Jacket

I've worn 3 generations of the compressor and this one is by far the best. Its so warm that I really haven't found the "go to" use for it yet. I use it under my hardshell and at camp while everything else is drying out. the medium fit well, a little snug in the shoulders, but its not a concern since I most likely won't be climbing in this jacket. The hood on this version is slightly larger than previous versions but still not large enough to comfortably fit over a helmet, but the hood isn?t bulky so it fits well under a climbing helmet. The large was much larger and didn't hug my body well enough to keep me warm. Some may call the fit athletic, the jacket is cut slim and straight and does not cater to us V back individuals. (175#, 5/11, 41" chest, 31" waist) ordered the medium, very happy with the fit, enough room for my baselayer (250) or a light fleece without looking bloated. Its smooth, low profile and doesn?t hang below my Arc Alpha SV. It breaths well, and capable of being warn comfortably in warmer temps, and will save your butt when the mercury drops. the jacket also stops quite a bit of wind and repels snow well?standing outside in 60kph winds with blowing ice/snow was as tolerable as it sounds. As another reviewer mentioned, the radiance is really a yellow with a blue liner. very disappointing mountain hardwear makes great gear, but their colors really suck. This isn?t your typically wear around town jacket, is a performance piece designed specifically to layer under a shell. Its also a nice piece to have during the shoulder seasons when unexpected cold snaps come in.
I haven?t had any issues with the fabric, its tougher than it appears, but not bullet proof.

This is my second Hooded Compressor. The first one had an unfortunate mishap with a tree while skiing and ripped open. (only downside is it is a bit delicate) I bought a Marmot jacket after the first MH ripped but I will always go with Hardware from now on. Other than being a little delicate the jacket is unbelievably warm for how light it is. I have been skiing in weather near 30 below 0 with windchill and was still toasty. The jacket is advertised as a layer but I rarely wear anything but a T-shirt underneath. The older version of this coat did not have the stretchy cuffs on it and took on quite a bit of snow on powder days but not anymore! Hood is a life saver on windy days and fits nicely over a helmet but sinches down well without one. Plenty of pockets to keep your thing and keep your hands warm. Lower pockets have a soft fuzzy interior that is very comfortable and adds to the warmth. This jacket is a 10 out of 10! As long as you avoid sharp objects ripping will not be a problem.

Size: Typically my arms are too long for a large, but the little stretchy cuff on these compensated nicely for that, allowing me to not have to bump up to the XL.
This jacket is super light and warm. I got the Nilas at the same time and my son and I rolled down the windows when it was about 5 degrees outside and drove down the highway. Not very scientific, but stayed toasty warm and compared favorably with the Nilas--at least in the short term.
In the end one of our favorite things about it is that it just plain looks really sharp.

I love this jacket! I originally ordered it to layer underneath my ski jacket shell and it works great for that and keeps me a good temperature no matter how warm or cold it is. This jacket also works awesome just as a casual jacket to wear by itself. Looks great and feels amazingly comfortable. Buy it! Worth every penny. I am six foot and 175 pounds and I got the large and it is a little long but perfect in the sleeves.

I used this in a very rainy middle east - it kept me warm and dry and dried quickly after the rain stopped. It compresses well and fits in my carry on easily. I love that the insulation is less on the sleeves - makes it easy to work while wearing it.