I needed a light but warm jacket and that's exactly what this is. It is very lightweight and looks quite thin, so I was afraid it wouldn't be warm enough, but I've worn it on windy near-freezing days with a sweater underneath and it's perfect. I stayed toasty without feeling overly bundled-up. It really does repel wind and rain (I haven't worn it in heavy rain, but it's fine in light rain.) The hood is really nice too - it fits perfectly without falling over my eyes at all, and kept me even warmer.
It is a little fitted so it doesn't look or feel bulky. The material was stiff when I took it out of the bag but it quickly softened up (and I haven't washed it yet). I bought the lilac and love the color and the trim.
LL Bean Customer Service gets five gold stars too -- the zipper on the pocket broke after I'd had the jacket several weeks. I emailed Customer Service to see what I needed to do for an exchange, and within five minutes I had a reply - they'd already ordered the replacement for me and were sending a return slip as well. Very easy and painless.
I recently purchased this jacket in classic red XS. Now I understand why this color hasn't been sold out for a long time. It is too orange to me. I bought my old lavender one small in 2007. I realized that the design had been changed. The old one must be much roomier than the new one. The old one is too big for me, so I ordered XS this time. I was very disappointed. The body of new one is way too tight. It is unbalanced with the very roomy sleeves. I really don't want a bigger size jacket because the sleeves will be even bigger. The design needs to be improved again.
I tried 3 types of Bean fleece jackets. The Wind-Challenger fleece is the most fitted looking. Its fleece isn't soft or thick; it's relatively smooth, fuzzy rather than furry. I like the colors and fit; but on a sunny, windless, 35 degree morning, with layers under it, I was cold. Maybe that's just not fleece jacket weather unless you're very active; I was just walking. In the 40's I think it's fine though. I also tried the Mt. Laurel fleece. It too is fitted, but the fleece is loftier; so the jacket is thicker. It has a dressier, less sporty look, more for doing errands than jogging, you might say. I also tried the Ascent Polartec Packaway fleece, the most expensive at the time I was ordering. It's between the other two in appearance--sportier than the Mt. Laurel, softer than the Wind Challenger, and fitted. It feels very soft; I didn't test its warmth but it claims to be the warmest fleece. One thing you should know is, rather than a drawcord at the bottom, the Ascent has elastic, which is comfortable but obviously not adjustable.
ProsDurable, Great Value, Comfortable, Performing as Expected, great fabric, runs small
I'm 5'4", 120 lbs, and usually a size 6-8 or size small. After reading the reviews, I purchased the hooded jacket in a large. Grateful that I did because the jacket size runs quite small, so I will still be able to wear a light sweatshirt or heavy t-shirt underneath. It's a nice jacket, and I love the fabric. It is amazingly lightweight. The color "wild aster w/purple horizon trim" is actually a deep fuchsia pink with purple horizon trim. It looks much different than the color shown on the website, which may be a problem for some people. I did not mind and thought the deep fuchsia is actually very pretty. The sleeves feel a bit awkward, as though the armholes were cut too tight for the size large. My arms are fairly slender, so I don't mind too much, but it seems like the pattern needs some adjusting at the armpits (or the factory was being sloppy with their cutting). This jacket is very close to being really outstanding!
Perhaps I'm not the typical shopper, but I'd rather have a winter coat fit comfortably over a layer or two instead of having a shrunken, fitted jacket that can only accommodate a thin t-shirt underneath. I avoid buying winter coats that barely cover my waist.
Thank you for your continued excellence and responsiveness to customer feedback, LL Bean!
