My wife and I bought the same style jacket only in different colors (neither of us were the type to get color matching jackets). We've been pleased overall with the performance of the 3-in-1 here in Maine. My wife wore hers on a trip to rainy Scotland in November and it kept the wind out which was especially important with 50mph gusts. We've found the jackets to be warm and water repelling too which is great as we've had some snow and freezing rain lately. We like the number of pockets the jacket has and the soft fleece inner layer. The jacket isn't too bulky which can make layering difficult in the winter. The two improvements we think should be made for next years models: #1) The lower front pockets are shear-thin on the inside. On a cold night, you can forget about putting your hands in your pockets as the back of you hands press up against the jacket's cool outer layer and the inside is paper thin between the outer layer and the inside fleece liner. I have an old LL Bean Parka style jacket that has fleece lined pockets which would be much more welcoming. Maybe it's a marketing ploy to buy LL Bean gloves (which I did and I love)Improvement #2) For some reason the front zipper protrudes out like a middle boob when it's zipped up and you sit down. The zipper sections lies flat while standing, but once I sit in the driver's seat, it protrudes out like a horn. I actually tried the next size down to see if the jacket was too big, but we had the same results. Not a big deal, just an observation. Overall, the coat is warm, looks nice, and has served us well in wind and rain. I would recommend it to a friend.
Wonderful jacket but runs small. My hubby wears an XL in everything, but this XL was tight in the shoulders and under his arms. He loved the look and feel, but not the sizing
ProsDurable, Great Value, Comfortable, Performing as Expected
i live in the snowbelt area onlong lake erie. the weather changes constantly, often times in a single winter day one can experiance, bright and sunny, to sharp dips in the tempurature, to biteing cold winds off the lake with copius amounts of snow. What i like about my coat is its versitilitiy, and the fact that it keeps the wind, rain, and snow out, keeping me warm and dry. i am active, so for me i'm comfortable, even in colder temps.
Bought this coat with the expectation I would be warm enough to at least the 20 F degree upper temperature that it was rated for without extra layers other than a regular long sleeve shirt. I found it was only good to maybe 40 F and above without extra layering. Outer material seemed to be oddly cool in colder weather and that combined with the pockets that are intended to be vents when open made the jacket seem cooler than expected. Also the pockets are not lined and the outer material feels colde against your hands and additionally since they are intended to be vents allow cold air in.
This jacket seems better suited to late spring or early fall in my opinion than winter. That is unless you are really out exercising in it or layering up an additional fleece and shirt.
Too bad because the fit and style are spot on. I returned it since it really did not meet my needs.
Response from L.L.BeanBy L.L.Bean Product Team, December 28, 2010
Thank you for posting your comments. It's always great to hear feedback about our current designs. Customer insights often help us recognize a need and make our products even better. Our comfort ratings system is based on wearing the jacket with appropriate winter base layers. We do have a redesign planned for this jacket, which includes an added PrimaLoft liner to improve the warmth. It will be available in January 2011. Once again, thank you for taking the time to share your suggestions.
