This is a great sweatshirt. Perfect for everyday wear for cooler fall or spring temps. In most brands I'm a medium but needed a small in this so it seems to run a bit large. I was disappointed the inside of the sleeves is not fleece but rather a nylon lining. Not as nice when your wearing short sleeves underneath. Otherwise it's to have & I get a lot of use out of it.
I like everything about this sweatshirt, except the zipper. I wish the zipper "handle" was something other than metal so it wouldn't "bang" around in the dryer. A small, but noisy thing :-)
Overall, this is a very comfortable hoodie and one I will likely buy again. Fit is true to size (I'm a 42" chest/36" waist and the large is fitted but not overly snug). Shell is soft cotton, lining is fleece berber with what feels like nylon in the sleeves - wears more like wearing a midweight jacket than a typical hooded sweatshirt. Triple stitched seams suggest durability, though I have never had a hoodie come apart at the seams so this may be more of a gimmick.
I felt a few features were lacking or could be improved, but I definitely like it enough to keep. The hidden pocket inside the pouch is made of a thin nylon or poly mesh with a velcro closure and I wouldn't want to keep anything sharp (keys or a pocket knife) in it. The design could be drastically improved with a soft, durable cotton or cotton/poly canvas to match the color of the shell, with a snap closure. This would help the concealed nature of the pocket and also be less prone to snagging or fraying.
The other feature I felt was lacking, being familiar with the Katahdin Iron Works brand line, was the customary Nor'Easter water resistant cotton finish. Not that this would or should ever be worn as a rain jacket, but it would be a nice feature to have in case of the occasional fall sprinkle or winter flurry.
Overall, it was a steal at the reduced price I paid, but would only be comfortable paying full price if these features were incorporated in the design. Still recommended buy for a warm sweatshirt, everything else is icing on the cake.
I bought large for him in Barley and he was not excited. He complained that the sleeves are restrictive. I tried it (the large) on my small frame (I am xs misses in llbean - for reference). It was good looking on me! Big, swallowy-flowy, all in a good way. For sure comfy. I recommend it for comfort for both men and women. To me barely was a nice, neutral desert color.
