Marmot Mountain Down Jacket Review

The Marmot Mountain Down Jacket brings together the best features of 36 years of making down jackets. In the early days, Marmot would test out jackets and sleeping bags in meat lockers. They've come a long way since then, but they are still dedicated to making versatile, durable and functional down jackets. Here's a video clip detailing Marmot Down. Marmot guarantees this jacket for life.

Marmot Mountain Down Jacket on the Slopes

My friends quickly named this coat "The Green Monster". Yes it's big, but it doesn't feel bulky. I've tested down jackets that are not as thick, but they are not nearly as warm as this jacket. Marmot says, "The Angel Wing Movement™ lets you move like a human, not a snowman." I can say that is true. I never felt confined or felt like the jacket was getting in my way, even while moving up and down telemark skiing.

Marmot MemBrain® Shedding Snow

The outer layer of the Jacket consists of the Marmot MemBrain® 2L 100% Nylon Twill Rip 3.5 oz/yd. This fabric is waterproof and breathable. As you can see from the picture the snow beads up on the fabric. This is by no means a rain jacket, but it does shed cold, dry snow. This layer also works to keep the down dry if you're sitting on the snow (see below).

Marmot Mountain Down Jacket Hood -- 5 Degrees

I really put the durability and insulation qualities of the Moutain Down Jacket to the test in a duck blind. I just started duck hunting and quickly realized there's a lot of sitting around on the ground in the cold. I sat on the snow for 4 hours, while the temperature hovered in the single digits. If you look closely, you can see the thick frost on the tree branches. It was so cold, my camera wouldn't even work. Lucky I was able to capture this photo. I stayed very warm in this jacket. I really liked the fully insulated down hood.

I also beat up on the jacket. I crawled around on the ground, under barbed wire fences and snagged it on branches. Nothing was torn and I was able to wipe the jacket clean with a wet towel when I got home.

Marmot Mountain Down Jacket with Single Base Layer

The Marmot Mountain Down Jacket also works while your active. It's great for skiing at the resorts and riding the lifts. The jacket breathes surprisingly well. When I ski in the coat, I only wear a thin baselayer and the coat. I don't overheat on the downhills and I'm toasty warm while I ride the lift. There's also a large interior pocket to hold a sunglass case or goggles.

Hood Pocket Open

The hood is zippered so it can be removed completely from the jacket. You can see the plush down insulation in the hood and the soft fleece collar lining. The hood can be tucked in and secured beneath a small flap on the collar.

Hood Pocket Closed

Here the hood is secured in the flap. This helps keep the hood off your face when it's not in use. You can also see the drawcord that tightens up the hood. It's so simple, you can pull it with one hand and with gloves on.

Interior Pocket and Powder Skirt

The powder skirt is used to keep snow from coming up inside the jacket. This works great if your skiing deep powder or you wipe out. I used the skirt more to keep the cold air from coming up underneath. There are two snaps on the front of the jacket to hold the skirt around your waist.

Soft Front Pockets and Velcro Cuffs

The Marmot Mountain Down Jacket has two good sized front pockets. They feel very soft on your cold hands, and pockets are between the down and your body, so they will heat your hands up quickly. Also notice the elastic and velcro adjustable cuffs. It's nice to be able to tighten and looses the cuffs on the fly.

Hood Drawcord and Velcro Adjustment

I saved my favorite feature of this jacket for last. I love the hood. Why? It's super comfortable and quickly adjusts around my head. While I was sitting in the duck blind, with the hood snug around my head, I feel asleep! It was like being in a sleeping bag.

BOTTOMLINE: Monster Warmth

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