what I think:
I have the ochre, so this review relates to them.
I bought these bc I tore ligaments in my finger and can't wear gloves this riding season. As my rating suggests, these mitts just get the job done. The goat leather def needs to be treated before you ever wear them. Otherwise, you will have areas of the mitt that absorb water. Your hands do not get wet bc of the gore-tex insert but the leather gets dried out and experiences color fading in those areas. I would suggest grabbing some Hestra leather balm or something equivalent if you buy these - treat them - and then start using. Maybe it's my fault for not doing that right away, but I would expect a little leather treatment out of the box. Overall a decent product though. Your hands stay dry and warm ... and if you recently tore any finger ligaments these will keep all of your digits close together to prevent further damage. :) thanks

What I think:
This is an outstanding product for several reasons, and one is that you can use it all the time. I have been wearing it as an insulation layer under a shell and just to work as a jacket. The primaloft is warm and the ripstop is element resistant, so you can even go with just the Nano even when it's freezing. I do that mainly bc it's so light and easy to grab and go. If you buy this you will be wearing it all the time. The only drawbacks I see are that you may receive some ribbing for the colors due to the fact that they are loud. I have the fennel and I love it, but it might not be for everyone. Additionally, I would love to see a more form fitting cut. The bottom of the jacket kind of hangs loosely. There is cinch so no issues when being used as an insulation layer but it looks a little off when wearing as a jacket. I would def appreciate pit zips on the Nano, so that I could leave them open when wearing under a shell while snowboarding. thanks!

What I think:
I have been wearing this jacket in varying conditions for about 2 months. I bought it for snowboarding. I am not into freestyle/park riding, so many times I buy ski shells for their superior (opinion) technical features. Of course, I was also intrigued by the allure of Polartec’s Neoshell. That said this product is as advertised. You have all of the stretch and comfort of a soft shell that you would expect along with it being very breathable. The protection promised meets expectations. It really does. Completely element proof! In my opinion, Zion is on point! Additionally, if you are viewing the pics online and thinking that it looks pretty rad – it does!

Some notes:
Disclaimer: I admittedly am no expert, these are just my opinions on my experiences with the product.

There is a thin layer of insulation, and I mean thin. You will need to layer if it’s going to be really cold out. That said, be careful bc if you throw a down vest on underneath (which I did on a really cold day) expect to be trapping some heat and sacrificing one of the best features of the jacket. In my experience insulated layering garments don’t breathe exceptionally well and this shell is designed to breathe. Too bad there aren’t pit zips to add some airflow in those situations. Also, as I just mentioned, you can layer appropriately with this shell. You need to use thin products designed to pack down. I have been going with the Marmot Zeus vest on REALLY cold days over a capilene shirt or thin base layer as well as a Patagonia Nano Puff jacket for the not so frigid days as I find the Zeus to be warmer and fits more snug to the core. Lastly, just thin base layers work great if the temps are like 5 or so degrees above freezing. Recently, I wore a UA coldgear tactical base layer with a capilene shirt over top when temps were right around freezing all day. This combo worked great, because both have very breathable designs so I wasn’t trapping any heat. I’d highly recommend it. No weight, no excess heat/sweat, and STILL WARM.

How I would improve it:
I would add some pit zips just to get some additional air flow right to the core for certain situations (letting off steam on the frigid days you are rockin serious insulation OR for spring riding). I would also add a powder skirt for the consumer looking to wear this shell while riding powder. This problem can be solved fairly easily by wearing layering that has cinch at the waist, but I don’t see why it can’t be added. I’d redesign the hood and front neck area. If you wear a helmet and want to put the hood up it’s virtually impossible. Just too short and you end up with the top of the zipped neck over your face in a really tight fashion.

Just my opinions - and I appreciate everyone else’s on the site - Thanks!