The North Face Plasma Thermal Insulated Jacket - Men's

I skeptically read the reviews of this jacket thinking to myself that it sounded too good to be true... it's not! without a doubt this is the best jacket i've ever owned. it's warm in freezing temperatures, keeps out water, has a very tough outer fabric (i've used it skiing through trees which would have definitely ripped a lesser quality jacket), and looks great. it's stylish without being flashy. buy this jacket!

Jan 24 well I just got back from my walk in 22 degree temperature with 7mph wind (the “feels like” on weather.com was 14 degrees) and my legs are numb but up top I am comfortably warm. I can not believe how much jacket research I did this winter in search of the perfect jacket. I’ve done so much that I don’t know exactly where to begin. I guess the best place to start is with the winner and that would be the North Face Plasma Jacket in XXL. I tried this jacket on early winter in an XL size and the problem was it was too short; they didn’t have a XXL because if they did my journey would have ended right away. The length of the XXL compared to the XL is important because the XL is shorter and sometimes rides up releasing body heat. The outer layer of this jacket is solid but not as thick as my BPS Gore-Tex 100 MPH Jacket in texture. The hood is very warm and the thing that separates it is the way it fits, it really synchs down excellently around your head if you want it too. This is important in order to trap in a lot of (normally lost) heat (this sounds simple enough but is actually a very rare feature in a winter jacket) The only hood that snugs up around the face better but is not as warm (because the outer layer is a lighter material) would be the NF “Makalu”. I left out another snug hooded jacket the Red Point Optimus because this jacket is just for layering the wind slices through it like butter, something else to keep in mind if you are considering the Red Point Optimus is the sizing is much small since it is made to be a true layering piece (an XL is actually the size of L).
Getting back to the North Face Plasma Jacket the arms on the XL or the XXL are both long enough for me I’m 6 5 and 216 lbs and have an arm length of 37 inches but again the XXL size is essential to get the coat length necessary below the waist; this really helps maintain body heat imo because I’d been wearing the Makalu in an XL and since it is shorter it would rise up causing chills at times. The fill on this jacket is Primaloft and I love it for more than one reason: 1. It is synthetic and will keep you warm even if it happens to get wet (down shrink and loses its ability to retain heat) 2. It is amazing light weight stuff and allows this very durable jacket to pack down in size taking up hardly any space (the Makalu packs even smaller) 3. It is warm, you’d never believe how warm this jacket is with out trying it on (it is warmer than the Makalu and this is no knock against the Makalu) 3. It breathes; this is important because a lot of other insulations cause you to be either too hot or too cold Primaloft is like wearing the perfect sleeping blanket 4. It is very Hypo-Allergenic compared to Goose Down; in my experience wearing down has made my arms itch sometimes, but I’ve had no issues with this Primaloft. The look of the jacket is great too, no annoying bright red zippers like the NF 800 fill down hooded jacket, no annoying red flap around the collar like the Hecktic Down, nope it is great looking from all accounts IMO.

Some neutral points: The pockets on the Plasma are fleece lined which feel incredible to put your hands in but these pockets take a lot longer to dry after washing jacket. I use the Makalu for winter time running and it is perfect because the pockets are not fleece lined and this allows them to dry very fast.

Some down points: The zipper is not oversized and doesn’t always easily zip around the neck line, the collar by your mouth is much stiffer than the Makalu and comes up about an inch an a half lower than the Makalu (if you layer these two jackets they compliment each other perfectly).

Here is some feedback regarding some of the other jackets that I tried during my search:

1. The North Face (NF) Red Point Optimus, light weight, high breathability, snug fitting hood, poor wind resistance, it fits one size smaller since it is a layering piece, consequently the arms do not run long like most NF jackets do, it is not waterproof. I’d suggest buying the Makalu a size smaller if you want a layering piece because it will be warmer and block the wind better. It also has better waterproof protection, and the Makalu only cost $50 more.
2. The NF Makalu, one of the best all around jackets ever made, the hood fits like a glove if you need that, and the collar comes up higher over your mouth on those really cold days you’ll be thankful. Packs up down small and weighs next to nothing. Zips up much easier around the collar unlike the Plasma. Perfect for winter time running, pockets are not lined with fleece so they dry very fast.
3. Patagonia Nano Strom: runs short around the waist and is not very warm (needs much more Primaloft).
4. Frabil Snosuit: The wind cut through the chest with relative ease for an ice fishing jacket imo, hood did not fit snug enough to block out wind entirely. The waist-line tie down broke instantly when I tried to tighten it down. Glen’s Army Navy Store (the seller) charged me shipping back to them and will not reimburse me like they said they would even though I called them within 2 hours of the UPS tracking label verifying I had only had the jacket for a couple hours. They said they couldn’t be sure it was a manufactures defect. Apparently items of theirs breaking within two hours is a normal occurrence for them. They also would not send a shipping label to make the return process easy. Be sure to stick with reputable sellers to avoid situations like this, I learned my lesson the hard way.
5. Artic Armor: The collar that covers your mouth is like huffing on plastic and leaves a weird feeling/taste in your throat and mouth (who knows how healthy this is breath I assume it is fine but you never know). If you are not moving this is not a particularly warm jacket and I would compare it to a rain jacket that does not breathe very well. The hood tie downs are synch down that great which loses a lot heat, the number one reason to buy this jacket is that it floats; the arms are too snug compared to the massive amount of space in the body. All of the retailers I found charge a minimum 20% restocking fee to return this, plus you have to pay shipping back and they will not send a shipping label to make this process easy.
6. Columbia: Runs short in the arms, did not like the look of most of their jacket line so can’t say much more.
7. Klim Impulse Parka: Bulky in the body fit, short in the arms
8. Marker: I liked the looks of this one until my girlfriend said it looked like I was wearing a company issued jacket… for Motorola.
9. The NF 700 down hooded: Fits well, really synchs down tight in all of the necessary places, could be longer around the waist like most NF jackets, looks great and doesn’t have the unwelcome bright red zipper that the 800 down fill has.
10. Cabela’s Guide-Wear Insulated Parka: This has some heavy duty gore tex and is very warm with Thinsulate Ultra (warmer than regular thinsulate), the arms even for a tall are a little short, but the one major flaw is the hood, it is not insulated, it does not synch down tight, and it doesn’t lay down well so it keeps hitting the back of your neck and kind of drives you crazy.

Got this jacket yesterday and tried it out right away, walking the dog last night in snow turning to freezing rain. I bought this because of the waterproof shell, which is great. I had little icicles forming on the exterior of the hood and shoulders but I stayed nice and dry inside. I have a NF Nuptse down jacket, which is warm, but not sufficiently waterproof. This Plasma jacket seems just as warm to me. If it's really cold you may want to wear a fleece pullover under either one, which is what I do. But if you're doing something active like hiking or shoveling, this is probably warm enough without the fleece.

Size - I'm 6'1", 215. I tried on a large and it fit, but seemed restrictive to move in the arms/shoulder. If you're thinner than me or have smaller arms/shoulders, the L would probably be good for you. I went with the XL. This is a tad big on me in the torso, but I like that I can move easily in it in the arms/shoulders. I was clearing snow/ice this morning and really needed freedom of movement of my arms. Incidentally, I got so warm shoveling I had to open the pit zips and remove my fleece underlayer to try to cool down.

Color - I bought the asphalt grey jacket. This is a pretty dark grey color but not charcoal. It appears almost black (i.e., charcoal) in the pictures but it truely is asphalt grey. Regarding the zippers, they are green. I knew this. But I was worried they would be flourescent green based on the user submitted photo. The zippers are a palish lime green, not too flourescent. I really like the color of the jacket and zippers. Don't let that scare you from buying this color. It looks sharp according to me and my wife.

That's about it. Love it.

Hi all. I agree with many of the reviews that the Plasma is a warm jacket. BUT....compared to other TNF jackets I've owned the zipper is complete garbage - BE FOREWARNED. This is an expensive coat and for the amount of money I paid for this, I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect a zipper that actually works. This zipper is flimsy and almost EVERY TIME I take the jacket on or off, fabric on the side of zipper gets stuck in the zipper. And then I have to spend time trying to delicately extricate the fabric from the zipper without tearing open the jacket. What a complete pain. SO....at the end of this winter season, I am sending this jacket straight back to The North Face and am going to ask that they either fix the zipper or refund my money.

Overall, it's a great TNF winter jacket - warm enough not too bulky, light-weight, stylish. However, the drawback is that this jacket appears to be shorter than normal fit. I usually wear Medium size for all the TNF apparel, which fit me perfectly - but the medium size of this plasma thermal jacket fits me oddly. Though it's not bulky, it's still a little puffy and looks flared around my belly area, especially when it's shorter than it should be. By the way, I'm 5'9 and 160 lb. Other complaint is that, the material is so susceptible to have dust attached, quite annoying.

I went into the North Face store near me a few weeks ago looking for a warmer winter jacket than what I would usually just grab from my closet, a wool pea coat. After looking and really liking the Redpoint jacket, an employee in the store said if you're looking for a really warm jacket, try the Plasma. Being that it was 2X the price of the other one, I was skeptical.. I ended up getting plans to go skiing the following weekend and I would need a heavier jacket, so now I was more interested since I didn't have a great ski jacket. I read many reviews online saying it was the warmest jacket they ever had, etc etc. My biggest concern was bulkiness because I wanted to be able to wear this in between class walking over a college campus and still wear it on the slopes. I first bought a medium, I'm thin, but very athletic body and 5' 9". The medium was a bit bulky on me everywhere except my chest. I didn't like how it flared out around my waist which is a 30. I returned the jacket and got the small which is absolutely perfect. It's a little tight across the chest, but totally OK. For a 30" waist, I have a nearly 39" chest, so it's an awkward in between. The length was perfect, sleeves are great, everything. Bulkiness was cut down being that it was much more fit to my body.... Finally on the mountain for the true test of warmth, it is everything people have raved about and some. I was never once cold with this jacket and the temps were ~10*F, ~5* @ summit. I had an UA cold gear shirt on, 2 long sleeve shirts and I was good to go. There was nearly a blizzard in the afternoon and not once did the insane winds penetrate the jacket. Off the mountain and casually wearing it, I find anything more than a long sleeve shirt and you're sweating.

The medium was black/black, and I was looking for that in small but it was sold out everywhere you looked. I ended up with the small in Grey with the green zippers and I'm happy I went that route because it looks awesome. Overall very happy with the jacket, it's expensive, but well worth the money. For what I'll be using it for it is by far the warmest jacket I own and I'm going to be getting a lot of use out of it in the upcoming months and any future trips to the mountain.

One more thing to add, the customer service with BackCountry is why I'll be coming back here for any other outdoors needs even though I'm in CT and they're in UT. I value customer service highly and they got it out even sooner than they said they would, same day and being at 4pm their time, still made it on the UPS truck.

Great warm coat. My two sons both have this coat in different colors. After one year both coats have now had a zipper issue. But never fear, Back Country has come through for us and replaced one coat and in the process of replacing the other. It is great to have such confidence in ordering from BackCountry and I am telling everyone about my positive experience. Thanks Backcountry for standing behind the products you sell and replacing instead of having my sons wait for it to repaired in the cold Wisconsin winters where we live.

I have used the TNF redpoint hooded for the last 3 years. I bought this jacket because I have never been warmer skiiing, boarding or everyday use since using primaloft. But the redpoint was not waterproof, this one will be much better because of the waterproof material. Only complaint is it is kind of bulky feeling compared to the redpoint. I would actually prefer the hood to be attached, makes it less bulky.

I give 5 stars to Backcountry. I was very impressed with their customer service. The jacket had a slight factory defect and Backcountry went beyond what I would have expected to keep me satisfied with my purchase. Needless to say my son is very happy with the cool jacket he has and I will continue to do business with Backcountry in the future.

Purchased this jacket for the long Detroit winter. The coat is completely wind and waterproof. It is also the best weight to warmth ratio jacket I have ever owned. It keeps me warm on the coldest days of dog walking and does not overheat me while running errands. The zipper is a bit hard to work sometimes but that is my only complaint. I highly recommend this coat, the best I have ever owned.

I live in the North East... and after last years three major snow storms combined with old/outdated "cold gear" i decided to invest and gear up this season. So, I did... I bought the Plasma Thermal (Black) for shoveling the drive, snow tubing, and playing outback with the kids. Based off of this weekends nor'easter which just dumped 13' of snow with 30 mph winds my i've already worn the Plasma Thermal out back and while using the snow blower. All i have to say is that is is a GREAT jacket and i have ZERO complaints. Well, one... i should have bought this years ago... All i had on underneath while playing and shoveling was a light water wisking base layer and a 100 weight UA Fleece. Mind you the winds are still whipping around here I did not feel the winds on my body at all!! This Plasma Thermal jacket is super light and it defies logic... best "snow" jacket i've ever owend... This jacket is from the Summit Series which is the top of the line. I also bought one for another family member for christmas and he's already worn his and loves it too..

I have had a TNF Mountain Light Jacket (Gore Tex) with 300 weight polar fleece for the last 10 years. It was a great wind and water proof jacket; warm and dry. At the time, it was the best.

My jacket was starting to show signs of wear and losing some of its magical properties (losing windproof and water repellency). After much research, I bought the TNF Plasma Thermal in January 2010. By far the best jacket I've ever owned. It has all the warmth and waterproofness of the Mountain Light with the half the weight. No longer am I a sherpa on the streets of Chicago. The Plasma Thermal has never seen a summit... and never will. But, it is the best jacket I've ever owned to keep me warm in the biting Chicago winters.

Thank you Back Country and The North Face. I'm thinking about buying another Plasma Thermal now and warehousing it, so that I'll have a spare when this one wears out (whenever that is).

Great jacket. flexible get it

I asked a question about sizing a couple weeks ago and ended up buying both a Small and Medium. I am 5'7-5'8, 150ish lbs. and I stuck with the Small. The Medium would have worked but the jacket was really wide, and even with the hem cords pulled tight, it just looked weird and obviously over sized. The Small could have been like half an inch longer in length and been fine. I am happy with my purchase, and actually returned a Redpoint Optimus jacket and bought this one instead. I was lucky enough to have gotten the free Stoic gloves with my jacket and those are nice as well.

I really like this jacket. I've tried it on but haven't used it yet. It's very comfortable, but not sure how it's going to test on Mt. Kili. Nice pockets, great design...just one thing...could have come in more colors. Oh well, really just need it for the hike so I'm going to give it 4 stars. If i come back from Kili and get drenched while I have it on, i'm taking my stars back! ;)

Like the color, fit and style. Keeps me warm while not being to heavy and bulky. Only down side that I can give it is it could be a little longer. Its waist length. My opinion anything that is the outside shell that is for cold weather should be about hip length.

This jacket has everything I wanted: it's very warm but not bulky, waterproof, has a hood, and has accessible pockets. I wore it on the mountain in 20 degree, with a thin base layer and was able to vent properly during sunshine, and keep warm after dark.

This jacket is warm and great for a wind stopper. The only gripe I have about it is the zipper is pretty tough to zip up and zip off. Other than that a great great jacket.

I love NF gear and haven't been disappointed ever and when I got this I wasn't sure if I would like it especially since I was looking for a triclimate initially. This coat does what it says it will do. I stay very warm in all conditions. I love the fact that it keeps the rain/wet out and warmth in. I would highly highly recommend this coat to anyone. You won't be disappointed.

I originally bought the last version of this jacket last year and I loved it. Unfortunately, the drawstring in the hood failed on me so when i returned it to BC, the new version is all they carry now. Boy am I happy that happened. Summit Series products fail to disapoint me. This latest version is every bit as good as the older version and then some. The added waterproof zippers on the front pockets is a welcome addition but I'd say the biggest improvement is the removeable hood.. I am in my glory with that! Anyway, this jacket is warm as hell thanks to it's Primaloft insulation. around 15F it does sound a little crinkley but that isnt the jacket it's the Primaloft inside. For anyone who is not familiar with Primaloft insulation it is the warmest material per weight currently available and the best IMO. I wouldnt call the neck high, but rather exactly what it should be. This is definitely the best bang for your buck out there as far as insulated jackets around $300. I do not believe there is anything warmer (for it's weight) in this price range. I am actually surprised I dont see more of these things around. If you go Arcteryx you're paying $400 and that's a base model. You have to pay $500 to get anything great. I bought it in the TNF Red and it's stunning! Definitely the best color IMO. I am 5'10", 175lbs and I bought the Medium and it fits perfectly.

Anything that TNF puts out in The Summit Series is just way above the pack compared to their regular gear,and this is no exception.I really wanted this in Asphalt,but it was sold out.I went with the Denim Blue,with the thought that my nuptse,my 550 filled,the Apex Bionic,etc...were all in black,so lets mix it up.The color is not to bright,and a welcome sight to my arsenal.A Great looking jacket.Aesthetics aside,this is every bit as warm as my Nuptse,less the puffiness and close to the same weight.I am 5'8" 180lbs and wear a medium in everything TNF,with the exception of the Atlas Tri-Climate,for some reason a large was the way to go in that.Anyway,the medium fits perfect.The collar is a tad high,but the Plasma was made for shite conditions,so it's easy to tuck your chin when the wind is cranking.It's been in the 20s and 30s since i received the Plasma,and I am fine with just a t-shirt underneath.The material does get a little crinkly when it gets in the 20s,but who cares.Sick jacket,you would have to be a rahtard not to buy it.

I wanted a lightweight jacket with pit zips, that I could wear while winter biking, but also just walking around. I've only had this a few days but I've tried it out with and without the hood, on bike and on foot. I've been comfortable in temps in the 20's and 30's with just a long sleeve T underneath and am pretty sure I'll survive the worst of a Chicago winter with this plus a fleece, and much prefer this to looking like a marshmallow man.

I love how light it is and yet it is amazingly warm and has no leaks. The hood even fits over my bike helmet and I think that will really help in another month. If you are not planning on doing anything especially active in this, you might consider a jacket without pit zips as that would be more comfortable (you can feel them). I can't comment on skiing in this thing, but for me it's the perfect jacket to for cold weather biking and just going out in the cold.

I have the previous model jacket, but thought they are similar enough to leave this review. I've used this jacket for two winters now, and live in northern Wisconsin. It's been an insanely great jacket for the cold weather here. It's like wrapping yourself in your favorite sleeping bag. I'm 6'1" and 165 lbs, and have the XL. It's a little large for me, but still insulates well. The primaloft packs down great, but not as good as down. The plus side of it, is it can get wet and still insulate. So those soggy and humid days don't eat right through you. I brought it as my main jacket on a winter camping in the Boundary Waters last winter with a low temp of -30 F without windchill, and was comfortable the entire time. Obviously layers took part in that as well.. It's not the most flattering jacket in my arsenal, but it's my warmest for the lightest.