Patagonia Pow Slayer Jacket

Comments about Patagonia Pow Slayer Jacket:

Personal: 5'10", 150lbs, 32" waist, Size = M

I bought the jacket as a shell for general skiing use, and for hiking trips where I'm expecting more extreme weather (my partner and I went to Iceland in May last year, and I could definitely see myself bringing this jacket as a shell when we return). It does not pack down as much as a purely hiking oriented shell, but it seems perfectly serviceable for non-ski use. I picked it up in a late season sale, so I don't have experience for winter storms and extreme cold weather. In spring skiing, definitely breathable with zips open or closed, and waterproof. This is my first Gore-Pro jacket, and I am very impressed with the weight, and the build quality from Patagonia is excellent as always.

The fit, as advertised, is relaxed. I have room for layering and it fits comfortably over a fleece or a primaloft mid-layer. I don't own any down, but I'm sure it'd be comfortable over a puffier layer. The medium is just the right length in the sleeves - which is usually my concern when buying a jacket.

Pocket layout works well, and has plenty of space. No problems with my Black Diamond Agent - chest pocket is below the sternum strap, and waist belt rests at the top of the front pocket so I can access the front velcro pockets with ease. I do have to occasionally pull the jacket down when I want to access the pockets beneath the velcro flap, but other shell's I've had have had much worse issues in terms of pockets and straps.

One thing that may be a plus or minus, depending on your preference is the lack of a storm flap on the chest zipper. This isn't a problem for me, and it's certainly in keeping with patagonia's design philosophy of jackets.

The only real drawback for me is the size of the hood, but it's definitely not a deal-breaker. It's advertised as a helmet compatible hood, but there's no way it's fitting around my XL smith Holt. Generally speaking though, this seems to be a general problem with jackets in general - since I have yet to really to find a helmet compatible hood that really works with XL helmet sizes.

Another initial concern I had was the powder skirt. It's only a single button, and this might be a problem for some users. While there is an integration system for patagonia's pants, I own orage, armada and a pair of trew bibs and this would have certainly been a problem had I sized up to large. The fit on the medium is snug enough for this not to be a problem, and with a pair of bibs you can totally negate this problem. Patagonia's customer service is excellent though, and I'd imagine they'd be able to alter the skirt if this is a problem.

This is what's really keeping it from being five stars, and I'd imagine it would fit around a helmet with a smaller profile without a difficulty.