North Face Thermoball Review Facts
Staying warm in cooler climates is important. It's often you will see individuals dressed inappropriately in the cold despite the health warnings typically associated with doing so. Not dressing appropriately for cold weather has several impacts on one's health including affecting immune systems. It can also hurt one's heart because the cold weather acts as a vasoconstrictor which means the blood vessels in the body start to restrict and narrow. This raises the risk of a heart attack. This should especially be considered by those who have existing heart and weight issues. Cold weather also affects the balance of the body. This is because the ice that usually forms as a result of the cold will cause individuals to slip and the tightness of the muscles in the legs can make for less control when in those situations. Cold weather also affects the moisture that is kept in the skin. This can result in dry skin. This would particularly affect those with eczema and dermatitis. As with facts, there are also common myths associated with the cold weather. One of the biggest is the phrase often chanted almost like a mantra by our parents and grandparents which was "put a coat on or you'll catch a cold". This is one of the biggest myths. Dressing warmly does not cause viruses or colds. These are typically caught regardless of whether the individual that is exposed to them are in a cold or warm place. In fact, it's more likely that cool weather causes more illnesses as a result of more people huddling up in warmer places as a result of the cold. At the end of the day, it's important that we are dressing warm and regularly washing our hands in order to keep our bodies in optimal condition.
This article focuses on the North Face Thermoball. This jacket is a lightweight jacket with a zipper closure and quilted, down-like pockets that keep the wearer warm and dry during winter months. North Face is a popular company in outdoor wear apparel. This article looks specifically at their Thermoball jacket. We looked at reviews left in regards to the jackets breathability, build, waterproofing and comfort. We also looked at the materials they used in order to construct this jacket in order to determine its quality and shelf life. This jacket, being extremely popular with reviewers, seems to be an interesting choice due to its unique features. We hope that this article serves you in your next purchase.
BRAND
North Face is a very popular outdoor wear company. They are well-known for producing outerwear, fleece, and footwear. They also offer equipment including tents, backpacks and sleeping bags. They serve everyone from the general public to
climbers and mountaineers. They were founded 51 years ago by Douglas Tompinks and his then-wife Susie Tompkins. They were originally created to produce highly selective merchandise typically associated with more advanced climbing but slowly added skiwear and camping equipment in the '80s. They were eventually bought out and made as a subsidiary of VF Corporation- an American apparel and footwear company that also owns big companies like Wrangler jeans, Dickies, Timberland, and Vans. North Face really rose in popularity in the early 2000s which oddly enough spiked several robberies associated with the brand. Today, North Face is a household name, sporting a well-known logo that evokes Half Dome (a massive granitic monolith in Yosemite). They are also well-known for their excellent customer service team and impressive warranty offerings.
BREATHABILITY
This jacket is both lightweight and warm which can sometimes conflict with each other. With this jacket, fortunately, it does not. The jacket offers Thermoball insulation clusters in balls rather than loose fibers (typically associated with down). This allows airflow without leaking heat. The shell of this jacket is water repellent which usually affects the breathability of this jacket. Those who wore this jacket, though, did find that it breathed quite well as well as kept warm air in. This jacket is sporting apparel, however, is not meant for active use. This jacket is more of a commuter jacket intended on keeping the individual wearing it warm. The closure system of this jacket is a zipper which, again, keeps warm air within the jacket. This should be considered when buying this product.
COMFORT
This jacket is regularly reviewed as fitting a little small. The 'fit' of this jacket is considered to be slim fit which means it is
more fitted to the body than it is loose or baggy. This was a point of contention with some reviewers. The body of this jacket offers PrimaLoft ThermoBall technology/insulation. This keeps warm air within the jacket and protects the body from moisture. This keeps the wearer both cool and dry. The material used for the shell offers a durable water repellent finish which protects the wearer from water but is also quite soft to the touch which is nice on the skin. This jacket is also lightweight which makes the wearer feel like they are walking around in a cloud as well as offers easier storing and travel. It also offers adjustable cuffs and hem to both keep the wearer warm but also offers a more customized fit. Those who bought this jacket were impressed with how comfortable it is which is positive.
DURABILITY
This jacket seems to be made by quality materials and offers both warmth and waterproofing. Those who wore this jacket found that it held up for extended periods of time. It offers superior construction and is made of quality material. The durability of this jacket makes up for its high price tag. This jacket is a little higher in price which is typically associated with the versatility and durability of the product. The versatility is associated with the ability to wear a product in different circumstances which decreases the need to buy additional products. Where the durability indicates the longevity of the product and also the requirement to buy a replacement or additional products. Because this jacket is highly durable it is worth the cost associated with it which is positive. Though the price tag is high, this jacket should last a long time making it a good bang for the buck.
SIZE
Those who reviewed this jacket regularly reviewed it as being between fits true to size to fits a little small. This should be considered before buying this jacket online. The majority of consumers reviewed it as being a little snug though and therefore this jacket might be better if bought a size larger than typical. The jacket itself fits well in all areas. Some competitive jackets will fit tighter in the torso while well through the arms but this jacket seems to fit well through both areas. The waist also offers a cinch cord which tightens the waist for an even better fit. Overall, this jacket does fit true to size but is offered in a slim fit. This should be considered before buying this jacket. It is also conveniently offered in a 3XL which is nice for those with a larger frame.
USE
This jacket is mostly rated for up to -5, however, one reviewer said they were able to comfortably wear this jacket in -25 weather. This jacket is a slim fit which means that if purchased in the required size, it will probably be tough to wear layers under it. It might be wise to size up in order to layer and get more use out of the jacket (in a wider range of temperatures). This jacket is
great for a commuter as it is light and fashionable. It is lightweight enough to travel with which makes it ideal for traveling with (both for its lightweight nature as well as its ease of folding and packing). It probably shouldn't be substituted for a weather jacket in colder winters (over -25).
FLEXIBILITY
This jacket does offer decent flexibility for movement, however, because this jacket is quite fitted it does seem to restrict movement a touch. If flexibility is important then its wise to consider sizing up slightly.
CLEANING
This jacket is a machine washable which makes cleaning much easier, however, in order to keep this jacket in the optimal condition, it should be laid out to dry rather than machine dried. The jacket does offer the
quilted pattern which can sometimes cause some clumping of the insulation of this style of jacket, however, the material within this jacket was substituted with PrimaLoft ThermoBall insulation which is unique to North Face. This material dries easier and isn't too heavy. It offers less clumping when wet and the jacket itself offers a Durable Water Repellent finish (as do all the Thermoball jackets) which also means that water won't hurt the jacket. Overall, cleaning is easy and won't affect the jacket negatively which is positive.
STYLE
This jacket is attractive in design for those who like a more relaxed or sporty look. It is also slim fit which means that it is quite fitted and flattering to the body. It is also offered in numerous colors in order to suit individual styles. Along with the color options, there are also several style options available through the Thermoball line. This jacket is also lightweight. It can work well for an everyday commuter jacket, as well as for when doing an outdoor activity like skiing or hiking.
WATER RESISTANCE
As mentioned earlier this jacket offers a
Durable Water Repellent finish which helps keep water from penetrating the surface of the jacket. When water hits the jacket it rolls off the material rather than soaking into the material. This is important especially in areas where moisture is higher like when out hiking or in particularly rainy cities. Those who purchased this jacket were happy with how well the jacket kept them warm and dry which is positive.
WIND PROTECTION
This jacket offers PrimaLoft ThermoBall insulation and a
Durable Water Repellent finish as well which helps protect the wearer from both wind and rain. In addition to this, this jacket offers inner elastic cuff tabs in order to secure the wrists to keep wind and rain out of the sleeves. It also offers hem cinch cords to keep the jacket tight to the body to also help with wind protection.
KEY FEATURES
-Nylon ripstop for a water-repellent finish
-Zipper closure in order to keep warmth in
-Machine washable for easier cleaning
-Insulated, quilted design to help with warmth
-Lightweight for easier packing and travel
-Includes warranty for peace of mind
-Offered in numerous colors to suit individual styles
-Attractive design
BOTTOM LINE
Overall this jacket is highly rated and reviewers had very few complaints about it. One reviewer found that despite the jacket offers a flattering fit, it does fit a little too slim which makes it harder to layer if worn true to size. Other than the lack of room for layering, there was also some issues with the logo of this jacket which looks like an iron on logo making it look a little cheap. Outside of these issues, those who bought this jacket were impressed
with the jackets overall quality. Several reviewers bought multiple versions of this jacket for themselves as well as gifts for friends. This jacket offers superior warmth, water resistance, and durability. It is easy to clean and are fashionable in design. Overall, this jacket is worth consideration.
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