Mountain Hardwear Mistral Review

Among wind resistant fleeces, I prefer the Mountain HardWear Mistral to the North Face Windwall because of the softness, the move ability, and the style. However the Mistral is heavier and more expensive, so it depends which features are more important to you. Overall the Mistral is a very functional jacket that I would curl up in or wear around town or on an all day outdoor adventure.

Likes
The Mountain HardWear Mistral is a great garment because it doubles as a cozy fleece and a windbreaker. Unlike the North Face Windwall, the Mistral is very soft and comfortable, yet it stands up really well to wind. This Mountain Hardwear Jacket can also be sealed against the weather if you are in a raging windstorm because there is a waist drawstring and second inner cuffs on the sleeves that keep out wind. Behind the zipper at your chin there is a wind flap that is soft against your face when zipped all the way up. I also love the way this jacket fits. It has a reversible zipper, so it can be zipped into a shell outer layer for extra weather protection.

Dislikes
When using this as an all around outdoor jacket, I found it was not very breathable on approaches or when running. The inner cuffs on the sleeves are great for keeping out wind and sealing in warmth, but make the wrists so tight that I cannot push the sleeves up if I am hot when hiking or climbing. This jacket weighs the most of the fleeces I reviewed, so if you prefer a lightweight jacket that is still windproof, The North Face Windwall weighs 9 ounces less.

Best Application
This jacket is a great choice to bring with you if you are spending all day outdoors since it serves the dual purpose of windbreaker and warm fleece. I usually don't like this combination, but this jacket pulls it off.

Value
This jacket is moderately priced among fleece jackets, although more expensive than other jackets with similar functionality. However, it is also more comfortable than other wind-resistant jackets, so if wind-resistance were what I was looking for, I would rather pay a little more and purchase this jacket.