I posted about the Marmot Variant jacket last year when it came out.  Mostly I liked the look, but didn’t have an immediate need for it.  I just picked one up recently (in the color above) and so far have been very happy with it.

 The sleeves and back are Polartec Power Stretch, not softshell.  It’s kind of like stretchy, fleece-lined sweatshirt material.  This is definitely a mid-layer, as it has no degree of waterproofing.  But it’s incredibly warm, fits like a glove, and has sleeves that are actually long enough (this is rare, for me).  Also, gotta love those thumb holes.

 Pairing the Variant with a heavy hooded softshell would cover nearly any kind of weather condition.  My only concern is its long-term durability. The Power Stretch material feels a little fragile, and seems prone to pilling and velcro damage.  I’ve had a couple strands of insulation leak from the front panel.  This may be the tradeoff for how lightweight it is.

Naturally, I can’t make a full review until I’ve used it for a winter (working on that), but my impression after using it for a few weeks is that it’s going to be a staple of my winter gear.