The North Face Animagi Jacket Review
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If I could dream up the perfect winter running jacket it would be warm yet breathable, keep me dry and comfortable, be bright enough to be visible but not too obnoxious, and be versatile enough to carry me through the spring. Well, I’ve pretty much found it in The North Face Animagi Jacket, which is quite honestly, one of the most amazing pieces of running gear I’ve ever owned. Let me explain.
The North Face Animagi Jacket Features and Performance
The North Face Animagi jacket features PrimaLoftEco insulation at the core – providing plenty of warmth and is also wind resistant. It has the look and feel of a down vest without all the added bulk. There are two pockets on the front, which hold anything you might want to tote along on a run, such as a cell phone, gel, cash, etc. The sleeves are a breathable, stetchy, French terry knit that provide warmth without restricting movement and also wick away moisture.
I have worn The North Face Animagi jacket on single digit temp runs all the way up to the mid 30s and have been very pleased with it’s performance throughout the range. For the colder days (0-10 degrees) I did wear a long sleeve base-layer underneath and for the warmer days (20-30 degrees) a short sleeve t-shirt or tank top – making this jacket incredibly versatile. Despite this jacket clearly being advertised as a running jacket, I have also worn it as a mid-layer while skiing and absolutely loved it. I would be confident using this jacket in almost any outdoor activity as you can easily layer around it to fit the temperature.
Sizing of The North Face Animagi Jacket
At 5’10’’, 150 lbs the medium was a little short and snug in the chest and hips for me, but not enough that I would size up. The sleeves were the perfect length, and were in fact, even a little bit long, which I prefer. One of my favorite features of The North Face Animagi jacket was that it has options for both thumbholes and inner mits. Like most women, my hands absolutely suffer in the winter temps, and the first two miles of most wintry runs are spent in misery trying to warm up my hands. Over time I have found that mittens work the best for me; however, no one makes a good running mitten. Instead of looking crazy wearing ski mittens while running, I have compromised and worn my husbands wool dress socks over my hands – and yes, my running partner makes fun of me. But now that I have The North Face Animagi jacket, I have the option to use the inner mits – which has classed up my winter running look significantly AND kept my hands toasty warm on those painful first few miles.
My only critique of The North Face Animagi jacket is how it may fit a more ample-chested runner. There are darts presumably cut out on the front of the jacket to account for a larger chest – and they are awfully low on the front of the jacket. For me, who is relatively small (34B if we have to get personal) has no problems and thought it fit great, but a runner friend of mine who is much more gifted in that area, thought it kind of fit funny. Just an FYI that you might want to try the jacket on first if you have any concerns.
The Animagi jacket is offered at the price of $150.00 on The North Face website – but don’t let the price deter you. This jacket is totally worth it! If there is a single piece of wintery outdoor gear you buy this year, don’t overlook this jacket.
For more information on the Animagi jacket and other North Face gear, please visit www.thenorthface.com or www.amazon.com/thenorthface.
