Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Mountain Hardwear Monkey Man/Woman Jacket

Warning: Wearing this jacket will encourage complete strangers to pet you. Blame the softness of the Polartec ThermalPro Monkey Phur, which is essentially a fancy title for extremely high-loft fleece. Testers raved about comfort of this jacket saying “it feels like I’m wearing a little slice of heaven.”

Testers also loved it for its versatility. “Not only is this the jacket I take on every winter trip, but it’s also my go-to jacket for walking the dog, my preferred layer for snowshoe tours, cold days at the ski resort, and my favorite backcountry pillow.” It is absurdly soft, but also incredibly warm. Our tester wore just this jacket and a midweight baselayer while cross-country skiing in -10-degree weather in Yellowstone, and at times he had to unzip the front to keep from overheating. Should conditions change, the trim fit makes for easy layering underneath other insulating layers or shells.

Keep in mind that this jacket is not wind or water resistant, so be sure to pack a lightweight shell if there’s anything inclement in the forecast. Bonus: It also comes in kids’ sizes for $85 if you want to be a matchy-match family.

The Specs:

Men’s

Cost: $150

Weight: 14 oz. (Size M)

Sizes: S-XXXL

Women’s

Cost: $150

Weight: 15.2 oz. (Size M)

Sizes: XS-XXL

mountainhardwear.com