The North Face Thermoball Eco Jacket Review

[@gamerwhiz6847]

Great review! It's a very cool looking & functional jacket. I had another North Face non-Thermoball & loved it.

[@faithinverity8523]

I've had the hoodie for two years. The fabric is worn, but it is still perfectly usable and so it has become more of a work jacket. I'm in the market for a new one. I'm kind of a jacket freak and it is truly in my top-five jackets of all time. The pockets are huge. You can stuff the whole jacket into one of the pockets for packing. Great garment. Can't wait to have two.

[@23macca23]

The stowaway label in the pocket, is not to attach keys. It’s identifying it as the pocket you can fold the whole jacket in to, creating a small pack, which can then be zipped up. Like space saving, for easily putting in a backpack, or carrying around until needed.

[@GearReviews]

Thanks for the info! That is a smart feature

[@bradcox9034]

The jacket is really good fits good and easily protects to 27 looks sharp but the only thing I hate about it is they should have put elastic cuffs on the outside of the sleeves they are too flimsy fitting on your arms.

[@GearReviews]

The cuffs are an annoying design for sure!

[@WillisMiranda52]

It would give me an idea what size to get if you tried it on I'm planning on wearing a hoodie with it also have broad shoulders since I work out.

[@JustMorad]

I just bought one. Seems to be good and versatile jacket

[@GearReviews]

Completely agree! Can be a stand along or a layer!

[@JustMorad]

@@GearReviews Thanks for the review :)

[@GearReviews]

@@JustMorad Glad you enjoyed!

[@albertontogtokh4668]

Great review, just wondering if I should get the hooded one or not

[@GearReviews]

Thanks! It really comes down to preference, I don't like a hood as I wear it as a base layer sometimes. but others love having the hood!

[@carshacarsha7409]

@@GearReviewsis it removable if one comes with it?

[@marioaceitunorivadeneira6905]

Hey! Great video and thanks for making this review. One Question, im about to buy this one but someone told me that the rain could destroy the jacket. From your experience, is that true? Or the EcoJacket could that a little of rain? Thank you!

[@GearReviews]

Thanks. I haven't had any issues with mine, I've been out in snow and wet snow a lot with it and haven't had a problem. Maybe its a defect for some of them?

[@Customizer2k8]

Been looking for this review.

[@darylpx]

hey, good video! I was wondering if this jacket can be zipped-in inside the triclimate shell, thanks!

[@GearReviews]

I'm not sure, may depend on the triclimate shell. It did work with mine but only zipping in. They don't have all the same attach points as a triclimate liner would.

[@derelle5277]

Would you say these are good to jog in?

[@GearReviews]

Good question, never tried it but they are lightweight so might be good!

[@Ratking_Actual]

You've probably tested it by now but tbh it's a great jacket but for me it's way too hot if I start running in it, it has great insulation and is completely waterproof unless you go swimming with it so nah I wouldn't wear this for running simply because it'll keep all the sweat and heat on my body 🤣you won't get cold though because it retains your body heat

[@chriss729]

Nice review, thank you.

[@PEchasedolla]

Is it true to size or wider fit?

[@GearReviews]

I find the waist to be wider but the rest fits pretty well!

[@MotaShotta]

can you zip it into a mountain jacket?

[@GearReviews]

I'm not sure, it would depend on the shell that you're zipping it into.

[@MotaShotta]

@@GearReviews I think all TNF shells have the same Vislon 5VS zipper

[@lostintheclouds8719]

What would you say is the warmer of the two? The thermoball that’s not the eco version or the eco version of it? I’m looking at both and i have no idea which is warmer. I’ve only ever tried on the non-eco version and i was toasty after about a min both with and without my layer on underneath it. I love that it allows for room to layer too. I think it would be good for our mid 30’s -windy lower 50’s here in NY whether layered or not. I’m not sure i would pick this for our extreme temps though unless maybe i had it underneath one of my other heavier coats maybe as a layer. Which level of PrimaLoft is in both versions though? Tnf doesn’t say. It just says thermoball. I know that’s tnf’s patented insulation like omniheat is Columbia’s. I see various weights. 11g-13g to 33g of PrimaLoft but it doesn’t tell me which one. I read it could be PrimaLoft black, where as Patagonia uses 60g PrimaLoft gold in their nano puff. I’m reading black is better then the gold. But i can’t be sure. I have not tried on the nano puff only b/c reviews say it rips pretty easy and the thermoball seems to be more solid. Interested to hear your reply

[@GearReviews]

Having tried the eco and non eco I would say they're very much the same level of warmth, I think the non eco is a little heavier feeling though. Which could give it a bit more warmth but less packability. I personally have worn my eco thermoball when it was in the 0 to -10 C in Canada with a t shirt under it and was warm but I usually am warm. I would definitely say its the perfect transition season jacket for when its still cold out (spring or fall). I'm not sure which Primaloft is in each, I have read up before and found it a bit inconclusive about which is in it. Although from that research I also found that Primaloft gold and black are very similar and the main difference is that black is the eco version (as far as I can tell). Here's the link: www.cabelas.com/custserv/custserv_popup.jsp?pageName=TechnologyPrimaLoft Hope this helps!

[@lostintheclouds8719]

Gear Reviews tyvm for the link. It was a big help. It looks like the PrimaLoft gold is actually the best on the PrimaLoft ladder. Silver and black do have some warming qualities too but it seems like the gold wins according to that link. After reading that it made me wonder why i wasn’t looking at the puff since it uses 60g gold. I did finally get to try one on yesterday and i have to say, it’s similar to the thermoball in feel. I like that the wrists were tapered down more then the thermoball. They’re both nice but i think they’re more like a layer you would just add to being underneath another coat or for the lighter days going over a layer or just using it alone. Which is where I’m at right now. Unfortunately i kinda rushed into buying a UA insulated jacket a month or two ago but it’s cuz i believed the description where it said 180g insulation in the body and 140g in the sleeves.. infrared coldGear technology (sim to omniheat). here I’m thinking holy crap I’ve found a warm coat - my search is over. Couldn’t have been more wrong. At least i didn’t pay much for it but still, the search continues. The thermoball is pretty much like my UA coat but at least it uses PrimaLoft. Seems like the puff would beat both of them since it has a higher weight and uses gold but I’m just not sold on it. I’m afraid to buy either one of them and use it like a main lightweight option thinking that it won’t be warm enough and basically I’ll be replacing my UA w/ another one like it. And not to mention, why even bother wearing that on the lighter days when my carhartt rockland heavy thick Sherpa gets it done for me. Only advantage i see is that it’s wind resistant where as my rockland is not. I tell ya, maybe I’m too picky or over researching this but i’m just not convinced to drop x amt of $ on something that may or may not work for me even though I REALLY LOVE the style of it!. I really do like how the thermoball looks a lot. Oh btw, i did check out both the eco and non-eco. The eco felt just a lil bit heavier to me, which is surprising since it has 11g PrimaLoft and the non-eco has 13g PrimaLoft. I tried on a lot of coats yesterday. I was at Dick’s sporting goods and boy did i hit the motherload of finding a lot of what has been on my ‘try on/check it out’ list. I was completely in love w/ the TNF Nuptse jacket - idk if i tried on the 1996 one or the newer one but it felt great! And i can layer or not w/ it. I loved that i could Velcro adjust my wrists - that was awesome. I’m used to snaps. Just not feeling that price tag though lol. Ruled out the Gotham 3 b/c i hate where the pockets are placed and the McMurdo just isn’t for me. It looks real bulky and i already own bulk w/ my carhartt’s. Not trying to be that bulky. I also got to try on one that I’ve been searching all over my state for to try on - the carhartt sawtooth active jac (not the parka version). This is carhartt’s version of a 3 in 1 jacket. It has a wind/waterproof shell (quick duck - not a down coat at all). The removable liner is 250g thinsulate - idk if the liner has a dwr on it and if it’s windproof like the shell. Tried on both, and both separately too. I def felt the warmth when i had them both on with and without my rockland Sherpa underneath, but then again i was in the store and not outside but i was boiling. The one thing i didn’t like was that the shell, when you zip it up, the top edges of it really ride your chin. It was practically just sitting a lil below my jaw line and i was in my true size too. The liner however - no problem. But now i learned today that there might be a reason as to why i felt so toasty... there’s no breathability w/ this coat. I didn’t know that. So now I’m wondering how important it is to really have breathability in a coat. Obviously you need your sweat to get out and you need to stay warm. So far this is the only coat I’ve tried on that isn’t breathable. I spose i could always unzip a lil and let air come in but then that defeats why you bought it in the first place. You want to be warm and stay warm. So if you have to unzip b/c carhartt didn’t make it breathable, then how good is that? Why should i buy it? As much as i loved it, now that’s 2 strikes against it. After learning about that one not having breathability, now that brings me back to REI Stormhenge, b/c at least that one is breathable, has pit zips, and is gonna keep me warm i think (i haven’t checked the weight to warmth ratio yet). And also brings me back to my marmot guides down hoody i was looking at too (which i still have yet to try on). Ugh - the search continues. Interested to know any input you have regarding what i wrote now. Ty in advance P.S. originally i went into dicks to just check out the thermoball eco and i ended up finding all the others one i got to try... b/c orig i was gonna get the thermoball and just get a wind/waterproof shell for it from another brand. I saw the thermoball triclimate and i didn’t like it at all. I felt it was way too lightweight.. however i saw the carhartt Crowley jacket which is a nice water/windproof soft shell jacket w/ some light insulation in it (i think 80g thinsulate but i might be thinking of the Jefferson too which is also nice), i was thinking how the thermoball would maybe work good underneath the Crowley or the jeffferson, but i was liking the Crowley more. But here we go again down the road where you got to spend at least $100-$130 on carhartt (new, unless you try to find pre-owned) and another $100-$200 new on thermoball (unless you find a deal on used/ebay etc).. so if I’m already at the $300+ mark, why not just go w/ something like the guides down, the nuptse, stormhenge etc... It’s a constant battle and now i guess i need to really nitpick. It sucks when you like so much.

[@GearReviews]

@@lostintheclouds8719 I think you've exhausted the online research side of things. (I'm not a fan of the outside material on the puff). I would say best idea is to make a short list of the jackets you like the most (3-5 max) then go and compare them in store, thats what I did to find my ski jacket and it worked out well. I don't think the thermoball will be a stand alone jacket I think it is for layering or the days when its that in between sort of temperature.

[@lostintheclouds8719]

Gear Reviews yes I def have. Lol. I have narrowed down to I think 4-5 now. I agree w/ you on the puff outer material (in fact when I was looking at one for sale in the store, there was actually a tear in one and the primaloft was coming out of it. Idk how it got torn). I also agree w/ you on the thermoball. But not doing any coat shopping now thx to COVID-19. Not doing much period actually lol

[@GearReviews]

@@lostintheclouds8719 Best of luck!

[@jamesr9967]

Great Review!

[@trubadyr99]

I think it's not very warm.

[@GearReviews]

What kind of temperatures do you wear it in? I find it can be warm on mild days but when it's really cold out its not enough.

[@gamerwhiz6847]

@@GearReviews Would you consider 50 degrees mild?

[@terrell112]

@@gamerwhiz6847 Yes

[@drwang699]

how does it fit under a jacket

[@GearReviews]

It fits fairly well, depends on the lining of the jacket though. I have worn it under my ski jacket which is a Gore-Tex Shell, not sure how well it would work if you have a thicker jacket.

[@drwang699]

@@GearReviews ok thanks ya i pretty much have a shell with a little bit of insulation.

[@GearReviews]

@@drwang699 That would probably fit then but can't guarantee it

[@jgchavezs]

Gracias por el review. Saludos desde Ecuador. :D

[@GearReviews]

Gracias y de nada!

[@jamesweakley6196]

So the clip inside is for the stowaway feature! And if you’d looked before you did this video you’d known the bottom hem is adjustable! Cmon man