Comfort

For a jacket that provides this amount of warmth and weather protection, this option is pretty lightweight. It weighs only 609 grams, or 1 pound and 5.48 ounces. It doesn’t feel bulky when you are wearing it and it is light enough to toss in a backpack before you head out for the day.

When you first receive the jacket, it might feel a little stiff. It takes a few weeks and wears to loosen up the materials. After that, it will feel more flexible, and in my opinion, more comfortable.

One thing that will not change no matter how often you wash or wear it is the lack of range of motion. There are no gusseted seams. If you lift your arms up, the bottom of the jacket will also lift. This is one of the major reasons that it is not recommended as an adventuring jacket.

Fit

I am happy to report that this jacket fits true to size! The North Face has carefully measured the sleeve length, chest width, and overall length. The center back measures 26.75 inches.

There is a bit of stretch built into the material, but this isn’t a jacket that you want to fit close to your skin anyways. It’s best to keep some room for layering underneath.

The Apex Bionic is available in a wide range of sizes- XS to XXXL.

Weather Resistance

The most notable weather resistance this jacket provides is wind protection. It is made with WindWall fabric and finished with a non-PFC DWR treatment. This final treatment provides great water resistance. In a downpour, it won’t completely save you, but in a normal rain shower, you will stay dry.

In terms of warmth, many people have used it in temperatures down to 20 or 30 degrees. Of course, it depends on the base layers you are wearing, but either way, this garment provides great heat.

If you are wearing it while being active, it will generate and trap more heat inside. It has been agreed upon that it is ideal for fall or early winter. The jacket covers your neck and has a hem cinch cord.

Unfortunately, on this specific model, the wrists are not cuffed and they do not have velcro adjustments. This allows for the chill of the air to enter the jacket and also allows heat to escape. In addition, the Apex Bionic is not very breathable.

I suppose that you could unzip the jacket to allow for ventilation but that will also let go of a lot more of the warmth.

Features

This garment is available in four different colors. You can choose from black, gray, navy, or brick red. Oddly enough, some people say that the gray color feels stiffer than the others. Either way, all four colors are nice and are well-represented online.

There are three total zippered pockets - two hand pockets and one exterior chest pocket.

Most of the features have already been discussed, but another great one is that this jacket is made with at least 75% recycled materials that were responsibly sourced.

Durability

No known issues here. The Apex Bionic is made from 300 denier and 75 denier (374 grams per meter squared) WindWall polyester. The higher the denier, the stronger the fabric. While it isn’t advertised, I think it is safe to say this jacket is abrasion-resistant.

Additionally, the exterior is finished off with a non-PFC DWR finish.

As with most North Face products, this one also comes with a lifetime warranty. This warranty protects the garment from material and workmanship defects.

If you receive the item and are not pleased, there is also a return window of 60 days from the date of purchase.

The Columbia Ascender looks and performs very similarly to the Apex Bionic, but is cheaper. It is available in six colors and sizes XS to XXL. It is also made from polyester material and zips all the way up to the chin. It is wind and water-resistant with the same three zippered pockets.

The main difference between the two options is that the Ascender has adjustable cuffs. A couple of downfalls, that perhaps come with the lower price, is that many people complain about the main zipper being cheap and fussy. Also, the colors that are advertised online are quite different than the ones that you receive.

The Arc’Teryx Gamma LT Hoody has a little bit more of everything. It’s more expensive, has more features, and has more weather resistance. However, all of these features come in a lighter-weight package. This one weighs only 545 grams, or 1 pound and 3.2 ounces.

It is wind-resistant, breathable, and is finished with an Arc’Teryx Nu water repellency treatment. The underarms and cuffs are gusseted which provides great mobility. One of the biggest differences is that the StormHood that provides full protection without impacting visibility. It is made from a blend of nylon, polyester, and elastane.

As you can see, this is a good jacket. Is it the best on the market? Perhaps not, but it’s a good option that looks stylish and functions well. Its best features are its wind resistance, water resistance, and its durability.

I would be more inclined to love it if it had adjustable cuffs and gusseted areas to improve mobility.

Overall, in terms of price, I would do my best to wait until it goes on sale, but many people adore the jacket and say that it is completely worth it.