It’s my first experience with Marmot and it is a good one. Backcountry came through again.

At the Backcountry discount price, the Stockholm II has a lot going for it. It’s a casual no-frill piece that will keep you toasty down to sub freezing temps with no problem despite the sewn through seams. There’s a surprising amount of lofty 700 fill down packed in all areas including the non helmet-compatable hood, shoulders, and arms. No thin spots. Marmot didn’t skimp. Well made, soft, and very warm. I have several other down jackets and this one is more like a puffy parka than a jacket. It covers some of your backside but doesn’t reach down to the thighs. It is light, compressible and water repellant. The outer fabric is thin but doesn’t seem fragile. But this is clearly a cold day in the snow, around town, or walking the dog in blustery winter weather jacket, not an expedition or back country piece. Still, it’s a good frigid temperature choice.

How does it fit?

I’m 5’9”, 175-180 lbs. with a 43” chest, broad shoulders and a 33” waist. I bought my usual size: large. The Stockholm II has a boxy cut so it fits great at the shoulders and chest with room for layering. It also has a very roomy collar which I really appreciate because you can wear a couple of high neck mid layers underneath and not choke when you try to zip this jacket up. But the boxy cut leaves more room at the mid section than I like. I guess I might have been able to fit into a medium but it would have been tight across the chest and layering up underneath would be tough. It’s really too puffy for a mid-layer, so size large was the way to go with my build.

The only issues I have (and they are minor) are with the color I chose, the hood, and the cuffs. The hood, which is very warm with great coverage, has just two snaps that fasten it across the collar and they are hard to fasten and harder to undo. It takes some pressure to pull them apart and I’m concerned that it puts a lot of stress on the light nylon fabric. You’ve got to be careful. Only time will tell if it holds up. The one pull hood adjustment at the back actually works great and snugs it around the face decently. The cuffs have a very slightly elasticized band that’s recessed two inches from the end. It really needs a better seal. A pair of gloves, however, solve the issue. Finally, I ordered the Scotch color. It looks like a nice yellow in the pictures but it isn’t. It arrived looking like a golden brown mustard color. I can live with it but …

Conclusion:

I’m impressed with Marmot quality even though their design of this jacket could benefit from some updates. At least they didn’t skimp where it counts - the down fill. At retail price there are better options. But at Backcountry’s sale price of roughly 50% off it’s a great value and hard to beat.