GET OUT AND STAY OUT  
The North Face Prisum Optimus jacket
   
 
By:Michael Isaacs

I wanted a down jacket that would really work for Nova Scotia so I wanted a little more insulation than the venerable Nuptse jacket, with added wind proofness and rain resistance. I found just such a jacket in the Prisum Optimus by The North Face. This jacket uses 700 fill down combined with Primaloft One insulation in the hood, wrapped in almost fully welded outer shell with a light Hyvent kiss coat for water resistance. The arms are sewn to the body and the hood has traditional sewn seams, the rest is welded. The welded seams add complete windproofness, which you can't say about sewn baffle jackets, and rain resistance since it is the stitching that usually stops the water from running off the jacket and wicks the moisture to the interior. As a bonus the welded seams add a nicer look cosmetically since it no longer has the "Michelin Man" look like almost every other down jacket. The insulated hood is a close fitting design that really adds warmth on windy or really cold days. The North Face uses Primaloft One synthetic insulation in the hood since it's more likely to get wet, being on top, and down will not insulate nearly as well when it is wet.
I love this jacket but I did find the arms a little short, especially for a winter jacket, nobody likes cold wrists.

If you want a jacket with a little more functionality than a regular bomber cut down jacket then I recommend you check out this jacket. It sells for $425.