Marmot Zeus Jacket

I am between 6'3"-4" and weigh like 200 pounds. Depending on the brand I wear between a L and an XL (for those of you who are tall you can understand) often times the L is too short and the XL is too big in the chest. This jacket is great. It is light weight, warm, and it does not make one look like a marshmallow... It is kinda fitted. All you could want from a down coat. My one gripe would be that some down comes out, although I do not know what is normal for down leakage...(let me know what is norm) I like it because it is not shiny like many other comparable down jackets. I am a NOLS alumni and only wish that I had this coat on my last trip. Get it

Forgot to add that I got the large and it worked/fit great.

Update: after about 1 year the elastic in the left sleeve cuff gave out. I don't imagine this being a problem on most of them, maybe it was because i have big hands... But, I was able to return it without a problem. Great customer service.

The Zeus is a nice lightweight down jacket that takes up minimal room in your pack. The stitching is done well and the baffles are nice and lofty. I just got it so I can't say much about how warm it really is... just that it's too warm to wear in southeast Michigan in August. It does loft higher than the Patagonia Down Sweater, so it should be the warmer of the two.

The two zippered handwarmer pockets are well-placed and the whole jacket will stuff into the left pocket. The waist drawcord adjusts from inside them and there are two stuff pockets on the inside of the Zeus that will fit a pair of gloves or your lunch. The wind flap behind the zipper is nice and sturdy, and the collar is a good height.

I'm 6'0" & 175 lbs and a medium fits me well without being too tight or too baggy. It fits under my Arc'teryx Beta AR just fine, too. And Gargoyle is an awesome color.

As described: a light, warm 800+ fill down sweater. Some previous reviews have raised questions about pockets, fit, and weight. So here are the facts on my men's medium which arrived Nov. 2009:
- I'm 6'1", 162 lbs and it fits just right over a t-shirt and long sleeved t-shirt. Sleeves are long enough, collar is comfy and warm when zipped up. Enough space to trap warm air, but not so big that it gets drafty when I move.
- It weighs 14.3 oz on my accurate scale.
- The outside pockets are perfect for hands.
- There are 6"x11" vertical inside liner pockets on each side which as others have noted are not totally "secure". You could change that with a bit of Velcro. Good for a beanie hat, gloves, headlamp, etc while you're sitting around, to keep the hand warmer pockets free for your hands.
- I think it compares favorably with the Patagonia sweater and is a better value.

What it is, is a high quality, lightweight insulating layer that's suitable for knocking around in, or taking up a small area in a pack for when it's needed. And when that time comes, it does the job nicely. Size med. fits my 5'-11"/145lb body just right that I can get a Polartec 300 fleece layer under. Someone else my size would probably be able to make do with a small, but I wanted something to throw on after a day of hiking/skiing to a campsite. The collar doesn't cut off oxygen, nor let in cold air. Nice inside pockets suitable for bottle(s) and Cliff Bars from freezing aren't usually mentioned, but there's one on each side. It's a great value considering the price & the quality of construction & materials. I wouldn't hesitate to depend on it at -10F with a decent shell and some R1 fleece underneath.
For a lightweight insulating layer, at even $50-$75 more, that'd be a keeper.

This Jacket is perfect. I tried the North Face and Patagonia down jackets on and I liked the feel and fit of this one the best. I am 5'11" 175lbs. It allows mobility while not being too bulky. The material is really smooth and soft to the touch and very comfortable which I think makes up for the lack of water resistance which is often shiny looking. Besides if its raining just wear it under your shell. I got mine for backpacking in winter and at 20 degrees it was too warm when worn with a base and midweight layer. Only had to wear it in the morning while making breakfast and at night while sitting at the campfire. Its super light and not too bulky but still thick enough to keep you warm. Plus the pocket stuff sac is really nice. The Raven color, in my opinion, is the coolest color. It looks better in person than in the picture.

I have to respectfully disagree with the review below. I am 6'3", 185 and wear a large in this jacket. It fits me perfectly (and I like my jackets/technical clothing in an athletic fit). I do agree that it bunches up someone when you sit down, but the same thing happens with the Patagonia Down Sweater and comparable OR jacket. To me, this fit exactly the same as the Patagonia Down Sweater - the only difference being that the Patagonia has smaller down pockets (see pictures of both). I frankly went with Marmot b/c (in my experience) I have had better luck with durability and better down products. You really can't go wrong with either, but I did want to offer my opinion that this jacket fit me correctly and I am virtually the same size as the reviewer above.

I tried on a number of similar jackets from including the Patagonia Down Sweater and a few different North Face jackets. Looking for an 800 down this was the best of the the lot. I am 6'4" 230 with an athletic build and the XL fit perfectly to be used under a rain shell. Plenty of room to move my arms in every direction. The collar is also great being extended up a couple inches but not intrusive.

The only problem was when I got mine in the mail there was already a very small hole where down was popping through. This was much larger than a pin hole so not sure what happened but this worried me enough to give only 4 stars. Hopefully the exchanged new one will be good.

I am stunned at how light this jacket is for 800 fill. My wife has a slightly older Marmot down that's 650 and the thing weighs twice what mine does. I'm 6' and 155lbs, the medium fits me perfectly. Great articulation and its very very warm. I tend to run hot so with just a light baselayer under it I'm usually perfect. I have worn my Pat synchilla fleece under it and it works well. Packs down quick and easy (attached photos below) and is my new favorite jacket. I even ordered my brother the vest of this for Christmas the day I got my jacket.

If you are allergic to down do not even consider this jacket. (If you are not allergic to down, this jacket is nearly perfect.)

I LOVED the lightweight fabric, the plush feel, the light-weight warmth, even the color. EASY to move around in. Men's L fit my 6', 178-lb, long-armed body perfectly (35" dress sleeves). But I am allergic to down and started to wheeze the minute I put this on. I kept trying it for a few days with the hopes that I was making it up, but I was not. Generally I love Marmot even more than Patagonia, but the Patagonia down sweater does not give me the same trouble. Please, Marmot, downproof this jacket more or use better-quality down. Otherwise this jacket is a SUPERSTAR!!

As for the beer gut comment going around... the Patagonia down sweater this year is bigger in the gut than before, and while this isn't going to make anyone look slim, I had the same beer gut problem with the Patagonia down-sweater as with this. I looked trimmer in the Zeus.

The Marmot Baffin is a reasonable down alternative (synthetic down), though it's not as warm as the Zeus, and the gargoyle grey color on the Baffin is shinier and more synthetic-looking than on the Zues. With the Baffin I look like I'm walking around in a Hefty steel-sak garbage bag with a sick yellow-green tie. Oh, well, at least I'm not wheezing.

This jacket is nearly identical to the Patagonia Down Sweater, which I tried on, but I ordered the Zeus because it was cheaper. The major difference is that the Patagonia jacket is an athletic cut, whereas the Marmot is a Beer Gut cut. There is considerable amount of extra fabric around the stomach. Walking around, I feel like Santa Clause. When you sit down, the jacket creates a large fold in front of you due to the extra material. I've never seen anything like it before. It is not made for a healthy/normal shaped male. I am 6' 180 lbs. I am returning it.

PS. I exchanged it for the Medium and it fit better in the stomach and the length was better for my arms but it was too small in the shoulders and chest. Returning this one too :(

I have another older Marmot Down Jacket that is 800 down fill and this new Zeus is maybe at most 300 down fill. Some baffels don't have any down at all just fabric. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS MARMOT JACKET!!

Maybe the factory workers in China went on lunch break when this was being made a forgot to finish when they returned.