One of the hardest things about last winter for our now 5-1/2 year old son was struggling with his winter coat. I had bought him one of those bulky coats with numerous removable layers. When he was wearing it, he could not even put his arms down completely by his sides. I wanted him to be warm, but it ended up being at the expense of his comfort. He also struggled terribly with the zipper. Not only was it difficult to zip, but it was confusing for him because there were multiple zippers for all the removable layers.
For the upcoming winter season, I am excited to have our son try out the Boys' MicroTherm Down Hoodie from Eddie Bauer's First Ascent outerwear line. This jacket appears to be lightweight, but it is filled with 800 fill Premium Goose Down. Of course, we have not been able to test it out in cold temperatures yet, but I can certainly attest to the quality of the workmanship and the design, as well as the fit.
(Click any photo to enlarge)
Both my son and I are very pleased with the general style and colors of this coat, which he chose himself. I think he made a great choice. We have the perfect red and blue for New England Patriots fans, not to mention that Superman, Spiderman, and Captain America also wear those colors.
Our son is in a size XS, which is the equivalent to a size 5/6. The jacket fits him well and has enough room for us to add another layer underneath for those days when the temperatures drop to the 20's or lower. The sleeves are a little long, but I would much rather have that than their being too short. Our son always wants to pull his sleeves over his hands anyways.
The zipper on this jacket is beefy, but not too hard for him to zip on his own, although he did need to practice a few times. Some other great features are a place for emergency information on the inner lining, a small zippered pocket on the chest for money, keys, or a phone, plus one hand-warming zippered pocket on each side.
There are also stretchy panels behind and under the shoulders for added freedom of movement, plus sleeves and a hood that hug the body around the edges. I love how deep the hood is, so our son's ears and head are protected from the cold and the wind.
I rarely wash my children's winter coats unless they have managed to soil them somehow because they outgrow their coats every year. However, I am happy to know that this down jacket is machine washable if I ever do need to launder it.
The Eddie Bauer Boys' MicroTherm Down Hoodie retails for $89.95 on EddieBauer.com and comes in four colors with contrasting linings . . . Carrot (orange), Coast (blue), Indigo (navy blue), and Limeade (neon yellow).
Thank you to Eddie Bauer for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.
