At first sight I noticed that the the Nike Trail PrimaLoft® Men's Therma-FIT Running Jacket was packable! That's amazing and allows for easy transportation. After unpacking the jacket it looked nice and comfortable. As far as aesthetics I liked the Nike Trail branding including the mountain peak silhouette above the Nike logo on the chest. Also, the gray and black colorway was simply appealing and can go with any Nike running outfit you please.
Now let's try it on! My initial thoughts were that It felt nice on the body and indeed was comfortable. The zipper, on the other hand, left little to be desired. It kept getting stuck as most zippers normally do. It was especially frustrating as it took about 5 attempts to get the jacket fully zippered! The fit was roomy and not snug by any stretch. The jacket is a size L so I expected that as that is the size I normally wear in Nike tops. Also, I understand the roominess as it allows for added breathability on runs and hikes. However, too roomy for taste. On top of that, the length seemed a bit too long and made the jacket look slightly oversized. As for the hood, this felt nice and just the right fit. I didn't need to utilize the pull strings, but they might come in handy if I were to ever get caught in inclement weather while on the trail.
So now that the look and fit are covered you may be asking well how about performance? Let's talk about it. Aside from the fact that it is very much summer in the northeast US, where I prefer to wear just a tank top and shorts on a hike, I had to put this jacket to the test. My hike was strenuous as I was climbing rocks to reach the summit, which I ultimately did! The jacket was with me every every step of the way. The breathability was ok as I sweated a lot on my back and arms, but my torso was mostly dry. The jacket was not constricting when I walked or even ran. I believe this is due to the loose fit. With all this in consideration I will give the performance a B. There's always room for improvement. I would probably add a little more ventilation so that long hikes and runs won't feel too taxing.
All in all, the Nike Trail PrimaLoft® Men's Therma-FIT Running Jacket packs a punch as it is packable, visually appealing and performs well. However, it is lacking in terms of fit and ventilation. Great product but with a few modifications it can be even better!