EMS Men's Divergence Fleece Jacket

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

I've had the Divergence jacket generation 1 for about 10 years and finally decided to retire it because of how worn out it is. Sadly enough this generation of the jacket is a disappointment.

While EMS improved the jacket by making it slightly more roomy and putting exterior drawcords (the old one had the barrel locks in the pockets, which wore holes in the pocket linings), this new version has big drawbacks - the barrel locks on the drawcords are cheap and don't keep the hem cinched well (e.g. they loosen up to easily) and the collar of this coat is short and loose, leaving a huge gap for drafts to waft in.

So, to EMS - please revamp this coat and put better barrel locks on the cinch cords and tighten up the collar; this latter area was one that then gen 1 coat excelled at, because it was just snug/high enough to keep out drafts, without being constrictive of the throat

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

I really like this jacket. It's extremely comfortable and stylish and is really warm. The craftsmanship is excellent. I've had a lot of comments on how good it looks. I got it at a good price (on sale for [$] plus had $25 Gear Bucks) so I'm very happy with the purchase. I definitely recommend this jacket!

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

I'm not the type of person who casually spends [$] for a jacket. I bought this jacket hoping for quality and to AT LEAST get what I paid for. Unfortunately this is just another cheap "slave labor made" fleece, it's sad that my $29 [...]fleece is heavier and feels genuniely better made. I do not recommend this product, at least definately not for [$] Will return it ASAP.

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

This jacket is a great jacket for the most part. The main problem is the lack of pit-zips. Im not sure how they can label a jacket under alpine/ascent and for highly aerobic activities when the jacket lacks pit-zips. In my opinion that is a serious oversight on EMS's behalf. Especially considering this is their most expensive and technically advanced fleece. Quite frankly, I'm suprised that EMS doesnt carry a single fleece with pit-zips. My next option would have been the primaloft heater jacket but it would have been too toasty for me. If EMS were to make this jacket with pit-zips in next years model I would buy it and give it 5 stars, regardless of a price increase.

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

I purchased this jacket based in part on the good reviews. I am very happy w/this jacket. Way warmer then my North Face Denali and seems nearly windproof. Have been wearing in 20 degrees w/wind and feel fine. Also warmer than my Mountain Hardware fleece. Collar is a little bit loose and drafty - that's why I didn't give it 5 stars. But overall the best fleece I own,EMS staff is great as always!

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

I wear this in the office as a layer and underneath my shell when it is cold. It provides good warmth when in the office or running around on the weekends, and with the shell, it definitely keeps you warm (and I've worn it in temps below 20 degrees). It was decent price ([$], and I had the $25 coupon), and a less obvious choice than the NF Denali, which everyone around here has.

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

This is definitely a quality jacket. Initially, I was looking at the North Face Denali, but I definitely prefer this coat over the Denali.

I only have two problems with this coat.

1. The sleeves are a little too tight. I need to hold onto sweater and shirt cuffs as i put this coat on. Otherwise, they'd get pulled up my arm.

2. The zipper. For a coat of this quality, it needs a much better zipper. I've had the zipper come undone at the bottom more than a few times. The slot at the bottom that holds the opposing piece in place is about half the length it should be. I've had a Columbia fleece for 3 years, so I compared the 2 zippers, because i've never had this problem with the Columbia fleece. The zipper on the Columbia fleece is far superior to the one on the Divergence.

So if you add a little room in the sleeves and improve the zipper, this coat would basically be perfect.

Lastly, starting next year, PLEASE offer this coat in an ivory or off-white for women. My girlfriend bought a black one, but the color she really wanted was ivory. If you offered this color for women, i can almost guarantee it would be your top seller amongst the colors.

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

I got the older version of this fleece in 2004 and held onto it for 6 years (when i gave it away it was still in great condition). I wore it all the time and even after so long it was still very usable. I liked that one so much that I ordered this new one from ems.com (there are no stores in the west anymore). The only downside for me is the fleece doesn't seem as slim-fit as it used to be and the color is not the deep royal blue i was expecting, but these are minor matters. This is my favorite fleece and I'll buy it again in 6 more years.

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

The EMS Divergence fleece is one of those great products that you never get tired of. I've been trying and buying various versions of the Divergence for many years now. Some versions have been hit or miss, but this version is very good and faithful to the original. Freedom of movement is excellent, and the combination of Polartec Wind Pro and Power Stretch make the fleece comfortable under a variety of conditions. The fit is neither too loose nor too tight. The length is long enough to keep your lower back warm.

Fleeces are generally either wind resistant or breathe well, but are never both. The Divergence magically manages to strike a middle road between wind resistance and breathability, making it very comfy. I can hang outside on a cool day and feel fine, or work my butt off outside in rather extreme cold weather, and still be comfortable. Water resistance is pretty good as well.

The front zipper is maybe a bit flimsy but that's a minor quibble. It hasn't failed me yet.

Overall this is an exceptional fleece. I've tried many of the well-known brands, and the Divergence fleece leaves them all in the dust. Now if EMS would only come out with a hooded version.......

Comments about Eastern Mountain Sports EMS Men's Divergence Jacket:

Better in The wind than my old 300 fleece.
No pit zips