Review: 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated Jacket

Published on 07/18/2023 · 3 min readCurated Ski Expert Leo C. shares their experience with using the 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated Jacket. Note that experts are not sponsored by any brands; these are their honest opinions.
Leo Cocchiara, Ski Expert
By Ski Expert Leo Cocchiara
20 photos
Photo by Leo Cocchiara

The Curated Take

4.2/5

The 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated Jacket is suitable for individuals who need versatile, comfortable, and durable winter gear, especially for skiing. It offers a high breathability rating of 15k, a 20k waterproofing rating, and a relaxed fit. While the inner synthetic down layer may lack breathability, the shell layer provides excellent temperature regulation. This jacket maintains its durability even with daily rugged use. Its various features like a multitude of pockets, mesh lined vents, and glove hooks add significant value, making it a well-rounded choice for various winter conditions.

Ideal for
  • Great value offering 2 separate jackets with the 3 in 1 design
  • Excellent details such as pockets, glove hooks, mesh lined vents, and powder skirt
  • Fabric is rugged and durable, with a very high waterproof rating of 20k
Not ideal for
  • The inner layer isn't the most breathable and is more comfortable worn on its own
  • Baggy fit for the size makes it not a great choice for all
  • The shell may actually be too heavy for some
Breathability
Leo Cocchiara, Curated Expert
The shell on this jacket has a breathability rating of 15k which is high and, when worn on its own, it's perfectly breathable and comfortable to configure with any combination...Read more
Comfort
Leo Cocchiara, Curated Expert
Jackets can sometimes feel claustrophobic with layers underneath because the cut is too fitted. As someone with a broad torso, plenty of space is key for my comfort and this...Read more
Warmth
Leo Cocchiara, Curated Expert
I skied many single digit days in this jacket and never once felt cold or under dressed. Proper layering is of course key in any situation, and I was able...Read more
Durability
Leo Cocchiara, Curated Expert
This jacket has exceeded my high standards when it comes to durability. I ski often, in extreme weather conditions, in tight trees where branches snag my clothes, and I stuff...Read more
Aesthetics
Leo Cocchiara, Curated Expert
The 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated Jacket is a baggier, more relaxed fit cut compared to other styles of jackets. For me, it works well to accommodate my...Read more
Waterproofing
Leo Cocchiara, Curated Expert
The 20k waterproofing rating was one of the biggest sellers of this jacket for me. Getting that high quality of fabric in a shell at this price, not to mention...Read more

Expert Reviews of the 686 Men's SMARTY 3-in-1 Form Jacket

 I bought this jacket for myself in Winter 2023 with the hope to get versatility, durability, comfortable fit, and value, and boy did it deliver! This jacket has been one of the highlights of the season for me gear-wise. What I didn't expect to appreciate so much are all of the little details in the jacket, like the glove hooks to keep my sleeves in place, the perfectly positioned chest pockets for easy access to my phone and keys (with a retention hook), and the pass pocket in the sleeve for easy loading (also with a retention hook!).  686 is known for their baggier fit style, and it feels great on my broader shoulders. I never feel layered too tightly, even with a thicker mid layer on. It does run a tad long in the hem and the sleeve. I never find this to be a major problem though as the Velcro cuffs and powder skirt keep everything comfortably in place. At 5'4" and 200lbs in men's size large, I understand I'm not the average, so taller guys may not find this to be a problem, but if you have proportions like me, you might find a better cut in some other brands. The included bomber style synthetic down jacket adds great value! The shell itself is warm so I rarely wear the puffy snapped inside of the shell because I find that it moves more naturally, though I wear the inner jacket regularly as an around town and après jacket!

Product Specs

GenderMen's
Age GroupAdult
Featured technologyAir-Flo™, Pant Jacket Connect™ System, SMARTY®, InfiLOFT™, VELCRO®
FeaturesWaterproof, Windproof, Insulated, Powder skirt, Interior/security pocket, Breathable
MaterialSynthetic
Best useSnowsports

Review Ratings

Breathability

3/5
 gave 3 of 5 stars. The shell on this jacket has a breathability rating of 15k which is high and, when worn on its own, it's perfectly breathable and comfortable to configure with any combination of layers to achieve your ideal temperature. Granted, I tend to run hot and sweaty, but I've found the inner synthetic jacket to lack breathability when worn under the shell in spite of the fleece side panels. Because of this, I've mostly opted to go with more breathable fleece mid layers except on those single digit and below days.

Comfort

4/5
 gave 4 of 5 stars. Jackets can sometimes feel claustrophobic with layers underneath because the cut is too fitted. As someone with a broad torso, plenty of space is key for my comfort and this jacket delivers on that. The sleeves are even generously wide, which makes fitting an inner jacket underneath it easy. Minus one star because the inner synthetic down doesn't feel as comfortable when it's snapped into the jacket as it does worn independently.

Warmth

5/5
 gave 5 of 5 stars. I skied many single digit days in this jacket and never once felt cold or under dressed. Proper layering is of course key in any situation, and I was able to configure the layers of this jacket in a variety of ways to meet any conditions the mountain could throw at me to stay not just warm, but well regulated.

Durability

5/5
 gave 5 of 5 stars. This jacket has exceeded my high standards when it comes to durability. I ski often, in extreme weather conditions, in tight trees where branches snag my clothes, and I stuff my jacket tightly in my ski bag (where my ski edges are sharp and have cut fabric in the past). This jacket hasn't flinched once and every feature on it is still as perfect as it was on day one.

Aesthetics

3/5
 gave 3 of 5 stars. The 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated Jacket is a baggier, more relaxed fit cut compared to other styles of jackets. For me, it works well to accommodate my large shoulders. The sleeves are also very wide, and the hem of the jacket is long. It focuses on comfort and space over a form fitting sleek aesthetic.

Waterproofing

5/5
 gave 5 of 5 stars. The 20k waterproofing rating was one of the biggest sellers of this jacket for me. Getting that high quality of fabric in a shell at this price, not to mention with the addition of a full second jacket, made it a value too good for me to pass up on.

FAQs

What was your favorite moment with this gear?

2023 was filled with incredible powder days as well as sunny spring laps---truly a season to remember. In March, we skied 5 days back to back in Utah hitting every kind of terrain in every kind of weather condition you could think of: single digits, knee deep powder, warm and sunny. This jacket stood up to everything the environment threw at me and was always dry, warm, comfortable, and ready to go for the next day.

Why did you choose this product?

I picked the 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated Jacket because its quality and key features are superior to other 3 in 1 jackets, and cheaper too. It has more pockets than the Patagonia 3-in-1 Powder Town. It has a better shell than the North Face ThermoBall Eco Snow Triclimate. It's not the lightest, but it is completely packable in its own hood for storage.

What is the value for the money versus other options?

This jacket packs a lot of value in features and fabric quality. It's very durable, with a high breathability and waterproofing rating which make a big difference for me on the hill. In addition to the 3 in 1 jacket system, the shell is packed with additional features such as a mesh inner stash away pocket, phone heater chest pocket with key retainer hook, second chest pocket and zippered side pockets for additional storage, head phone loop, mesh line vents, left sleeve Velcro pass pocket with retainer hook, powder skirt, pants integration snaps, and glove hooks. All of these little details add up to well thought out experience that delivers on every promise.

What do you love about this product?

The 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated jacket is exceptionally waterproof and breathable for its class with a 20k Waterproofing and 15k Breathability Rating. The mesh lined vents in the shell make it ideal for dumping heat and the fleece side panels of the inner synthetic down jacket help keep your core cool when working hard. Even on the deepest of powder days with heavy moisture, the waterproofing of this jacket didn't let up.   The 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated jacket is versatile to maximum degree. The biggest inherent value of this jacket is that you're getting 3 configurations of outerwear in one. The shell and the synthetic down inner jacket can be worn stand alone or as one unit, delivering versatility for every kind of weather conditions and any winter sports discipline.   The 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated Jacket delivers TWO exceptionally durable jackets. The outer shell is noticeably rugged and while it's not the lightest shell, every feature - the zippers, the pockets, the glove hooks, the integration snaps, the velcro - have all stood up to hard use in harsh conditions. The inner synthetic down jacket has made a great option for around town in the winter in addition to being warm midlayer - standing up to daily wear on and off the mountain.   The 686 Men's Smarty 3-In-1 Form 2L Insulated Jacket has a limited lifetime warranty.

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