It’s kept me warm at ski resorts all over Europe.
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As a travel writer who covers luxury hotels and restaurants, I often hop from one ski resort to another each winter, visiting new restaurants and meeting new chefs. As you can imagine, much of my time is spent living out of a suitcase. While traveling light is something I have mastered during the summer months, winter has always proved more difficult because it requires large, bulky jackets to keep warm. Well, that’s what I thought, anyway — before I found the Merrell Women’s Mixup Full Zip Jacket.
This lightweight, packable jacket has been a game-changer for the winter months because it keeps me warm and cozy both indoors and out, without taking up much space in my suitcase — and it looks stylish enough to look put together no matter the occasion. Finally, I am now one step closer to being a light-packer.
Made with super soft fleece and a ripstop polyester that stops the wind, this sleek jacket by iconic American hiking brand Merrell is a must-have item that will streamline winter packing and still keep you super warm. And I can personally attest to just how warm — I’m always shivering when the temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (my warm-climate-loving-Aussie bones just don’t do well in the cold), and this jacket keeps me toasty and cozy, whether I’m enjoying après-ski in Megève, France or hiking in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
The biggest problem with winter jackets is bulk, and this highly versatile fleece jacket is the very opposite of the puffy, heavy jackets I’ve tried in the past. The Merrell mix-up coat has the weight of a light fall jacket but with greater insulation. The combination of recycled polyester, which is slightly quilted and woven on the upper chest and arms, makes the jacket very soft and plush to the touch, while the soft-handed teddy-lined fleece on the outside keeps the body well-insulated. I’m telling you, it keeps me warm and toasty both inside and on the streets, like when I was visiting Christmas markets and eating cheese fondue in the Widder Wonder Garden in Zurich.
The first time I tried and tested my Merrell Women’s Mixup Full Zip Jacket was during the first snow days this winter when my apartment heating was on the fritz. I pulled on my Merrell fleece jacket to keep warm as I tinkered away working on my computer, and my whole body felt instantly warm, with even my exposed fingers not feeling the chill because my body was well-insulated from being cocooned in the teddy-line jacket. In the past, I always had to put on at least three layers: two thermals and a quilted jacket to keep warm, but the Merrell replaced all three. Wanting to test out my jacket beyond my apartment walls, I also took my jacket on a recent tour of Switzerland and the country’s famed alpine ski resorts where temperatures can drop well below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wearing my fleece-lined jacket, I boarded the train at Geneva Train station without ever feeling the chill on my body and enjoyed wearing it during my 4-hour and 57-minute journey with views of the Swiss mountains, forests, and Alps whooshing past me. Call me dramatic, but I felt as if I was in the comfort of my own bed, bundled in a warm doona and watching a David Attenborough production through my train window — dreamy, I know! When I arrived at my destination, there was never a shiver or a chilly feeling in my body when I reached the iconic ski resort of St. Moritz. Not even when I was waiting for my driver at St. Moritz train station and en route to my destination, the historical Carlton St. Moritz, did I ever once wish I was back home in Australia and having my hot December summer.
Keeping my body warm no matter what elements I tackled during my alpine adventures, my Merrell jacket stood up to all temperatures and activities. After having breakfast, I sat on my balcony with stunning views of Lake St. Moritz with coffee and homemade pastry in hand wearing just a single thermal underneath my coat. I also wore it (under a bigger coat when temperatures dipped to 30 degrees Fahrenheit!) when I walked around the very chic St. Moritz town center in between ski sessions and also loved donning my plush coat when sitting in my hotel room. And later on the Carlton St. Moritz Sun terrace, I enjoyed breathtaking views of Lake St. Moritz and sipping a hot spiced-toddy despite the chill.
Don’t just take it from me, though. Other shoppers have also fallen in love with the Merrell Women’s Mixup Full Zip Jacket, including one reviewer who said that her spontaneous purchase did not disappoint: “Got this on a whim but didn’t know if I’d like the neck style. So happy with this,” they reported. “It’s just the right amount of warmth and the neck was perfect for keeping mosquitoes out of my face without overheating (loose enough to bury my face in if needed). It’s going to be hard to peel this off of me to wash it.”
Another shopper raved about the fit, saying, “I’ve spent a few months trying to hunt down a new staple fleece jacket and wanted one that fit my body well…. Most jackets on the market are far too long and slim to be flattering on my build... It’s really flattering. It’s not the most technical fleece money can buy, but for daily use it’s awesome.”
While the jacket’s greatest perk is the ability to keep even the coldest bodies warm in the Swiss Alps, other features make it a great all-rounder, including a stable front zip, open chest pocket, and two secure zip hand pockets on either side of the jacket (which served me well at the Carlton St. Moritz as a neat little place to put my room key in!).
I’m excited to try the hooded version of this coat but in the meantime will continue to wear my Merrell Women’s Mixup Full Zip Jacket at home, in five-star hotels, outside in the Swiss mountains — and anywhere that I can.
At the time of publishing, the price started at $88.
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