What Every Ski Jacket Needs
With a little help from Are in Sweden, I've compiled a list of the ten key indicators to keep an eye on. This adorable mountain town, Sweden's ski capital, also gave birth to several ski apparel companies, including Peak Performance and Elevenate. Locals naturally spend a lot of time outside, so they know what makes a high-quality ski jacket effective and what doesn't. For more information click here.
A Breathable, Waterproof Material
You need clothing that allows perspiration to evaporate while keeping snow and rain out. In this regard, Gore-Tex remains the market leader. This membrane, sandwiched between an outer and inner layer of cloth, has over 1.4 billion pores per square centimeter.
Tape-Sealed Seams
There is no way your ski jacket will be waterproof unless the seams are taped. So why not? Because the stitching of a seam provides an ideal entry point for water and cuts right through the waterproof membrane. Peak Performance's top-tier Heli Alpine jacket with taped seams is shown on the left.
Regarding weak points in your jacket, remember that the main zip at the front will let moisture in if it isn't covered in some way.
A High Collar
On windy, chilly days, I've often wished the neck of my ski jackets was higher. High collars can be pulled over your chin, lips, and even the tip of your nose to block the wind. It's great to have the extra protection of a good ski jackets, but if it's truly the Arctic, you should also invest in a neoprene facemask.
Check for drawstrings that allow you to adjust the collar separately from the hood if the jacket has one. Aside from that, the hood acts as a wind funnel, capturing and directing any gusts toward your neck.
A Helmet-Compatible Hood
Today, all reasonable skiers wear helmets (for more information, see our ski helmet page); similarly, all reasonable ski jackets manufacturers produce jackets that fit over ski helmets, such as this Arctyerx Alpha SL jacket. What would the point be?
However, most skiers never wear hoods while skiing because they restrict their range of motion and interfere with their peripheral vision. I want to wear mine on chairlifts more frequently if I can. But I'm always distracted by my ski poles and backpack, so I never get it up.
Extra-Long Sleeves Or Snow Cuffs
The design of a ski jackets can help you prevent snow from getting up your sleeves in two ways first, if the sleeves are especially long (for example, the sleeves on some jackets come right up to your knuckles). The second effect is achieved by including elastic inner cuffs that latch over your thumb, and these keep snow out and prevent your sleeves from riding up your arms.
Underarm Ventilation Zips
In the dead of winter, on a mountain. The ground is covered in a thick layer of snow. You have no right to be angry.
It does, however, happen frequently to skiers. Whether skiing hard, hiking to an off-piste route, or enjoying a warm and sunny spring day, you'll frequently find yourself on the verge of boiling. Large underarm vents can come in handy at this point. (A double zip is also on the front of the jacket.)
A Pocket On Your Left Arm For Your Lift Pass
Most lift passes these days are electronic, and in the Alps, most are regulated by sensors on the left side of the gates that allow you to enter the lifts. In this case, keeping your lift pass in a pocket on your left sleeve makes sense. The most suitable location is on your lower arm, just above the wrist (so you can wave it around if the sensor is slow to respond), but some are on your upper arm.
An Interior Phone Pocket
Snow is a cunning substance that can fit through the smallest of openings. When you wipe out on a powder day, your pockets will be drenched in water when you return to your lodge, even if they are only partially unzipped.
As a result, mobile phones are in jeopardy, and the only safe place to keep one is inside a pocket. The waterproof/breathable membrane of the jacket should completely enclose this, and a zipper should secure the phone. Anything less is a recipe for disaster.
A ski mask
Anyone who skis in deep snow needs a jacket with a snow skirt that fastens over the hips and sits beneath the jacket to prevent snow from creeping inside and soaking your base layer. You'll appreciate it even more if you fall in a lot of snow.
The more expensive ones can be removed because the extra fabric in a snow skirt can interfere with biking or hiking in the spring, fall, or summer.
A Color You Can Live With
The vibrant colors that have dominated ski jacket fashion in recent years look fantastic on the slopes. However, if you're going out for a quick pint in your neighborhood, they might make you feel stupid. It's not a problem if you go skiing frequently and want a jacket that you'll only wear on the slopes.
