Arc'teryx Keibo
THE GOOD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Great fit鈥攇ood range of motion without billowing.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Very durable outer fabric.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽High weight-to-warmth ratio.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽High collar, long hem, simple exterior means very weatherproof.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Helmet compatible hood.
THE BAD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Front zipper sometimes snags (may be fixed).
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Expensive.
THE VERDICT
Bottom line: If you can afford it, buy it. The Keibo is an exceptionally well-fitting, meticulously tailored, and uncommonly well-designed ski jacket built from top-shelf materials. It鈥檚 also extremely expensive. Few people will need the performance this jacket offers on piste, but those who can afford it will not be disappointed.
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Outdoor Research Igneo
The Outdoor Research Igneo is a relaxed-fitting ski shell, lightly insulated with synthetic fill
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Good wet-weather rig.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Helmet compatible hood.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Lots of pockets for stashing gear for sidecountry missions.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Removable powder skirt.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Very good price.
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Too little insulation.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽A little baggy.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Crinkly shell.
The Igneo has such a slight amount of insulation that it is sort of a tweener鈥攏ot quite a shell, not quite an insulated jacket. That鈥檚 not necessarily a bad thing, but it might be hard to justify a spot in the closet for it. It has some great features like Recco and pockets right where you want them, excellent waterproofness and breathability, etc. without a big price tag. The fit is on the baggy side, even for a freeride rig.
Eider Tamos
The Eider Tamos is a moderately insulated, ski specific parka system consisting of a shell paired with synthetic insulation
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Great fit.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Removable powder skirt/hood.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Fabric a bit stretchy.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Very weatherproof.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Lightweight.
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Hood not helmet compatible.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽A bit expensive.
Eider hangs its hat on tailoring, and the very toasty Tamos jacket certainly fits and performs very well. It鈥檚 certainly full-featured鈥攈osting a virtual library of ski resort jacket bells and whistles. Even with the full slate of features and close attention to detail, though, it is definitely a bit expensive compared with other jackets offering similar performance.
Scott Ralston
Scott鈥檚 Ralston is a moderately insulted, ski specific Gore-Tex shell
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Good weatherproofing.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Powder skirt.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Helmet compatible/removable hood.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Great materials.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Well built.
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Pocket zippers catch the wind.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Pit zips a little small.
The Ralston is a solid, all-around performer. It has all the features skiers will likely look for in a ski jacket, and is generally well designed (quality materials and construction), but not in a way that makes this jacket stand out from the many others out there like it. The price seems slightly on the higher end, but is still reasonable given the cost of even basic Gore-Tex.
White Sierra High Camp 3-in-1
White Sierra鈥檚 High Camp 3-in-1 is a combination parka system consisting of a shell paired with a synthetic-fill insulated jacket
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Good weatherproofing.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Powder skirt.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Helmet compatible/removable hood.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Great materials.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Well built.
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Heavy.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽A little baggy.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Fabric has low breathability.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽No pit zips or powder skirt.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Seams not taped (not waterproof).
THE VERDICT
With a zip-out liner that can also be worn alone, the High Camp 3-in-1 is a versatile, acceptably functional jacket at a very reasonable price. While the jacket provides adequate warmth and weatherproofing, it is relatively heavy and less breathable than others in the test. It also lacks many of the resort-specific amenities of others in the test. At the cheapest price of any jacket we tested, you get what you pay for.
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Helly Hansen Enigma
The Helly Hansen Enigma is a full-featured snowsports jacket with a stretchy shell and synthetic (Primaloft) and down insulation system
THE GOOD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Stretchy material for dynamic riding and a good fit.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Full-featured for snowsports.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Venting system superior to pit zips.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽RECCO system.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Helmet compatible hood.
THE BAD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽A bit heavy.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Very expensive.
THE VERDICT
Helly Hansen鈥檚 Enigma is an excellent and well-designed jacket鈥攙ersatile, nicely fitting, and built with top-shelf materials, like stretchy waterproof fabric, Primaloft, and down insulation. It has a superior ventilation system than most super-warm ski jackets, making it a more versatile choice for spring-like or frigid conditions. Bummer: it鈥檚 heavier than most similar jackets (3.5 pounds) and very expensive.
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Gear Institute's 2012 Ski Jacket Reviews: Mountainforce Park Down Jacket
A full-featured snowsports jacket with a stretchy shell and insulated with 800-fill down
THE GOOD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Very stretchy shell keeps down insulation from speed compression.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Great fit.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽High warmth-to-weight ratio.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Welded baffles make the jacket totally waterproof.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Powder skirt and wrist gaiters seal out snow.
THE BAD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Extremely expensive.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Hood is a touch small for some helmets.
THE VERDICT
If you don鈥檛 mind paying for a double-dose of luxury with your top-level performance, the Mountainforce Park Down delivers. It was the best performing jacket we tested, but it鈥檚 triple the cost of average jackets. The stretchy fabric is exquisite鈥攁s elastic as a rubber band. It keeps the down from being compressed and allows for a snug fit, yet never feels constrictive. It鈥檚 the best fitting ski jacket I鈥檝e worn, and the 800-fill down keeps it light.
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Gear Institute's 2012 Ski Jacket Reviews: Flylow Iceman
The Flylow Iceman is a 700-fill down insulated jacket encased in a hard shell for the coldest conditions
THE GOOD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Fully waterproof.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Huge pit zips if things get warm.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Long hemline and freeride fit.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Helmet compatible hood.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Light weight.
THE BAD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Few resort-specific bells and whistles.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽A little billowy even for a freeride cut.
THE VERDICT
The Flylow Iceman is totally waterproof, making it very versatile, and is very light for the impressive warmth and weather protection it offers. It鈥檚 so warm you can leave a few layers behind, and if things get overheated on a slackcountry hike, the huge pit zips help dump heat in a hurry. It鈥檚 durably built and eschews bells and whistles in the name of simplicity and weight savings.
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Gear Institute's 2012 Ski Jacket Reviews: Spyder Rocket Down Jacket
The Spyder Rocket Down Jacket is a 700-fill down insulated ski jacket for the coldest conditions
THE GOOD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Stretchy face fabric reduces insulation compression at speed.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Welded baffle seams ensure waterproofness.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽High weight to warmth ratio.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Lots of pockets, bells, whistles.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Wrist gaiters and powder skirt seal out snowdrift.
THE BAD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Pit zips too small for effective venting.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Zippers a bit small for easy operation.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Kind of bulky.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Hood not helmet-compatible, but zips off.
THE VERDICT
The Spyder Rocket is a very good, cold-weather ski jacket鈥攔eady for serious and sloppy storms, and high-speed skiing. The stretchy fabric improves fit and resists compression (i.e. stays warmer at speed), and the full waterproofing makes it versatile enough for a range of conditions, though the fabric does make it heavier and bulkier than others here.
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Patagonia Rubicon Down Jacket
The Patagonia Rubicon Down is a 700-fill down insulated jacket outfitted with ski-specific features for the coldest conditions
THE GOOD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Freeride fit is roomy without being bulky.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Lots of pockets.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Helmet compatible hood.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Long hem and snug, warm collar.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Lightweight.
THE BAD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Less weatherproof.
THE VERDICT
Patagonia applies their excellent ski-jacket approach to a super-warm, overstuffed down jacket. It鈥檚 got a roomy freeride cut for great freedom of movement, but doesn鈥檛 feel bulky thanks to smart tailoring, and comes with plenty of bells and whistles鈥攍ike removable powder skirt and lots of pockets for goggles and shades and backcountry gear. Its not seam-taped, so wouldn鈥檛 be appropriate for very wet conditions.
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Dakine Drift Down Jacket
The Dakine Drift Down Jacket is a 550-fill down insulated jacket outfitted with snowsports-specific features for the coldest conditions
THE GOOD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Good price.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Powder skirt, wrist gaiters seal out snow.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Long hem length.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Lightweight.
THE BAD
听听聽 鈥⑻ 聽Less weatherproof.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Hood not helmet compatible, but zips off.
听听 聽鈥⑻ 聽Kind of bulky.
THE VERDICT
Dakine鈥檚 Drift Down is a super warm jacket whose 550-fill down insulation helps keep the price a little lower. Tricked out with snowsports features with a relaxed fit for dynamic riding鈥攖hough it鈥檚 a bit too relaxed around the waist, making it a bit bulky.
Read the at , a network of the best outdoor gear testers in America, dedicated to providing the most professional, objective, and helpful advice you can get about the gear you depend on.