Warmest Ski Jackets
November 2, 2009 - 3:55pm
What are some of the warmest ski jackets available? A friend of mine has an old Halti jacket (with a lime green fur hood) that she wears with t-shirt underneath on days when I am dressed in layers and am always warmer than I. I don't care the shape of the jacket, how bulky and goofy it looks, I just want to be warm with the latest technology. What jackets are out there - should I be looking at Halti, Karbon, North Face?
November 5, 2009 - 11:06am
#2
I love anything with
I love anything with primaloft brand insulation. It is really lightweight and super warm but still breaths well. My favorite ski jacket right now is by Cloudveil, but lots of different brands use primaloft. Like the previous comment, I recommend layering with moisture wicking fabrics - any cotton fabrics will hold moisture next to your skin and make you cold. A perfect ski jacket won't work well if you're not wearing good base layers. Think Snow!
November 3, 2009 - 9:35am
#3
J,
I have a down jacket that
J,
I have a down jacket that I have skied in, but I find it bulky and it can be really hot mid-day when I don't have any layers to shed. Most of the time warmth is coming from your body's ability to shed moisture and retain heat. The place where you most readily retain heat is your head. Best thing you can do to keep warm is wear a helmet. Following that, try mittens instead of gloves and layer under a jacket that moves the moisture away from the body. Arctyrx, Northface, Columbia and Patagonia to name a few all have shells or jackets with liners that will move moisture away from your layers. Then use a couple of base layers underneath, depending on what the temp is. The key to layers is, you can take them off when you're active and then put them back on when you are cooling down. If you decide to try some down jackets, look for something with light fill and good waterproofing. Check out the "stuff we like" sections in SKI and SKIING mags, they have listed several in the last two issues.
But seriously, try the helmet, it worked for my daughter who has always been a ripper and a bit chil... ;-)
N
I struggled trying to find a jacket that was warm, but not super bulky, and for the last two seasons, I've sworn by the Salomon Snowtrip 3-in-1. It has a zip-out liner, bombproof and kept me plenty warm over a sub-zero New Year's storm at Killington, but was versatile enough to come with me to a 50-degree St. Patrick's Day in Park City. Plus, it's a decently-priced option, too.