How to choose a ski jacket?

Skiing is rightfully considered the most popular and most interesting winter recreation. And it doesn't matter whether you are a ski tour enthusiast, a fun carving pro or a fan of hiking to the peaks, with further descent along an unprepared slope, the main thing in alpine skiing is equipment. Good protection on the slope is not a tribute to fashion, but a necessity. It is your comfort, safety and pleasure from skiing. Therefore, the choice of ski equipment is usually a concern even before buying skis. After all, equipment can always be rented, but it is better to have your own appropriate clothing.

We strongly advise against conquering the ski slopes in a regular down jacket or vest worn over a warm tracksuit. Even if all these items are of excellent quality, made of membrane and suit you well, you won't be able to ski actively in them - city clothes are not able to provide the proper level of protection and comfort in the mountains.

Everything is important in the correct equipment of a skier and snowboarder: outer and inner layers, shoes, hat, protective accessories. But the main attention should be paid to the ski jacket. The rules for choosing it are the same, regardless of whether you are going to use it for its intended purpose or as outerwear for the city.

In this publication, we describe in detail all the important points of choosing the right ski jacket, including:

• Types of ski jackets.
• Material of manufacture.
• Design features of ski jackets.
• How to choose a ski jacket: key points when choosing.

RESORT VACATION, PREPARED SKIING OR BACK COUNTRY?

Before choosing outerwear, you should decide on the type of vacation, because it determines what type of ski jacket to choose. If you are planning a resort vacation in the mountains with a couple of trips to the "paddling pool", excursions, hiking and medical and preventive procedures, then your equipment needs will be quite simple: comfort, warmth and dryness.

If you are going to actively ski and snowboard on prepared trails, you will need an insulated jacket with good breathability, wind and moisture protection, which effectively removes excess moisture and heat, and reliably protects from the cold. Moreover, for a snowboard, you need to choose a loose-fitting model, and for skis, a tighter jacket. And if you are going to explore unprepared slopes, all the same, but with the highest level of protection from bad weather and cuts, minimal weight and maximum mobility, good ventilation and high functionality.

The good news is that manufacturers of ski equipment offer many quality solutions for each of the above types of recreation, in a wide price range. Therefore, let's consider them in more detail.

TYPES OF SKI JACKETS

When choosing a ski jacket, it is important to know the key features and differences of clothing. Despite the huge selection of ski equipment, it is all divided into five main types:

1. Insulated jackets.
2. Non-insulated jackets.
3. Technical ski jackets.
4. Softshell ski jackets.
5. 3-in-1 ski jackets.

1. Insulated ski jackets

This is clothing with good external protection from precipitation and an internal insulating layer. If you will be skiing in very cold conditions most of the time, this is the ideal ski jacket. The outer layer can be polyester with a water-repellent coating or a membrane. And as an insulating layer - natural down or its synthetic analogue based on innovative polyester fiber of varying density. Seams on insulated ski jackets can be regular (not water-resistant), glued (water-resistant) throughout the entire product or glued in critical areas (usually shoulders, sleeves). Under the sleeves there is forced ventilation with zippers and mesh protection against snow ingress.

Down ski jackets are valued for their unrivaled warmth/weight ratio - the clothes are almost not felt on the body, but they keep you warm. However, jackets with Thinsulate, Bio-down or Hollofiber are much more comfortable to ski in changeable weather conditions, when frost alternates with thaw, high humidity, wet snow and even rain. Synthetic filler retains body heat well even when wet. And this is its main advantage over down, which loses its thermal insulation properties in a humid environment. The situation of down getting wet can only be corrected by the presence of a membrane on the outer material of the jacket. But such products are quite expensive and they are very demanding in care. If something goes wrong (washed incorrectly or didn't follow the drying instructions), you've ruined the item..

2. Uninsulated Shell or Hard Shell ski jackets

Literally translated from English, "Shell" means shell, armour, shell, husk. This term was applied to a ski jacket that lacks insulation but has wind and moisture protection. A rigid and durable membrane is called Hard Shell, while a softer one is called Soft Shell.

The Hard Shell ski jacket is a great choice for very active skiers and those who would like to have one jacket for all types of skiing. It is lightweight, not bulky (very compact when folded), breathes well and demonstrates a high level of wind and water protection (significantly higher than the Soft Shell). The only drawback of the Hard Shell jacket is that it does not warm at all. But the lack of insulation is easily compensated for, for example, by thermal underwear and a fleece jacket. That is, depending on the temperature and weather conditions outside, by choosing the required number of inner layers of clothing, you regulate your temperature balance. Other features of Hard Shell ski jackets include well-sealed seams and adjustable ventilation under the sleeves, which provides good protection against overheating during very intense activity.

3. Technological ski jackets

This type of ski jackets includes all products made of membrane with the highest rates of vapor permeability (breathability), wind and moisture protection. The choice of professional skiers and snowboarders who spend a lot of time looking for new routes for descents away from prepared tracks. For ski touring and backcountry - technological jackets made of a light membrane, and for free skiing in the forest and grainy firn (firn is hard snow) - products made of a strong and thick membrane.

There are no ordinary seams or zippers in such equipment. The former are glued all over the product, and the zippers are not just reliable, but protected from moisture and snow, and can be used even with gloves or mittens. The entire variety of cutting options for technological ski jackets comes down to three large classes: athletic, regular and loose cut. Each product is complemented by: a comfortable hood (its volume allows you to put on a ski helmet), a snow-protective skirt (may be absent), a minimum number of functional pockets. There is nothing superfluous in the clothes. It is as light and compact as possible.

4. Soft Shell Ski Jackets

Soft Shell jackets are great gear for spring skiing or year-round skiing in mild climates. This type of jacket is opposed to the above-described non-insulated hardshell and shell ski jackets. The clothing is softer, more elastic, weighs little, and breathes well (you sweat less in it than in a hardshell).

It consists of two layers: the inner fleece layer warms well, and the outer membrane layer protects from wind and precipitation. Almost an ideal ski jacket. But Soft Shell technology has its drawback - weaker protection from wind and rain than hardshell.And yet, such jackets captivate with their comfort and versatility. Very often they are provided with more moisture-resistant membranes, which makes it possible to use clothing in freeriding, ski touring, mountaineering.

5. 3-in-1 Ski Jackets

The most popular choice for those who are just discovering winter holidays in the mountains and would like to have one universal jacket for the city and skiing. The 3-in-1 model is ideal for this. Its main value is practicality.

The clothing combines an outer waterproof jacket and an inner insulated layer. It can be a fleece jacket, a natural down jacket or a product with artificial insulation. The inner layer is detachable. Depending on your activity, air temperature and weather, you can regulate the comfortable microclimate inside and use each layer as an independent outerwear.

MATERIAL FOR MANUFACTURING SKI JACKETS

With the exception of softshells, the vast majority of ski jackets provide reliable protection from snow, water and wind. Membrane fabric is mainly used for sewing, which in everyday speech is sometimes simply called a membrane. Due to its special structure, the membrane repels water well and (and) reliably protects from wind and at the same time allows water vapor to pass through.

The main component of the membrane fabric is a Teflon or polyurethane film. It allows water vapor to pass through and does not allow liquid water to pass through. The film is thin and fragile, so it is connected to the fabric to form a "sandwich", which is called a membrane. The weight and durability of ski jackets depend on the materials used and the number of membrane layers. Nylon or polyester are used as the material. All other characteristics being equal, the first is lighter and stronger, and the second is cheaper.

The membrane can be connected to one or two layers of fabric. Depending on their number, there are: 2-layer and 3-layer membranes. In a two-layer membrane, the Teflon film is connected only to the front (outer) fabric. This is the lightest and most flexible, but also the least durable membrane. In order to at least somehow protect it from mechanical wear, a loosely fixed lining made of mesh material or soft fabric is used on the reverse side. In a three-layer membrane, the film is connected to the front and lining fabrics. This option is the most wear-resistant and durable, but is characterized by low flexibility and high weight.

To evaluate the properties of the membrane, two key parameters are used - water resistance (indicated in mm) and vapor permeability (g/m2/24 hours). Both values ​​vary from 5,000 to 20,000 and higher. And the higher they are, the more moisture-proof and vapor-permeable the clothing marked with them is. For example, a ski jacket rated 10,000/20,000 means the garment can withstand a water column of 10,000 millimetres and release 20,000 grams of water vapour per square metre in 24 hours.

What waterproof rating should I look for?

• 0 to 5,000 mm - the jacket withstands light snow and rain, no wind.
• 5,000 to 10,000 mm - wet snow, light rain, light wind.
• 10,000 to 15,000 mm - intense wet snow, rain, wind.
• From 15,000 to 20,000 mm - heavy rain, wet snow and wind.
• From 20,000 mm and above - absolute waterproofness and protection from storm winds.

What vapor permeability rating should I focus on?

• 5,000 - 10,000 (g/m2/24h) - quite enough for 2-3 hours of quiet skiing with breaks for rest.
• 10,000 - 15,000 - for half a day of not very active slopes.
• 20,000 and above - high activity throughout the day.

DESIGN FEATURES OF SKI JACKETS

Characteristic design elements of ski jackets are:

• seams,
• zippers,
• pockets,
• hood,
• lining,
• ventilation,
• snow skirt,
• cut of the sleeve flare,
• amount of insulation.

Seams

Taped seams are a factor that increases the level of waterproofness of a ski jacket. A special tape is used for sealing. Products with fully taped seams are more expensive, but this is a justified expense.

Zippers

After the seams, they are the weakest link. Budget products are equipped with simple zippers with an indefinite safety margin, and high-quality ski jackets are equipped with durable and reliable fittings, such as YKK and RiRi. For additional protection, the former are equipped with windproof strips or valves made of the same membrane as the jacket. YKK and RiRi for ski jackets come with a layer of water-repellent polymer (aqua-zips technology). Drops of water and wet snow cannot get inside and do not freeze on the teeth of the zipper slider.

Pockets

The number of pockets is not limited, the main thing is that they are functional, conveniently located and not covered by the backpack straps. The minimum required set is a pair of external side pockets, an internal pocket for a smartphone and a pocket for a ski pass on the sleeve.

Hood

Without it, the wind and moisture protection of the ski jacket will be incomplete. The headgear should be voluminous enough to be worn over the helmet. It does not matter at all what kind of design it will be - one-piece or removable, the main thing is that the hood should be conveniently adjustable in volume. A modern system is drawstrings with locks.

Lining

If you choose a ski jacket for the city, the best solution would be a well-insulated model with a regular polyester lining. For active skiing in cold weather conditions, we recommend a jacket with a heat-reflective lining ThermoSystem, Omni-Heat or similar.

The names may be different, but the essence is the same - a large number of silver dots located on the inside of the jacket reflect the person's own heat, without interfering with thermoregulation. Even if you ski slowly down gentle slopes, you simply won't freeze in a jacket with a heat-reflective lining.

Ventilation

Forced ventilation will never be superfluous, no matter how high the vapor permeability of the ski jacket is. During very high activity, it allows you to quickly release steam and restore a comfortable microclimate inside. Typically made in the form of zippers with mesh lining and located on the inside of the sleeves or under the arms. In rare cases, open pockets with mesh lining can act as additional ventilation.

Snow skirt

The importance of this technological detail will be appreciated by everyone at the first fall. Its main task is to protect against snow, and its secondary task is to provide additional protection of the lower back from the cold. The product is supplemented with a silicone band (sometimes an elastic band) to hold securely over trousers made of smooth fabric. In universal ski jackets, this element is removable, which allows you to feel more comfortable in outerwear outside the ski resort.

Sleeve flare pattern

The design can be wide or quite narrow. In the first case, the sleeve is equipped with internal elastic and external adjustable cuffs with Velcro - it can be fastened over a ski glove. In the second version, there are only internal cuffs, and the glove is supposed to be put on over the jacket sleeve. Choose the most convenient option for you.

Amount of insulation

The filler is measured in grams per m2. The main question is what amount is considered the most comfortable.

• 50-100 g - this is a jacket for cool spring and autumn, or colder seasons.
• 100-200 g - for cold weather.
• +200 - for extremely cold weather.

The parameters are given for normal everyday use in urban conditions. In the mountains, you also need to take into account your activity.

HOW TO CHOOSE A SKI JACKET: KEY POINTS WHEN CHOOSING

When choosing a ski jacket, soberly assess your level of skiing. If you are just discovering skis and snowboarding, there is no point in taking the most high-tech thing. A 3-in-1 ski jacket is a great option for starting out.

If you plan to ski actively and a lot, choose a hardshell. For an average level of activity - a softshell or insulated ski jacket. Just pay attention to the label and make sure that the fabric of the ski jacket is breathable and reliably waterproof. If the waterproofness is less than 10,000 mm, then this jacket is more suitable for the city or regular walks in the ski resort. For such purposes, high vapor permeability is not needed - below 10,000 g / m2 / 24h is quite normal. Products with a vapor permeability and waterproofness rating of 10,000 / 15,000 and higher, respectively, are a good option for an average-level skier.

• Pay attention to the hood. It should be comfortable, protect your head well from the wind, but at the same time provide sufficient side visibility.
• Please note that the zippers and fittings should be easy to work with in gloves or mittens. And of course, the zippers should not jam the fabric when opening and closing.
• If the membrane fabric is supplemented with 4-WAY System technology, like in ski jackets of the popular Ukrainian brand FREEVER, then you have a product that provides an excellent fit with a full range of motion. Such a jacket will fit exactly to the figure, will not stick out or bubble. It gently emphasizes the silhouette, gives the image lightness and fitness, without limiting the skier's movements at all.
• The ergonomics of the jacket is no less important. The articulated cut of the shoulders and elbows takes into account the peculiarities of movement during skating. On the one hand, it provides the necessary freedom of action, and on the other, it allows the clothes to fit tightly to the body, creating a compact and comfortable silhouette.
• Reinforcements on the elbows would be a good idea.
• Choose a bright ski jacket - you will be stylish and easily visible on the slope.

Good ski equipment is an expensive pleasure. But, considering that the range of clothes is replenished with a fresh collection every new season, you can save a lot by choosing a ski jacket on sale at the end of the season.