The Best Women's Ski Jackets Of 2018-19

Χρήστος Λάππας · June 9, 2018

The Best Women's Ski Jackets of the Year

FLYLOW

Billie Coat

$400.00
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The Flylow Billie Coat has a bit of stylish, functional yin and yang going for it. POSSE members called it cute, steezy, with awesome colors and a "nice, long freeride fit."

"Techy Carhartts!" said Caitlin Kelly, a POSSE skier from Upstate New York.

At the same time, the Billie Coat checks all the boxes for function in a ski jacket designed for inbounds shredding. It is made with a three-layer polyster Intuitive fabric that has a 20k/20k waterproof-breathability rating. Fully taped seams, DWR treatment, a roomy hood that is helmet-compatible, and a removable powder skirt round out the features.

The POSSE did not recommend it for the backcountry--there are better shells that are lighter and more breathable for the skin track. But for the resort, the Billie Coat has everything you need, without the bulk or any unnecessary pockets. Cute cut. Super duraple. Waterproof. Great colors. That'll do it for a great ski jacket.
PATAGONIA

Descensionist Jacket

$449.00
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A favorite backcountry kit at Thread the Needle, the Descensionist jacket and pant feel soft like pajamas, but they actually have a new three-layer fabric engineered by Patagonia that has a ridiculous breathability and feather weight.

Its features are the minimum essentials--two chest pockets large enough for a pair of skins; a helmet-compatible hood; inside, a pouch to stash a pair of goggles and a zippered pocket for your iPhone. One thing Patagonia intentionally left out--a fleece-type fabric on the collar, which is a nest for germs, often gets pilled by scratchy facial hair and ice, and is unnecessary because you're probably wearing a buff.

The Powder POSSE stamped it with universal approval. "Great for all but the windiest, wettest days," said Ben Kallman. "Use for uphill and downhill skiing."

"I can’t wait to use this jacket on a regular basis," said Crystal Sagan. "Easy, light, high performance but subtle features. The most comfortable kit I’ve worn all week."

“The Descensionist obviously would crush on a sunny day in the backcountry. But its performance on a slow chairlift in a blizzard was skeptical," said Julie Brown. "So when I took it to the ski resort on a late-April storm day and stayed dry, warm, and protected, I was completely, 100 percent sold on the Patagonia Descensionist as a tool for the backcountry that translates to the ski resort, too."
SPYDER

Jagged Shell Jacket

$350.00
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Spyder's Jagged Shell Jacket is a beefier shell that will hold up against abuse from skiing tight trees, brushing against rocks, and carrying your skis over your shoulder. Designed to be a layering piece, Lyndsay Strange, a ski coach out of Salt Lake City, found it too heavy for touring in moderate temperatures, but a great option for colder weather or in the resort.

The Jagged Shell Jacket is made with HydroWEB. Skiers on the POSSE were even more impressed by the way the material moved moisture from sweat and breath away from the body and out of the jacket. Temperature regulation is the Jagged Shell Jacket's standout feature, while thoughtful details like good pocket placement at the chest and hips were also appreciated. Adjustable cuffs and the drawcord hem paired with a helmet compatible hood allowed skiers to customize the fit and seal out wind and weather. The long back and wide opening at the bottom make this jacket ideal for women with wide hips.
HELLY HANSEN

Kvitegga Jacket

$375.00
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Made with a proprietary three-layer fabric, the Kvitegga jacket is Helly Hansen's lighter weight shell that doubles down in the function category for both the resort and the backcountry.

"I'd totally rock this jacket everyday," says Powder POSSE skier and cocktail entrepreneur Crystal Sagan. "A perfect mix of performance and features for touring (light, breathable) with trendy design to rock it in the resort and look stylish."

Sagan especially loved the extra large velcro cuffs on the wrist that were easy to adjust with gloves. The Kvitegga's length is long and kept her bum warm. A big, roomy hood fit easily over her helmet.

A couple critiques were made by the POSSE about the zipper, which didn't fall flat and had a bit of a wave. The fit was also a little boxy, said Powder POSSE skier and NYC-based writer Abigail Barronian. But otherwise, the Kvitegga is an "all-around backcountry, resort bomber shell."

One of the more unique details from Helly Hansen this season, featured in the Kvitegga, is their life pocket, which is designed to keep technology, like an iPhone, insulated so the cold doesn't zap the power out of the battery. Some POSSE skiers found the pocket borderline gimmicky. Others said it actually worked (though the temperatures at Thread The Needle were warm and springlike). Helly Hansen's signature bright stripe on the helmet-compatible hood will help the wearer stay visible in dark, stormy days.
STRAFE

Lucky Jacket

$519.00
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When the snow is cold and wet, the Strafe Lucky Jacket is a lightweight option that offers a flattering fit without restricting movement. The 3L eVent membrane kept the POSSE dry and breathing easy, while the Primaloft insulation was enough to keep us cool in the morning without overheating after lunch.

A long fit combined with four-way stretch made the Strafe Lucky Jacket a favorite among the POSSE who also appreciated details like the removable powder skirt, thumbholes in the sleeve, and huge chest pockets for comfortably storing extra layers and snacks still accessible while wearing a pack. The soft Nylon woven back on the storm collar makes the Lucky Jacket ideal for zipping up high on a storm day, while a dialed fit and the muted colorways give this performance piece extra style.
EIDER

Shaper Jacket

$550.00
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Last winter Eider revealed a futuristic bending zipper that allows their Shaper Jacket to actually wrap around the chin and lower face, eliminating the nasty rubbing-you-raw sensation skiers are all to familiar with. This year, Eider brought the same technology to their women's Shaper Jacket. Built for resort charging, the 20K/20K jacket is easy to layer underneath and provides a cocoon-like shelter from the elements.

Siri Wieringa, a Utah-based ski coach, was most impressed with the Shaper Jacket's versatility after she skied inbounds on a frigid morning and was able to dump enough heat through the dual pit vents to hike the boundary ridge in the afternoon.

Reinforced shoulders and sleeves stand up to brushes against trees, however the POSSE found the thick, durable material to be a bit stiff and occasionally limited movement. The similarly-constructed men's jacket, back again for a second season, also received high marks from the POSSE.
ARC’TERYX

Shashka Jacket

$649.00
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The Arc'teryx Shashka Jacket is a simple answer to the inhospitable terrain where backcountry skiers venture. At first glance, the shell almost looks too simple. It's so lightweight and there are no overt features beyond a few pockets and a hood. But don't overthink it. To build a minimalist tool for backcountry skiing, the team of designers at Arc'teryx headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, already did all the thinking for you.

The Shashka is made with Gore-Tex Pro, which Arc'teryx trusts as the most water repellent, lightweight, breathable, durable material on the planet. And they did the research, going so far as to rub scratchy velcro on the material to test how long it will last against abrasion.

Next, Arc'teryx designers tailored the Shashka specifically for the backcountry and ski touring by adding more range of motion in the sleeves. This is a subtle, yet key feature that you can't see outright in the jacket. But you can feel it.

"I moved my arms in full rotations, freely and openly, while the rest of the jacket stayed in place," said Powder Posse skier Julie Brown. "It did not lift up, expose my middle, or tighten the material on my back. The sleeve cuffs are perfectly flared to go over my gloves. Just like a custom-made suit, a well-tailored ski jacket makes all the difference in comfort and confidence. Fit is the detail that matters the most for a jacket to feel invisible as soon as you zip it up--which is what you want when you need to focus on the descent ahead in the backcountry."

All said and done, the Shashka is a high-end, quality shell for backcountry skiing made by a company obsessed with superior, minimal design and that skiers can trust with a $700 investment, paid back in full with many, many ski days. Also, it should be said that while Arc'teryx intended this shell to be worn in the backcountry, it's perfectly suited for layering and skiing inbounds, too.
DAKINE

Silcox 2L Jacket

$380.00
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The Dakine Silcox 2L Jacket is the ideal insulated jacket to travel in, ski in, and wear to the bar at the end of a powder day. For use in the resort, it's the best-looking women’s jacket our POSSE found.

Fitted without being restricting, the long cut is ideal for taller women, plus the extra material keeps your butt warm on the chair. A two-way zipper also allows for a custom fit from the bottom up, which the POSSE loved because no two skiers are the same shape.

A two-layer Gore-Tex outer lined with a brushed tricot insulation makes the Silcox plenty warm and breathable for inbounds skiing, whether it's snowing or dry--just don't take this out for a hike or a tour and expect it to breath or regulate temperature at that level.

The pocket placement was a little off, causing phones or pocket sandwiches to be smooshed. If you're on the cusp between two sizes, or you're curvier on the bottom, size up and you'll much happier.