The Most Technical Winter Jackets
- Author:
Advanced synthetics and smart natural fibers deliver protection for every situation.
Marmot Astrum
Built for comfort, the lightweight Astrum is a ripstop nylon softshell that works best for cold-weather bouldering sessions or even errands around town. But it also serves as a solid backcountry midlayer: At just 16.5 ounces, it packs down small and provides insurance against feeling the sting of sudden drops in temperature. [$250; marmot.com]
Flylow Albert
At most resorts, the best skiing and snowboarding requires taking off your equipment and hiking to reach fresh snow. For that you need a jacket like the versatile Albert, which won't overheat during quick bursts. Credit that to a combination of ripstop fabric, a waterproof, breathable membrane, and PrimaLoft Eco insulation inside. [$420; amazon.com]
Helly Hansen Elevation Shell
Call it the space suit of ski shells: This jacket is packed with tech that works to modulate temperature. Helly uses strategically placed zones of PrimaLoft both to add warmth and to create an airflow system. Its fully seam-sealed outer shell is bolstered by a three-layer waterproof, breathable membrane that has enough stretch to keep you moving comfortably. [$650; amazon.com]
Faction Hudson Riding Shirt
What appears to be a shirt is actually a lightweight jacket in disguise. Rather than a flannel's simple cotton construction, the Hudson is built with a waterproof, breathable membrane and coating, which are beefed up with a layer of Thinsulate insulation in the middle. That makes for a stylish piece that can perform, too. [$149; factionskis.com]
686 Ether Down Thermagraph Jacket
Nothing beats real down for truly cold weather, but those cozy, puffy jackets don't breathe very well. To solve that problem, 686 used body mapping to put more insulation in the core of this jacket and less in ventilation zones, where some airflow will help regulate body temperature. [$300; 686.com]
Outdoor Research Skyward
In the backcountry, you need the holy grail combination of jackets: breathability and protection from the elements. It's rare to find a shell that won't make you sweat while skinning untouched powder. Outdoor Research pulls off the feat with its stretchy AscentShell, whose air-permeable membrane stays comfy even while you huff along. [$350; amazon.com]
Voormi Inversion
It's hard to believe the Voormi Inversion is made mostly of sheep fleece. The tough wool of the hood, shoulders, and sleeves is an entirely new fabric, boasting all the waterproof protection of a hardshell, plus four-way stretch, and better breathability than many three-layer pieces. It excels at everything from powder skiing to alpine climbing. [$499; voormi.com]
Columbia OutDry EX Diamond Shell
Columbia's OutDry Extreme fabric recently turned the world of membranes on its head by building waterproof, breathable technology directly into the material, rather than sandwiching a dedicated layer between inner and face fabrics. Here, that protection perfectly suits full-on winter conditions. [$400; columbia.com]
Dale of Norway Viking Sweater
A solid sweater functions like a jacket, keeping you comfortable when the brew-pub host seats you next to the door on a cold day. Made from soft, lightweight merino lamb's wool, this snazzy pullover does just that. It also provides a subtle hint of strength, with knitting to suggest armor across the chest. [$328; amazon.com]
Under Armour ColdGear Reactor Jacket
Unlike the boxy cut of other technical jackets, the Reactor's features a slender, flattering silhouette. The synthetic insulation packs down easily, holds warmth well, and ventilates more as temperatures creep up. With a treated nylon outer shell, it resists precipitation, but the jacket shines best on those cold, clear days. [$200; underarmour.com]
Montane Featherlite Down Pro Pull-On
Meet the lightest entry in our winter jacket roundup. Weighing in at just one pound, this down-puffed pullover may not appear tough enough for heavy use. Don't be fooled: It's built with a brand-new material of interlocking diamond-shape filaments, which reinforce a fabric that's shockingly durable considering its weight. [$329; montane.co.uk]
Rab Resolution
U.K.-based mountaineering brand Rab designed a warm jacket that can stand up to the nasty, wet conditions of its home island. The two-pound jacket combines a waterproof shell of seam-taped synthetic fabric, which resists rips and breathes like a champ, with a filling of water-repelling European goose down. The Resolution is the rare puffy that can withstand the elements. [$500; moosejaw.com]
Patagonia Stretch Nano Storm Jacket
The weather can change quickly high up in the peaks, and this stretchy parka is a worthwhile companion when you're sitting for a long time at a belay or scaling big lines in blustery conditions. That's because it melds a hardshell outer with a puffy stuffed with 60 grams of insulation. Another bright spot: It conforms to rigid sustainability guidelines. [$450; moosejaw.com]
Columbia Heatzone 1000 TurboDown Hooded Jacket
On bitterly cold days, the Columbia Heatzone 1000 TurboDown Hooded Jacket keeps you toasty with a layer of synthetic insulation sandwiched by 900-fill down. Traditionally, baffled jackets have cold spots along stitch lines, but these baffles are offset for better heat retention: The inner and outer puffy sections are staggered to cover thin spots. [$450; columbia.com]
Dynafit Yotei GTX
Unlike some other waterproof, breathable hardshells that sound more like a plastic wrapper when you walk or ski in them, the Yotei utilizes a new Gore-Tex backing fabric it calls C-Knit, which stays close to your body and cuts down on that annoying scraping sound. It still can hack wet and cold weather, thanks to a three-layer membrane. [$600; amazon.com]
Bergans of Norway Myrkdalen
Typical breathable fabrics can use porous membranes with holes that are too small for water droplets to pass through. But this three-layer shell keeps the wet out by wicking away water molecules in a manner similar to that of a tech tee. It also provides diagonal pit vents you can unzip when you need airflow on that steamy uphill climb. [$449;bergans.com]
Arc'teryx Procline Comp Jacket
Combining the best aspects of a softshell — stretchy fabric on the back and underarms for easier climbing — with protective, weatherproof panels on the hood, shoulders, and chest, Arc'teryx created a jacket that withstands the demands of skiing in the harshest environments. It breathes during ascents, but it will also keep you warm and dry on the way down. [$425; amazon.com]
Ortovox Piz Palu
The perfect shell for sweaty backcountry touring needs to breathe and wick when you're on the move but keep you warm when you stop. Ortovox's solution is this wind-resistant softshell with a cozy wool insulating layer and a soft merino lining, which ensures you'll stay dry no matter how fast you're moving. [$349; backcountry.com]
FlyLow Genius Jacket
The all-new Genius is an astonishing 30 percent lighter than any jacket the company has previously crafted. But despite weighing in at less than a pound, it handled raging winds and pelting snow on the high ridges of Colorado's Front Range as well as bulkier competitors. Its low weight and its durability make it easy to layer up with warm insulators when needed — or to move fast in just the shell and a base layer. [$425; backcountry.com]
Canada Goose HyBridge Lite Hoodie
Weighing just under a half-pound, this hooded insulator won't bog you down like bulkier puffers. It's trim enough to slip under a shell as a midlayer on bitter days, but don't think it lacks brawn on its own: The 800-fill goose down retains warmth as well as far heftier jackets. While we like a snug fit (thanks to the stretchy panels), Canada Goose offers the Hoody in sizes from XS to XXXL. [$575; amazon.com]
Eddie Bauer Ignitelite Flux 60 Hooded Jacket
Whether using it as an outer layer while backpacking or as insulation for low-mercury ski days, this hoody can do it all without ever feeling like overkill. That's thanks to just enough synthetic insulation to allow warm air to escape. Plus, the outer nylon/spandex face stretches just enough, so it didn't pull or bunch when we wore a pack. [$249; eddiebauer.com]
REI Stratocloud Jacket
If you seek just one warm jacket for the season, the Stratocloud rings up at a price well below the more technical insulated jackets in this roundup, but it still fends off the cold. A 650-fill-power down from PrimaLoft — a blend of traditional feathers and synthetic — is treated to repel water and is resistant to the elements. [$179; rei.com]
Helly Hansen Ridge Shell Jacket
If your day at the resort involves exploring powder beyond the groomed runs, this top-of-the-line free-skiing shell will keep you protected. Since you'll be working harder in challenging conditions, a waterproof membrane lets more air through the jacket to keep you dry and comfortable at any pace. Plus, it's cut longer than the usual resort shell, so it can accommodate a backpack. [$500; amazon.com]
The North Face Summit L5 Shell
The North Face revamped this standby line over the past few seasons, testing samples with climbers Conrad Anker and Renan Ozturk on some of the planet's most inhospitable peaks. The result surely feels as if it has been battle-tested. The L5 wraps your torso in a seamless waterproof layer, but it moves more like a softshell. That makes it an ideal choice for high-octane endeavors in truly nasty conditions. [$600; moosejaw.com]
Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell
Fjällräven focused on Earth-friendly fibers in this stretchy shell with enough style to wear off the slopes. It has a three-layer waterproof, breathable membrane, but it's built from a recyclable polyester, and its outer shell is treated so rain droplets and water bead up and run off the fabric. Plus, it's eco-conscious. [$500; amazon.com]
Patagonia Refugitive Jacket
Patagonia nailed the fit on this shell designed specifically for backcountry skiing and snowboarding. We found it's just as effective as a warmer-weather backpacking jacket. Credit that versatility to a combination of three-layer Gore-Tex to keep out the nastiness and a soft backer that cuts down the crunchy noise of a hardshell. [$499; patagonia.com]