How to choose the perfect ski jacket

You have researched your dream location, booked your hotel and sorted out equipment hire and now is the time to head to the shops and find your clothing.

I find shopping for holidays lots of fun, but there is a definite added pressure to finding the perfect clothes for a winter holiday; will I be warm enough, will it keep me dry, do I look good etc

When packing for a winter holiday, you need to be prepared. When we visited Lapland, on some days the temperature fell just below 0°C, but on other days it reach a rather chilly -18°C.

Layering is vital and it is important to have a thermal base layer as your first defence layer against the cold. A good base layer will regulate your body temperature and should be close fitting to trap a thin layer of warm air against your skin. A base layer will also ‘wick’ away perspiration from the skin to keep you dry.

The mid-layer will provide great insulation by working hand in hand with your base layer to trap air between layers, resulting in enhanced warmth and comfort.

Finally, the perfect ski jacket is one that keeps snow out while allowing the heat and moisture generated by your body as you move, to escape.

To a certain extent, choosing the perfect jacket does depend on where you are skiing. Scandanavia and Canada can get extremely cold, so you would something with more insulation than if you were skiing farther south, but here are a selection of the types of jackets available:

Skiing

The Hard Shell is the most versatile type of jacket on the market. A hard shell jacket is the most water and wind resistant outer layer, but the trade-off is less breathability than a softshell jacket.

The Softshell jacket is easily the most versatile of the main ski jacket types as it can be used as a mid-layer or an outer layer.

The Insulated jacket tend to feature an outer shell for waterproofing, with a layer of insulation beneath it.

There are so many options out there, my best advise is to try on as many as possible and take advice in the shop. If you hare baffled by the technical terms, check out this post which explains them really well.

11 thoughts on “How to choose the perfect ski jacket”

  1. These are such great tips! I’ve only been skiing once but I remember that my jacket was way too thick and I kept overheating – exactly the opposite problem than the one that I planned for!

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