Best Hard Shell Ski Jackets of 2024

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You might want to consider knowing what a “hard shell” material is. Well, a “hard shell” is an outer layer that is of waterproof clothing that you wear to protect yourself against the natural phenomenon that is heat-sapping. These may include wind, falling water or a hazardous combination of both. The choice of hardshell jackets to buy is majorly dependent on the kind of activities that you are planning to engage in for most of your time.

This of course may come down to skiing, snowboarding and mountaineering. However, the pleasure that you will derive from skiing as a skier will be dependent on the kind of clothing you put on, and not only on your skiboard. It is equally true that getting a hardshell ski jacket is the best clothing idea you can have, both sport-wise and health-wise.

NameFeatures
Arc’teryx Beta ARHighly VersatilePRICING
Columbia GitbackBreathable and Incredibly StretchablePRICING
Helly Hansen NelsonGood VentilationPRICING
Outdoor Research OffchuteWaterproof, Breathable and VentilatedPRICING
The North Face Carto TriclimateIt Dries QuicklyPRICING
Boulder Gear Venture TechGreat Weight to PerformancePRICING

We understand the fact that you might be overwhelmed by the vast amount of hardshell ski jackets out there and this can possibly cloud your judgement about the best one to go for. Therefore, we’ve made it simpler for you by providing a well-prepared guide on the best hardshell ski jacket from different brands that exist on the market. We hope that you will make a right pick after exhausting this piece.

1. Arc’teryx Beta AR Jacket

Getting to have an Arc’teryx Beta AR is like getting to have a soul mate. The Arc’teryx Beta AR is a famous product designed by the Canadian company Arc’teryx, specifically designed to prevent you from having a wet torso under any level of a downpour. It is designed for the single purpose of keeping you warm in very god-awful weather conditions. It’s a product from top-notch designers and it is of best material use, somewhat the best raincoat that you can acquire at the moment.

It features a nice anatomical structure for an outstanding comfortable fit. The Arc’teryx Beta AR
fits extraordinary and was designed with outdoor actions in mind as opposed to other rain jackets which may appear constrictive. The Arc’teryx Beta AR fits great and is built with outdoor activities in mind. The elbow region is made to have a well-articulated patterning and no-lift gusseted underarms, both allowing you to have unrestricted mobility. The jacket also has a good that is very beneficial especially if you love to engage in snow sports or mountaineering due to the fact that the hood is brimmed, making it helmet-compatible.

The water impermeability feature of Arc’teryx Beta AR is enhanced by the presence of many
elastic drawcords on it. These cords enable you to absolutely “lockdown” the jacket especially
around the waist and the hood which seems susceptible to water penetration. It is made with a
Gore-Tex Pro Shell three-layer laminate waterproof fabric; completely snow-shedding, lightweight, breathable, windproof, and durable. This jacket is best at doing what it’s made for, giving you a fantastic excitement as you literally watch water droplets roll off it.

Another unique quality of Arc’teryx Beta AR that makes it most wanted is its breathability. The general idea behind the design of rain jacket is that it should regulate moisture and prevent body heat for escaping resulting into little or no breathability. But on the other hand, Arc’teryx Beta AR has a provision for ventilation for cases where the user wants some. It has a pit zips (at the jacket’s armpit) which can either be unzipped for ventilation or zipped for the total airtight condition.

The Arc’teryx Beta AR jacket is the nicest rain jacket you will find on the market to take travelling, hiking, skiing, or on any outdoor activities. In short, it is highly versatile.

Pros

  • It has a lightweight
  • It has a great fit on the wearers of different sizes
  • Decent weather protection
  • Highly Versatile

Cons

  • Quite pricey

2. Columbia Gitback Jacket

Gitback jacket is another product manufactured by Columbia. It is designed by experts especially for ski enthusiast and other outdoor lovers alike. It is designed to keep you warm in a mild cold or an extreme cold weather condition.

Gitback jacket is produced out of a waterproof and breathable and fully seam-sealed Omni-TECH outer shell, coupled with Omni-heat thermal insulation. It has a hood that is adjustable, removable and helmet-compatible, which is perfect for situations when additional warmth is needed immediately the environment starts to cool down. The adjustability of the hood is made in such a way that it’s peripheral does not obstruct the line of vision, keeping it free and clear.

The underarm venting of the jacket improves its breathability feature -perfect for situations when you have a warm-mild day. This vent gives room for you to self-regulate the temperature of your body so as to enjoy maximum comfort when riding.  The elbow region of the jacket is kind of articulated, it is made up of comfortable stretch fabric which makes the sleeves of the jacket adjustable, and free in motion. The manufacturers also gave the jacket nice multiple pockets – functional and necessary, especially the interior media pocket and the goggle pocket which are designed specifically for holding few things in place on slope necessities.

Gitback jacket is made more functional in its purpose with the presence of adjustable drawcords around the jacket. It has a hem and snaps back that is drawcord-adjustable, and an adjustable powder skirt, which works together for keeping out snow and conserving body warmth.

Gitback jacket’s more detailed features include: 100% other fibers, machine wash, 100% polyester, Omni-heat reflective Microtex light 100% polyester, 80g Omni-heat thermal insulation 50% polyester, 50% recycled polyester, synthetic insulation type, mild waterproofing, hook and loop cuff type, true to fit, hip length, peripheral hood adjustability, pit zip venting. It exists in colors of collegiate navy/ super blue, suitable for men.

Pros

  • Waterproof
  • 100% made of polyester
  • Lightweight
  • Breathable and incredibly stretchable

Cons

  • Poor versatility

3. Helly Hansen Nelson Insulated Ski Jacket

Nelson Insulated ski jacket is a popular product of Helly Hansen falling on the side of lightweight jackets in high demand among the lovers of ski sport. It has a classic urban look and a greater body movement. It has a Helly Tech performance 2L PrimaLoft insulated construction, making it waterproof, breathable and versatile.

The jacket is made to have a relaxed fit which gives room for greater movement. It has good ventilation enhanced by the presence of the pit vent. This pit vent can be zipped on or zipped off in corresponding weather condition to improve the comfort of the wearers as the case may be.

Nelson Insulated ski jacket is 100% polyester, machine washable, waterproof, breathable, windproof, fully seam-sealed, herringbone structured fabric, has DWR treatment, PrimaLoft Black Insulation 133g, and mechanical venting zippers. It has a hood that can be removed or fixed according to your choice and based on the weather condition. It is true to fit and exists in various colors ranging from black to rock. It comes with some ski features such as a snap away powder skirt and ski pass pocket, and its built with reflective logos functioning for protection.

Pros

  • Quite affordable
  • Warm and waterproof
  • Versatile
  • Good ventilation
  • Quite fashionable

Cons

  • Bad zipper

4. Outdoor Research Offchute Jacket

The men’s Offchute jacket is among the popular jackets and bestselling out there. It is specially designed to function well during winter, for mountain dwellers and for ski sportsmen. It is best for you if you are into backcountry skiing, mountaineering & ice climbing, and snowboarding.

The jacket is made with ventia 2l, 100% polyester 50D mechanical stretch plain weave shell and thermore classic compact 100% materials, making the jacket to have a waterproof, breathable and windproof features among many others. It has a double-separating center front zipper, pit zips, zip chest pockets, zip hand pockets, internal zip chest pocket and media pockets.

The men’s Offchute jacket sleeves are made to have articulated elbows, thumb drive hook loop cuff closures and an elastic drawcord hem. The jacket is also fully seam taped, has a laminated construction, movement-mirroring stretch, stand up collar, fixed powder skirt, external and internal storm flaps, brushed tricot-lined collar, and key clip. The men’s Offchute has a hood that is fully adjustable, and helmet-compatible. It is built out of synthetic material making the jacket to be highly insulated. The hood possesses an integrated hood cord locks with is used to adjust the peripheral of the hood to a suitable tightness. The jacket is true to fit and produced in various colors and designs.

Pros

  • Insulated
  • Thermore classic compact 100% materials
  • Waterproof, breathable and ventilated
  • Relatively affordable

Cons

  • Zipper Puckers

5. The North Face Carto Triclimate Jacket

The North Face Men’s Carto Triclimate is a 3-in-1 jacket system designed to protect you during your activities in the cold weather. It has its outer layer seam-sealed, has 2 layers HyVent shell and its inner layer is laced with a 100g of synthetic heatseeker insulation. This makes it to be great at insulation and preventing warmth loss even when exposed to moisture. This package provides you with the flexibility of wearing the insulation jacket and the shell together or separately.

This jacket is manufactured by The North Face and it is an excellent option for the snow lovers who resumes to work in a frigid condition of the morning, but are found cruising down slopes under the mid-day sun. The jacket is Versatile, comfortable, and warm. The jacket coupled with a Hyvent coating keeps you dry in minimally wet conditions.

The North Face Carto Triclimate is constructed with some outstanding features which make it unique among its counterparts. Such features include an outer that is waterproof, breathable, seam-sealed of DryVent 2L shell plus a taffeta lining. It’s a windproof fabric, zip-in-compatible, a removable and fully adjustable hood, covered & secure-zip hand pockets, center front zip covered with a storm flap coupled with a Velcro closure, exposed and reverse-coil chest pocket zip with adjustable Velcro cuff tabs. The inner structure of the jacket is exposed, with reverse-coil center front and pocket zips.

Pros

  • Fits well around the chest and torso
  • Hyvent coating for keeping you dry
  • It fits true to form
  • It is lightweight and very warm
  • It has a great sizing option
  • Waterproof and windproof
  • It dries quickly

Cons

  • It has bad zippers

6. Boulder Gear Venture Tech Jacket

The Venture Tech jacket is one of the many Boulder Gear that are most popular in 2016. This jacket is an excellent option for a starter or an expert skier or snowboarder. It is definitely a perfect option for any outdoor activity in the winter where staying warm and dry is the priority.

The Men’s Venture Tech jacket makes use of an outer 4-way stretch shell fabric treated with DWR which informs of its great performance, durability, and stain/water resistance in winter weather. The inside of the jacket is furnished with openings such as mesh pockets, a safe iPod/cell phone storage pocket, and a powder skirt, which are designed to keep things safe and seal warmth in by preventing excessive heat loss.

The Venture Tech jacket has an excellent waterproof rating of about 15,000mm above its counterparts in the market. It has high breathability rating and about 80g insulation which also contributes to your comfort in climates that are extremely cold. The jacket is completely seam sealed. It has underarm ventilation also making it comfortable to wear in mild-moderate weather conditions. The jacket’s detachable hood is versatile in that it can be put on when you are in need of more warmth in a colder environment, and it’s also compatible with helmets for sports lovers. And it falls on the side of the lightweight jackets.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Waterproof
  • True to size; sizing fully corresponded to US sizing
  • Great Weight to Performance
  • Sporty Look
  • High quality, nice designs and durable
  • Provides good warmth and watertight

Cons

  • Bad zippers

Conclusion

Skiing can be such an interesting adventure but with the wrong gears and wrong choice of jackets, you wouldn’t even have anything close to having a memorable experience. With these hardshell jackets recommended for skiing, you can be sure that you have got your next ski adventure aced. Hurry now and get one!

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