The lynchpin of any skier’s wardrobe, a quality ski jacket will keep you warm, dry, and comfortable as you meander down the slopes in style - not to mention the all important après photo ops.
Perhaps you’ve spent the last few years cancelling and postponing your annual trips to the snow-capped mountains, or maybe you’re planning your first foray into the winter sport, either way, investing in a new jacket is a surefire way to make you feel prepared for on or off piste adventures.
Alongside your base layers, goggles, helmet, gloves, and ski pants, the right jacket will take your winter holiday experience up a notch, boasting an array of weather resistant, breathable, and functional properties, as well as the all-important style factor.
You have two varieties to choose from - softshell and hardshell. The former is made using a flexible weather-resistant outer layer filled with a cosy layer of insulation, down or otherwise, whilst the latter tends to be crafted using a stiff Gore-Tex membrane and taped seams for complete weatherproof protection, but with less insulation built in.
Whilst ski-enthusiasts would tend to opt for one of each, allowing them to tailor their outerwear depending on the conditions on the day, the good news is that some designs boast the best of both worlds (Hannah Montana eat your heart out...), you just need to make sure they feature breathable vents in all the right places to avoid overheating.
Now, we need to talk about pockets. From a slot for your lift pass that will allow you to cruise through the barriers with no stressful rummaging necessary, to easily accessible chest pockets that hold all your essentials, or even hand warming sections to keep your mitts toasty when you take your gloves off for Folie, you should make sure your jacket boasts a range that will make your life in the mountains hassle-free.
Other added features that should be on your wishlist include mesh backed air vents under the pits, an adjustable and detachable hood that fits your head as well as a helmet, with all of the powder skirts and built-in thumb holes in between.
We’ve curated a selection of jackets to suit a range of tastes and budgets, but all of them will keep you protected from the elements in style - even if all you’re doing is enjoying gluhwein from the sidelines. Shoop shoop!
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Perfect Moment Gus Parka Jacket
Hypey ski label Perfect Moment design chic ski collections that will last you season after season, so it’s no wonder it’s loved by celebrities and influencers alike. Cut from a waterproof yet breathable fabric with sealed seams and insulation, it’s a hardshell jacket that will keep you cosy, too. Featuring the labels signature stripes, worn with the matching white pants, it’s a surefire way to guarantee jealous stares as you glide down the slopes.
Buy now £1015.00, Perfect Moment
Salomon Untracked Men’s Insulated Hooded Jacket
Mainly known in the fashion world for trainers, French brand Salomon also offers a range of technicalwear and utilitarian garments - and this jacket is one of them.
It is crafted using a fabric that protects against rain, snow, and wind yet allows moisture to escape. The insulation reflects your body heat keeping you comfortable and warm - how’s that for hi-tech? Plus, it will see you through even the toughest of days facing the snowy elements. With a lift pass pocket, air vents, an adjustable helmet-compatible hood, and multiple internal and external pockets, it ticks all the boxes.
Buy now £280.00, Salomon
Arc’Teryx Macai Jacket Men’s
A celebrity favourite, spotted on the likes of Virgil Abloh, Drake, and Frank Ocean, Arc’Teryx is a label that creates premium technicalwear for an elevated outdoor experience.
Crafted using goose down insulated GORE-TEX, this jacket will deliver serious warmth and weather protection, as well as a good dose of minimal ski-chic. Featuring a removable hood, meshbacked vents, taped seams, and pockets in all the right places, it’s got all the bells and whistles a good ski jacket needs. Keep it cool and understated by pairing with black ski pants.
Buy now £800.00, Arc’Teryx
Moncler Grenoble Chetoz striped down jacket
For instantly stylish jackets that you can count on, look no further than Moncler Grenoble - the Italian house’s ski wear line. In a multicoloured patchwork design, you’ll stand out against the sheer white of the mountains.
Boasting a goggle pocket and lens cloth, a ski pass slot, an adjustable silhouette, a non-slip elastic powder skirt and built-in thumb holes, it’s a jacket that can do it all. Crafted using wind and rainproof nylon and insulated with goose down and feathers, it will even keep you warm in sub-zero temperatures.
Buy now £1815.00, MatchesFashion
Columbia Men's Last Tracks™ Ski Jacket
Founded in America in 1938, Columbia have over 80 years expertise in designing outdoor apparel with function and style in mind, and the label’s ski jacket is a great affordable option that doesn’t compromise on either.
With a waterproof and breathable outer and a layer of the brand’s signature Omni-Heat lining, it will be your cold weather saviour - and the colourblocked design looks great, too. With pockets galore inside and out, a detachable hood, and adjustable cuffs and snap back powder skirt, you get great bang for your buck.
Buy now £180.00, Columbia
Capranea Eiger hooded wool-panel softshell ski jacket
A label founded in the Swiss mountains, the designers at Capranea know a thing or two about skiwear. Refined, timeless, and contemporary, the label’s designs would look just as good out and about in London as they would on the slopes, making for the perfect seasonless jackets you can wear all the time.
Crafted in Italy using softshell fabric for maximum flexibility, insulation, and water repellency, and featuring handwarmer pockets, a detachable snow gaiter and a detachable hood, this jacket is a super chic option that hits all the right buttons. And you can’t go wrong with navy.
Buy now £850.00, MatchesFashion
66°North Snæfell Jacket
Outerwear label 66°North was founded in 1926 to design protective clothing for Icelandic fisherman braving the bitter cold of the North Atlantic ocean.
It’s no wonder then, that their jackets are some of the best on the market - and this particular one has won the prestigious ISPO Outdoor Award and the Scandinavian Outdoor Award. Fully waterproof, breathable, and flexible, but with no insulation, it’s designed with plenty of room for down-filled mid layers to be worn underneath for the particularly chilly days.
Buy now £395.00, 66°North
