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Jackets

Whether you’re tackling backcountry trails, carving powder, or enduring alpine storms, the right jacket can make or break your adventure. Our reviews dive deep into the best jackets and technical outerwear from trusted brands like Arc'teryx and Patagonia, helping you find the perfect balance of performance, durability, and comfort for your adventures.

Most Popular Coverage

Arc’teryx Beta vs Beta AR vs Beta SL

A women wearing an Arc'teryx Beta AR jacket as she summits a Colorado 14er

Even in mid-summer it gets cold and windy at the summit of Colorado's famed 14ers. Karen chose the Beta AR Jacket for her summit of Mount Columbia.Arc'teryx Beta: OverviewArc'teryx groups similar products into what it calls

Best Patagonia Jackets: Temp ratings & more (Full guide)

A mountain biker wearing the Patagonia Stormracer jacket

Y'all know this is just my opinion... right? I'll cover Best Patagonia Jackets in 3 parts: Shortest answer, Short answer, Long answer.Best Patagonia Jackets: Shortest answerTable data only applies to the most recent Winter 2024 models.  As you see from this

Best Arc’teryx Jacket | Temperature ratings + much more

A women wearing the Arc'teryx Atom SL jacket in a Colorado alpine forest.

OverviewI own dozens of Arc'teryx items, primarily jackets. This includes all jackets under the Proton, Atom, Nuclei, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma lines. I also own a Cerium, a Thorium, and a Therme, and other Arc'teryx items

Temperature Ratings of Jackets (Quick cheatsheet)

A man wearing the Arc'teryx Proton Heavyweight jacket in the snowy Colorado backcountry.

SummaryMost outdoor apparel companies say that providing temperature ratings for their jackets isn't possible.And to be fair, they're not incorrect. There are tons of fluid parameters that are difficult, if not impossible, to measure. And let's

Best Arc’teryx Ski Jacket | 2024 Freeride, Backcountry, Touring & Resort options

Picture of our favorite Arc'teryx ski jackets

Just some of the Arc'teryx shells we've tested for skiing and snowboarding. Let’s be honest: choosing the best jacket for skiing or snowboarding is a highly subjective matter. Your jacket choice will be influenced by a number

Arc’teryx Proton vs Atom | How to decide + our temperature ratings

The chest pocket on an Arc'teryx Proton Lightweight jacket.

The current lineup of men's Arc'teryx Proton and Atom jackets includes (clockwise from top left): the Proton Hybrid Hoody, Proton Hoody, Proton Heavyweight Hoody, Atom Heavyweight Hoody, Atom Hoody, and Atom SL. Arc'teryx Atom vs Proton: OverviewBefore

Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff: How to decide

Image showing the fabric of the Patagonia Nano Puff vs Micro Puff

The more matte 20d fabric of the blue Patagonia Nano Puff vs the Micro Puff and its 10-denier face fabric in greenThe Patagonia Nano Puff and Micro Puff jackets, hooded jackets and vests have been staples in Patagonia's

Insulated Jackets

Patagonia Micro Puff vs Nano Puff vs Down Sweater

Patagonia's  Micro Puff, Nano Puff and Down Sweater are among the company's best-selling product lines. But make no mistake: each is unique, and the right choice for you will depend on how, when and where you

Arc’teryx Atom Hoody vs Atom SL: 2025 Review & Comparison

Arc'teryx Atom Hoody

The Atom Hoody is a year-round performer as both a midlayer or standalone outer layer, but its versatility really starts to shine in spring and fall's variable weather conditions.OverviewThe Arc’teryx Atom Hoody and Atom Jacket may

Arc’teryx Allium Insulated Jacket | First look at the new freeride softshell

Arc'teryx Allium Insulated Jacket men's black with hands in pockets

The Arc'teryx Allium Insulated Insulated Jacket was designed to be worn as a midlayer or standalone outer when skiing and snowboarding. It's straightforward styling works well for apres activities as well. Of all the Winter 2024 products

Arc’teryx Fissile SV Down Jacket review | A down-insulated oven for skiers

Arc'teryx Fissile SV Down Jacket

The all-new Arc'teryx Fissile SV Down Jacket adds to the brand's growing lineup of men's all-weather insulated ski and snowboard jackets. The goose down-insulated, Gore-Tex-protected Fissile SV Down Jacket is marketed as Arc'teryx's warmest jacket for

Arc’teryx Beta Insulated vs Beta Down Insulated | How to decide

Wearing the Arc'teryx Beta Down Insulated in the snow.

The Arc'teryx Beta Down Insulated size medium, in Solaris.The Beta Insulated and Beta Down Insulated are the warmest of the Arc'teryx Beta Jackets. So how do you decide which you need? We've been using both across

Arc’teryx Thorium vs Cerium: Do you want warmer or lighter?

Cloesup image of the chest pocket on the Arc'teryx Thorium Hoody

Thorium vs Cerium: Overview Y'all know this is just my opinion... right?I'm 5'11", 165 lbs athletic build. Size M Cerium (aka LT) fits me perfect. Names of Thorium and Cerium were previously Thorium AR and Cerium LT. When it

Arc’teryx Therme Parka and Therme SV Parka | 2024 Review and Comparison

The Arc'teryx Therme Parka and Therme SV Parka are the outdoor brand's warmest casual-use jackets, incorporating 750 fill power goose down for warmth and a two-layer Gore-Tex membrane for weatherproofing. Nothing says cozy, comfortable warmth on a

Hard Shell Jackets

Patagonia Stormstride Jacket review: Testing the backcountry-focused ski shell

Ski touring with the Patagonia Stromstride men's backcountry ski jacket

The Patagonia Stormstride is a backcountry ski jacket made for high-output ski touring. The Patagonia Stormstride series is the brand's most breathable jacket and pants for ski touring. The Stormstride jacket offers a three-layer waterproof fabric that

Arc’teryx Beta vs Beta AR vs Beta SL

A women wearing an Arc'teryx Beta AR jacket as she summits a Colorado 14er

Even in mid-summer it gets cold and windy at the summit of Colorado's famed 14ers. Karen chose the Beta AR Jacket for her summit of Mount Columbia.Arc'teryx Beta: OverviewArc'teryx groups similar products into what it calls

Mammut Stoney HS | Mammut’s softest ski jacket

With a premium feel and construction that shows attention to detail, the Mammut Stoney HS jacket is one of the best hard shell ski jackets we've tested this winter.The Mammut Stoney HS jacket is the brand’s

Stio Environ Jacket review: A full-featured ski shell to slay resort days

Rocking the full Stio Environ kit during a cold January day at Copper Mountain, Colorado. I expect three things from a full-featured ski shell: weatherproof performance for whatever Mother Nature throws my way, dependable durability for harsh

Arc’teryx Alpha vs Beta: I own ALL six models of Winter ’24

Arc'teryx Alpha vs Beta: Gore-Tex Pro items

Y'all know this is just my opinion... right?  NameActivityTemp (F/C)BreathabilityWeather Res.DurabilityPackabilityReviewPit zips?Two way zipper?Stuffs into itself?Face FabricFitWeightLengthalphabetaStatusDiscontinued? Alpha (aka AR) (Men's - Women's)ClimbingN/A8/109/108/104/10ReviewYesNoNoN40d & N80d Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex ProRegular430 g / 15.2 oz79.5 cm /

Arc’teryx Rush vs Sabre | How to decide between Arc’teryx’s top-end ski jackets

Arc'teryx Sabre SV ski jacket

For all-around performance no matter the conditions, it's hard to beat Arc'teryx's Sabre SV jacket. But some of its high-end specifications may be overkill for some skiers and snowboarders.  Arc'teryx's Rush and Sabre lines represent the

Ski & Snowboard

Patagonia Stormstride Jacket review: Testing the backcountry-focused ski shell

Ski touring with the Patagonia Stromstride men's backcountry ski jacket

The Patagonia Stormstride is a backcountry ski jacket made for high-output ski touring. The Patagonia Stormstride series is the brand's most breathable jacket and pants for ski touring. The Stormstride jacket offers a three-layer waterproof fabric that

Mammut Stoney HS | Mammut’s softest ski jacket

With a premium feel and construction that shows attention to detail, the Mammut Stoney HS jacket is one of the best hard shell ski jackets we've tested this winter.The Mammut Stoney HS jacket is the brand’s

Stio Environ Jacket review: A full-featured ski shell to slay resort days

Rocking the full Stio Environ kit during a cold January day at Copper Mountain, Colorado. I expect three things from a full-featured ski shell: weatherproof performance for whatever Mother Nature throws my way, dependable durability for harsh

Temperature Ratings of Jackets (Quick cheatsheet)

A man wearing the Arc'teryx Proton Heavyweight jacket in the snowy Colorado backcountry.

SummaryMost outdoor apparel companies say that providing temperature ratings for their jackets isn't possible.And to be fair, they're not incorrect. There are tons of fluid parameters that are difficult, if not impossible, to measure. And let's

Best Arc’teryx Ski Jacket | 2024 Freeride, Backcountry, Touring & Resort options

Picture of our favorite Arc'teryx ski jackets

Just some of the Arc'teryx shells we've tested for skiing and snowboarding. Let’s be honest: choosing the best jacket for skiing or snowboarding is a highly subjective matter. Your jacket choice will be influenced by a number

Arc’teryx Fissile SV Down Jacket review | A down-insulated oven for skiers

Arc'teryx Fissile SV Down Jacket

The all-new Arc'teryx Fissile SV Down Jacket adds to the brand's growing lineup of men's all-weather insulated ski and snowboard jackets. The goose down-insulated, Gore-Tex-protected Fissile SV Down Jacket is marketed as Arc'teryx's warmest jacket for

StormHood vs DropHood

The difference between StormHood and DropHood is that with the DropHood the hood is separated from the collar, whereas with the StormHood the hood and collar are sewn and move together. About less than 5-10% of Arc'teryx

Powder skirt: What is it and do you need one on your ski jacket?

Arc'teryx Sabre Jacket for skiing with powder skirt highlighted

A powder skirt (also known as a snow skirt) is a common feature on ski jackets. What is it? Do you need one? Here is some information to help you decide.The Arc'teryx Sabre Jacket, one of

Arc’teryx Rush vs Sabre | How to decide between Arc’teryx’s top-end ski jackets

Arc'teryx Sabre SV ski jacket

For all-around performance no matter the conditions, it's hard to beat Arc'teryx's Sabre SV jacket. But some of its high-end specifications may be overkill for some skiers and snowboarders.  Arc'teryx's Rush and Sabre lines represent the