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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 conditions, and all-day comfort for long days at the resort. With those in mind, I've been putting the Stio Environ Jacket to the test from my home base in the heart of the Colorado Rockies, and I'm happy to say it confidently checks all three boxes.
While not my choice for days in the backcountry, the Stio Environ has quickly become a favorite for all-mountain, in-bounds or sidecountry skiing and riding. I'll break down its features and performance in this detailed Stio Environ review. We also compare the Environ to other Stio ski and snowboard shells like the Environ XT, Figment, and Credential.
Don't miss our other winter jacket content, including:
At a glance
Stio Environ Jacket - Men's and Women's
Men's Stio Environ Jacket in Crimson Berry
Women's Stio Environ Jacket in Glacial
Fabrics & Construction
The Stio Environ Jacket is made with PeakProofâ„¢, what the brand calls its 3-layer waterproof and breathable fabric crafted from 100% recycled polyester. The plain weave, 150-denier face fabric is super durable and abrasion-resistant without being overly stiff and "crunchy" - an impressive feat considering the high denier of the polyester. I've also been impressed by the Environ's bombproof feel; it's confidence-inspiring to know your sub-$500 ski shell will shrug off sharp ski and snowboard edges, pesky tree branches, and all manner of other abuses encountered throughout the course of a season.
On the inside, the Environ Jacket is lined with a 20-denier tricot backer that offers sufficient freedom of movement for the multiple layers you're likely to wear under your shell during a typical ski day. Stio has fully tape-sealed all the Environ's seams to ensure waterproof and windproof protection.
Overall, the Environ's construction is clean and high quality, befitting Stio's reputation as a higher-end outdoor brand with an eye toward technical pursuits. That quality is evident throughout the jacket in areas we'll touch on below, including zippers and zipper pulls, cordlocks, pocket construction, and more.
Clean lines - and stitching - are a Stio staple. The Environ Jacket is no exception.
Weather Resistance & Breathability
Gore-Tex may be the gold standard of waterproof, windproof and breathable fabric for outdoor gear, but it isn't the only option. Brands like Stio and Patagonia often use non-Gore weatherproof membranes that are generally comparable in performance. For Stio, it's PeakProofâ„¢. And in the case of the Environ Jacket, PeakProofâ„¢ delivers with a 20,000mm waterproof rating.
In general, we like to see a waterproof rating of 20,000mm or higher in our hard shells, especially when we rely on them to keep us dry in potentially extreme weather conditions. As a point of comparison, most Arc'teryx Gore-Tex shells have a waterproof rating of 28,000mm. The Mammut Stoney HS Jacket, a surprise favorite ski jacket of ours this season, has a 15,000mm rating. For some context, here's an overview from EVO on generally accepted guidelines for waterproof ratings.
Ultimately, expect the Stio Environ Jacket to keep you dry even during prolonged exposure to heavy, wet snow (we're looking at you, Pacific Northwest). I've worn my Environ Jacket and Environ Bib Pants in sustained snowstorms in Colorado's high country and never experienced a hint of moisture sneaking its way through.
Rating | Conditions |
---|---|
0-5,000mm | Light rain, dry snow, no pressure |
6,000-10,000mm | Light rain, average snow, light pressure |
11,000-15,000mm | Moderate rain, average snow, light pressure |
16,000-20,000mm | Heavy rain, wet snow, some pressure. Think PNW. |
20,000mm + | Heavy rain, wet snow, high pressure |
Rating (mm) | Water Resistance provided | Conditions |
---|---|---|
0-5,000m | No resistance to some resistance to moisture | Light rain, dry snow, no pressure |
6,000-10,000mm | Rainproof and waterproof under light pressure | Light rain, average snow, light pressure |
11,000-15,000mm | Rainproof and waterproof except under high pressure | Moderate rain, average snow, light pressure |
16,000-20,000mm | Rainproof and waterproof under high pressure | Heavy rain, wet snow, some pressure. Think PNW. |
20,000 mm+ | Rainproof and waterproof under very high pressure | Heavy rain, wet snow, high pressure |
While the Environ's 3-layer PeakProofâ„¢ fabric with waterproof membrane will keep moisture from soaking through your Stio Environ Jacket, it's the PFAS-free Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish that acts as the first layer of defense. When water (be it rain, snow, or your favorite spilled beverage) beads up on the outside of your jacket and rolls away, it's the DWR application you should thank. We're happy to see Stio, like many other outdoor brands, adopting PFAS-free DWR finishes. And in the case of the Environ Jacket and Bib Pants, the DWR finish does its job (see picture below). We've yet to need to reapply the finish, which is part of the normal care process for any waterproof garment. We'll update this review when that time comes.
It's a jacket's DWR finish, not its waterproof membrane, that causes water to bead up on the outside of the fabric. Pictured is the Stio Environ Jacket shedding some snowmelt at the end of a day at Snowmass.
It's obvious why a ski shell should be waterproof. It may be less clear why it should also be breathable. Your body generates heat, and often moisture (in the form or perspiration) when you're active. Ideally, your layers of clothing work together to transfer that moisture away from your skin. You don't want that transfer process to stop at your outermost layer (your ski shell), which would result in a clammy, wet, not-pleasant experience. Worse, that buildup of moisture in your clothing would leave you feeling cold.
A jacket's breathability is a measure of its ability to transfer your body's perspiration through its fabric. And there's a metric for fabric breathability, typically expressed as the amount of water vapor (in grams) that can pass through a square meter of fabric in a day (g/m2/24hrs). Using this method, a higher value means the jacket is more breathable. The Stio Environ Jacket has a breathability rating of 10,000 g/m2/24hrs.
But how can a fabric be waterproof and breathable at the same time? If it doesn't let water in, how can it simultaneously let water out? The secret is that water molecules from rain and snow are larger than water molecules from your body's perspiration. Given that, a jacket's waterproof membrane - be it Stio's PeakProof, Patagonia's H2No, or Gore-Tex - is designed so that the tiny gaps in the fabric are too small for snow and rain to penetrate but large enough to let perspiration pass through. Pretty cool stuff.
At 10,000 g/m2/24hrs, the Stio Environ Jacket will keep you from getting clammy during light to moderate activity, but it's not going to keep up with high-output activity like intense ski touring. This is again where the Environ is positioned as a great resort jacket but not so much as a backcountry shell. We should note the Environ Jacket does have two-way pit zips for underarm ventilation, which is a fast and effective way to dump body heat.
Warmth & Insulation
The Stio Environ Jacket is a hard shell ski jacket, so it offers no insulation. As with all hard shells, the Environ is intended to serve as the outermost layer of protection from wind and water. I've snowboarded in frigid temperatures in the Environ and stayed warm and well regulated using a couple different combinations of baselayers and midlayers.
Stio doesn't make an insulated version of the Environ Jacket. If you're set on an insulated ski jacket (we almost always prefer hard shells so we can customize our layering to each day's conditions), it's worth looking at Stio's Men's Shot 7 Down Jacket and the Men's Doublecharge Insulated Jacket. Although both are made for skiing and riding, they're a step down from the Environ in terms of waterproofing and overall durability. Arc'teryx has a wider selection of insulated ski jackets, which you can find in our overview of the Best Arc'teryx Ski Jackets.
By the way, Stio's Build Your Kit tool is a simple way to quickly see the brand's options for baselayers, midlayers and outerwear. Of course, it's limited to Stio products.
Fit & Feel
The feel of the Environ Jacket's 150-denier plain weave polyester is about what we'd expect given its specs - substantial but not heavy, dense but not stiff, comfortable but not exactly soft. On the spectrum of performance ski shells, the Environ is somewhere between the shockingly soft and flexible Mammut Stoney HS (read our review) and the technically robust but decidedly "crunchy" Arc'teryx Sabre SV (read our review).
Stio describes the Environ Jacket as having a "regular fit," which means it's neither too tight nor too baggy. We agree with that assessment. I can easily fit two to three layers beneath the Environ without feeling restricted. For me, that's typically a merino wool baselayer, a synthetic midlayer like the Arc'teryx Allium Insulated Jacket, and if it's really cold, a vest or second merino wool top.
My one quibble with the fit of the Environ is that I find it to be a bit snug around the hem when zipped. I'm a pretty average size (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) and wear medium across almost all brands. I wish Stio was a little more generous with the fit at the bottom of the Environ. But it's certainly not a deal breaker, nor do I particularly notice it once I'm doing my thing on the slopes. I have found Stio's regular fit to be a little less roomy than the regular fit of competing brands like Arc'teryx and Patagonia.
Matchy-matchy. The Stio Environ Jacket and Stio Environ Bib Pants in the "Mountain Shadow" colorway.
To be clear, I like wearing the Environ for a day on the slopes. Stio has thoughtfully designed the Environ Jacket down to the smallest details. They're the kind of touches that make clear the folks designing Stio gear are skiers and riders, too. Some of our favorites include:
- Soft, brushed fleece interior along the collar and chin guard keeps you warm and comfortable
- Bulletproof YKK zippers throughout with easy-to-grab silicone pulls (bonus point for the Stio Pinecone logo on them)
- Clever silicone tabs on the hook-and-loop cuffs for easy glove-on adjustment
- Two-way adjustable hood that's both helmet compatible and removable for those days when you know a hood won't be needed
Brushed collar liner
Powder skirt with gripper elastic
Custom silicone cuff tab
YKK zippers and silicone pulls
Two-way adjustable hood
The Environ Jacket also offers the standard features you'd expect in a higher-end resort ski shell, including:
- RFID pass sleeve pocket (Stio has placed it just above the left wrist)
- Adjustable powder skirt with gripper elastic to help keep it in place
Pockets
When it comes to pockets on a ski shell, especially a full-featured resort jacket, we like to have plenty of options. Whether it's stashing snacks for the kiddos, an aprés beanie and sunglasses for yourself, low-light goggle lenses in case the weather turns, or ... well, you get the point. The more pockets the better is a mantra Stio seemed to adopt for the Environ jacket (and the Environ Bibs, for that matter).
The Environ has two external zippered chest pockets, two spacious zippered handwarmer pockets, the aforementioned RFID pass pocket, an interior zippered chest pocket, and an interior dump, or drop-in, pocket. If you need more pocket space than what the Environ offers, it's time to invest in a backpack (or consider renting a locker at the resort base).
Both external zippered chest pockets easily fit your phone.
The internal dump pocket is perfect for extra gloves, a beanie, or a second goggle lens.
Stio Environ vs Environ XT
The difference between the Environ and the Environ XT comes down to features. The jackets share the same core characteristics - 150-denier 3L PeakProofâ„¢ waterproof and breathable fabric, YKK zippers, seam-sealed construction, two-way underarm vents, etc.
From there, the XT strips out some of the "extras" of the Environ Jacket. The result is a 5-ounce weight savings (24 ounces for the Environ XT vs 29 ounces for the Environ). What you lose is the powder skirt, an external chest pocket, the ability to remove the hood, and the brushed tricot collar liner (the XT does keep the fleecy chin guard).
The Environ XT (left) vs the Environ Jacket. Note the single external chest pocket and lack of fleece collar liner on the XT.
The Environ XT is also $36 cheaper ($429 for the XT vs $465 for the Environ), so there's a little bit of cost savings to go along with the trimmed down feature set. If none of the things the XT loses feel like must-haves, then it's a solid, lighter-weight pick for your everyday ski shell. Check out its color options here.
Stio Environ vs Stio Figment
The Stio Men's Figment Jacket is the brand's take on freeride style. The Figment, like the Environ, has Stio's 150-denier, 3-layer PeakProofâ„¢ waterproof and breathable fabric and a PFAS-free DWR finish. The two models also share the brushed tricot interior collar and chin guard, YKK zippers, and RFID pass pockets.
But the differences are pretty plain to see. Not only is the Figment a couple inches longer than the Environ, it has a dramatically different pocket arrangement as well as a looser fit (Stio calls it a "relaxed fit"). The Figment is also a tad heavier, at 31 ounces compared to the Environ's 29 ounces.
The Stio Figment Jacket (left) vs the Stio Environ Jacket. Same fabric and weatherproofing, very different styles.
The choice comes down to both form and function. Do you like the unique freeride style of the Figment, including its horizontal handwarmer pockets and flaps? Do you need the additional length and coverage, and do you prefer a baggy fit?
The Figment retails for $499 and comes in four colors for winter 2024-25. Check them out here.
Our take
For less than $500, the Stio Environ Jacket in both men's and women's styles offers durable waterproof and breathable protection along with a slew of features to keep you comfortable on the slopes. While too heavy and feature-packed to serve as a true backcountry shell, the Environ is a solid choice for your everyday resort jacket.
We're impressed with Stio's attention to detail, and the Environ's casual, Jackson Hole-inspired mountain style gives off just the right vibe. The Environ's minor shortcomings - snug fit at the hem, for one - are not significant enough to warrant misgivings. We think the Stio Environ Jacket will please most skiers and should provide years of reliable wear.