Im looking for a good quality coat and a lot of the brands have ski jackets as a separate line. and some of them look like regular coats and i bet they are warm.
so, does anyone wear a ski coat as his daily down/parks?
Popular choice is layers: thermals-> Fleece → Down jacket → Waterproof shell.
With layers you can remove them. With a ski jacket you may get too hot and then too cold if you remove it. They aren’t necessarily as waterproof as a waterproof shell jacket.
@Cael
My standard waterproof shell isn’t big enough to go over multiple layers as described without feeling very restrictive so I have been looking into buying a ski jacket despite never skiing. Many have pit zips or removable inner jackets so ski jackets are more versatile than you think.
Nothing wrongs with it. If you like the coat go for it- but be aware of what you are buying. I know my spouse wears one to walk the dog when it is really cold/stormy. I just have a shell, which some ski coats are, so make sure to check.
Many times ski coats are actually less insulated, as it is meant to be for outdoor activities.
I have a helly Hanson ski coat and it’s definitely not as warm as a down parka. They purposely put less insulation in because of activity level too warm of ski coat and if you were actually skiing in it you would sweat all day,
But for most activities it is fine. If you are going out for awhile lots in-20c to -40c then this isn’t the coat for you
I do.
I live in a country where snow-sports are pretty popular and ski jackets are just a lot more available/durable/less-expensive compared to ‘normal’ jackets.
I love how easy they are to throw over layers, and how much less bulky they are compared to other coats.
The only reason I don’t wear my ski jacket as a winter jacket is:
- It’s brightly colored and more flashy than I want for a winter coat
- It’s a very expensive piece of clothing so i only use it when I actually need all the benefits that it provides (I typically don’t need goretex and fully taped seams to walk the dogs)
- Ski jackets tend to be longer than regular jackets
@Reese
The reason i asked that i seen some premium brands where the ski coats are cheaper than their Top Regular one
Better yet buy a belaying jacket with DWR finish, it will be a 1000x lighter and packable, won’t be as long either, will still have strong materials as it’ll be made to withstand rock climbing / belaying activities, and more than likely you can still ski in it as the hoods will be large enough to fit helmets.
I bought a Montbell Flat Iron Parka, last year for like 200$ in Japan. It’s incredibly warm and I’ve taken it snowboarding as well with no worries, the greatest part is that it has synthetic filling so it’s still warm when wet on those slushy days.
Plus it’s packable so I can easily take it hiking in colder months too. The belay jacket may be more athletic cut so I guess you gotta feel it out, size up if you like the bulky loose fit on a snow / ski jacket.
If your budget allows it the Arcteryx Beta LT is an all year all season jacket as well, plenty of people wear them skiing as well as a fashion piece
Every ski jacket I’ve owned has just been a shell. If you need a down jacket, it’s not going to be a very good substitute. Just different jobs. If I’m skiing somewhere cold, I layer some insulation under my shell.
They’ve always been kind of bulky. I think that would be the biggest downside for hiking purposes.
Breathability varies. I don’t think my rain jacket for hiking breathes all that well, but it sure packs down small.
Actually picked one up two years ago for snowboarding, but then found myself using it more frequently especially because it had some good water repellent features. I believe mine was from montec as I wanted something that had nice matching bottoms that would accomodate snowboarding boots.
Ski jackets are usually not very breathable and therefore for hiking, they equal sweat. Which, in winter can be very dangerous. Hiking specific gear is often made of breathable materials, or have venting and help regulate your temperature.
@Chen
Ski jackets are actually more breathable than a lot of rain jackets.