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April, 2025

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Pow Jacket

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elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
So i'm going off to college next year and will be skiing baker, which is always either pow or heavy wet snow. I currently have two jackets - Lüft Annorak, Airblaster - and they don't work great in pow. I'm looking for a jacket that is pretty waterproof (doesn't have to be goretex) with a powder skirt and looks good with anything.

Any other specifications I should look for in a jacket?
11 years ago
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7290 - Karma: 18,698
Well I would look for a good quality shell. You wont want insulation as its not genrally too cold, rather wet. Shells work great in the PNW as you can layer as required and manage with one Jkt all year. Because of this you may be able to spend more and get a really good quality Jkt. Goretex is nice and if you can a Goretex Pro Shell would be great and if you look after it you will get a long life outr of it. My favs are Arcteryx, Patagonia, salomon and from what I have seen of atomics new outerwear that looks really good too.

Find a few shops that still have things in stock and go try a few things on and see what you like trhe fit and feel of.
11 years ago
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MothaHucker
Posts: 4678 - Karma: 2,591
Armada makes some pretty tight goretex shells
11 years ago
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.nasty
Posts: 10598 - Karma: 11,396
MothaHuckerArmada makes some pretty tight goretex shells


Indeed, they make the only decent looking ones design-wise. Unless you want to look like "that guy" with arctyrex or some other shmedium brand.
11 years ago
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SimplyClean
Posts: 556 - Karma: 1,754
3L 20k/20k shell...with layering underneath. That's the best for pow/cold/wet conditions.

Most of these tech shells are spendy but you can try to find a sale and get it for cheaper. I try to look for more skier oriented brands that offer this type of jacket for a more ideal fit, and supporting a good company. Saga, Faction, Armada, Orage, and maybe a few others offer jackets like these.

For example, I skied one day with ~50mph gusts, 20 degrees, snow and little layering underneath and felt real cozy. Didn't feel once bit of wind come through my jacket. Lower end jackets don't do that.
11 years ago
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elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
any specific jacket recommendations? I like orage jackets and also Outdoor Research
11 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5079 - Karma: 43,074
I picked up a Lethal Descent Eagle on sale and it is just about perfect for the PNW. The reviews on blister are super good and so far I have not had any problems with it. Style is a really personal thing but I think it does a nice job of being technical without being too tight and euro tech style looking.
11 years ago
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7290 - Karma: 18,698
.nylesIndeed, they make the only decent looking ones design-wise. Unless you want to look like "that guy" with arctyrex or some other shmedium brand.


I cant tell if your serious or not. Would you really turn down an arcteryx jkt if you were offered one just so your not 'That guy'. Also did you try any of the patagonia stuff this season. The fit was great and of course its really well made. Im a big fan of the shadow jkt from salomon too. Sure non of those jkts are going to be down to your knees so if that is a main priority I could see you wanting to look else where.
11 years ago
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S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,172
just go on evo or backcountry. Coming up to the end of the season you should be able to pick up a pretty sick deal on any jacket.
11 years ago
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Bassage.
Posts: 512 - Karma: 822
If you can find it on sale, all trew jackets are amazing and fit what you are looking for.
11 years ago
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Saga.
Posts: 3812 - Karma: 45,341
We will be releasing our Winter 14/15 look book within the next couple of weeks with presales beginning June first. You can only see the colorways of 13/14 here but the specs for 14/15 will be similar. The Monarch line is amazing. We're very happy with its performance despite being a completely new addition to our line for the 13/14 season. http://www.sagaouterwear.com/collections/monarch-3l-jacket
11 years ago
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elm.
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 13,605
Saga.We will be releasing our Winter 14/15 look book within the next couple of weeks with presales beginning June first. You can only see the colorways of 13/14 here but the specs for 14/15 will be similar. The Monarch line is amazing. We're very happy with its performance despite being a completely new addition to our line for the 13/14 season. http://www.sagaouterwear.com/collections/monarch-3l-jacket


I love that monarch jacket. Do you know how long that will be on sale?
11 years ago
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Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,585
trew, gore-tex armada stuff, saga monarch, orage, oakley, really any 20k/20k outerwear is fine. i grew up skiing the northwest and never ran into issues when i was using 20/20 outerwear. just make sure to get shells because its easier to layer when its cold than it is to be hot as hell when it warms up, but is too wet to wear anything not waterproof
11 years ago
1 0
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jadavis
Posts: 142 - Karma: 136
That guy
Definition: the person decked out in Arcteryx or Patagucci who is a super extreme backcountry shredder who is above all others at the ski area.

Arcteryx and Patagonia are both overpriced for what they are. You can easily find an OR shell that will work just as well for less. Used to have an OR Mentor (gortex pro), which I just replaced after 6 seasons of use. Now I have an Armada Shifter (also gortex pro), which has been treating me really well. Honestly it doesn't have to be gortex pro. As long as you don't end up with a paclite coat you're fine. Also, powder skirts don't actually work that well unless you have bibs because they ride up. I'd suggest getting a semi-waterproof soft shell of some sort to go under. Does the job of a powder skirt and is warmish.
11 years ago
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Saga.
Posts: 3812 - Karma: 45,341
smellsI love that monarch jacket. Do you know how long that will be on sale?


Until they're sold out.
11 years ago
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skier58284
Posts: 1705 - Karma: 5,366
I wear a GoreTex shell over other layers. If you want a shell with no insulation at all, it's not going to be marketed as a ski jacket, and it's not going to have a powder skirt. It will just be called rain jacket or something like that. But they work best in my opinion when it's not really cold. If you really need a powder skirt, then get a ski specific jacket, just know that it will have insulation and on really hot spring days (40s and 50s) it might be too hot even as an only layer. Make sure to at least get one with vent zippers under the sleeves.
11 years ago
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