This Men’s Ski Jacket Is a Winter Must

Get the Outdoor Research coat while it’s 25 percent off.

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Travel + Leisure / Tyler Roeland

Over my years of skiing and testing ski gear, I've amassed a fair amount of coats, goggles, and gloves, so much so that I now have a storage bed dedicated to stowing away all my favorites. One item that's harder to keep, though, is a bulkier coat, which can take up a considerable amount of space even when smooshed down with a space bag. As a result, I'm always on the hunt for one that's warm and breathable enough across varied ski conditions and packs down nicely in my suitcase or storage.

Well, fellow ski enthusiasts, I'm excited to say I've officially found Outdoor Research's Men's Snowcrew Jacket. It’s lightweight, super packable, and has plenty of pockets — plus, certain colors (including blue and cranberry) are on sale for 25 percent off right now. At $329 pre-sale, this ski jacket packs in quality that competitors might charge more than $500 for.

Outdoor Research

To buy: outdoorresearch.com, $247 (originally $329)

Though it’s available in four colors (not to mention a women’s style, too), I was initially drawn to and able to snag one of the Loden Camo/Black styles, which comes in a partial honeycomb, camouflage print. It's one of the more stylish and eye-catching ski jackets I've seen on the mountain, and I've already received a handful of compliments on it.

But functionality is where Outdoor Research's Men's Snowcrew Jacket stands out. I've just spent an epic four days skiing at Big Sky Resort in Montana, including a few average-temperature powder days followed by a few frigid days. I continued my ski trip to much warmer and sunnier conditions for zippy groomer runs and tree skiing at Ski Santa Fe and Taos Ski Valley.

Travel + Leisure / Dan Koday

What I loved most about packing this jacket for the trip was that despite being lightweight, it was versatile enough to take me through all of these different conditions and climates, whether that meant a ski day in the negative numbers or summer-like spring skiing days.

Outdoor Research

To buy: outdoorresearch.com, $329

As a brand, Outdoor Research has carved out a nice little niche for its lightweight coats that pack tons of warmth. The jacket is form-fitting and has the ideal length for my arms at the average height of 5' 9”, and when I'm wearing this jacket, I feel like I've just put on my favorite lightweight fleece, not a bulky ski coat.This has to do with the fit of the Men's Snowcrew Jacket. It is, without a doubt, one of the most comfortable I've found for skiing, mainly because the jacket glides with my every movement, barely giving any resistance as I make tight turns or use my pole to assist in clearing a mogul.

The jacket includes some great features, many available in other ski coats but with a slightly elevated twist. One is the adjustable hood that can be tightened even around a snow sports helmet. One Outdoor Research customer writes, "The hood is large, but try wearing it at the resort over your helmet, and you'll be in a warm cocoon when the wind is howling."

Outdoor Research

To buy: outdoorresearch.com, $329

The jacket also features a chin guard, armpit zips for extra warm days, and a forearm pocket to safely store those RFID ski passes that are increasingly ubiquitous. I also appreciated the jacket's elastic powder skirt, which kept the snow out of my coat even on days in Big Sky when the powder was waist deep.

The jacket also boasts a pretty large mesh interior pocket so you can quickly stash away oversized items, and I tend to chuck my gloves in them for safekeeping when I sit down for a midday lunch break. I've also kept other things like a small packet of tissues and chapstick in them, and the mesh keeps everything nicely in place.

I've personally struggled with using other ski jackets because they often lack an insulated exterior pocket to protect my phone from less-than-ideal temperatures. Outdoor Research's Snowcrew Jacket has this in an easily accessible spot on the front chest, meaning you can quickly access your phone even once the coat is all zipped up. This is an excellent feature if you're like me and enjoy taking photos or a quick video on the mountain during a break.

This Outdoor Research jacket is also windproof and made of recycled-content fabrics, which is a plus for the environment. It's also fully seam-taped and waterproof, preventing moisture from passing through it. Outdoor Research uses its trademarked VerticalX ECO insulation for the jacket's warmth. The brand describes it as a "high-loft synthetic insulation that uses 85 percent recycled content, combining a superior warmth-to-weight ratio with breathability and moisture management." This means the jacket is highly breathable, and I can ski comfortably on warmer days when I'm sweating inside the coat. It's always helped me stay dry with a well-regulated temperature — something that genuinely marks an excellent ski jacket, in my opinion.

Outdoor Research

To buy: outdoorresearch.com, $247 (originally $329)

Outdoor Research also recently launched matching bibs in addition to matching pants, so you can get a head-to-toe look, and the brand has also expanded its sizing for women. They range from S to XXXL in the men's style to XS to XXXXL in the women's.

The only thing you should know before buying is that if you regularly put on and remove your coat on a typical ski day, I’ve found the main front two-way zipper often gives a little resistance when I try to zip it up quickly. Other reviewers on Outdoor Research's website have recalled the same issue, but thanks to a lifetime guarantee on their products, if a zipper breaks, rest assured that Outdoor Research will replace it.

The pros of the Outdoor Research Snowcrew Jacket are certainly undeniable, so if you're looking for a quality ski jacket that provides warmth and temperature regulation in many different snowy conditions, snap one up while it’s still on sale and in stock.

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