I moved house and couldn’t find any of my ski clothes last minute before a ski day to big bear. None of the California sports stores had any womens ski jackets in my size. Amazon and this coat to the rescue! I didn’t want to spend too much as I already have one somewhere. I ordered several to try out, and this was the only one out of all I found that I liked. Really glad I found it. Not perfect but pretty high up on pros that matter vs any cons - overall loved it. 👍
Pros:
- Waterproof
- Windproof
- VERY warm, fleecy inside lining, in fact for here in California it was almost too warm! I ended up only wearing a thin althetic top base layer underneath and was still a little warm. Would definitely hold up in real cold!!!
- Loads of pockets including a handy front pocket for your ski pass that’s right at scan level for the ski lifts as you go through the auto barriers here and inside pockets to keep valuables safe as well as outside side pockets. You can spread everything out more than when you only have a couple.
- snow skirt, many of the other inexpensive coats I found did not have that this was the only one I could find that I liked in a lower price range that had that included. Definite plus! Though read cons below as it was a bit tighter for the size of the coat.
- roomy for the size it is, other than the snow skirt, easy to layer up if needed (I didn’t need to here)
- really pretty colour and design, I got the multicoloured mountain triangles and it was easy for my friend to spot me and follow me down the mountain
- warm windbreaker around neck and hood, which is I believe detachable. There’s a trick to getting the hood button together behind your head do the flaps don’t get in your way when you’re not wearing the hood up (or on slopes with a ski helmet)
Cons
- no zippered air vents, which would have helped keep me cool on a warm day in the mountain when it’s such a warm and fleecy coat - I was in minimum layers and really missed the vents I used to have on the coat I lost. That said none of the coats in this price range had vents and for the price I paid you’re not going to get everything! Just bear in mind this is a very warm coat which is better for colder than warmer end of season California ski climates! Layer lower accordingly if in a warmer place. In a colder place won’t matter as much but still always a good option to have vents if doing something physically active like skiing even then. So this was my biggest downside.
- the size (medium) was pretty bulky to allow me to layer more if needed (I didn’t need) yet the snow skirt was a lot tighter than expected for the coat size, and also a little high up. I noted one reviewer saying they couldn’t do it up. Tip: undo your bulky ski trousers (in usa ski pants) and put the snow skirt buttoned up over just your under layer under your ski trousers (pants) and then pull them up over the top. It’s a little high and up close to the top and not sure it would fit over multiple under layers but that seemed to work quite well for me.
- arrived squished up and crumpled and even after a day in the slopes the crinkles haven’t come out, but that’s a minor grumble .
Overall 4 out of 5, only reason not a 5 was because of there being no vents and the snow skirt was a little tight for the size of the jacket but I still loved it and fit this price it was a steal and I’m really glad I got it! Thank you!
