The Helly Hansen Mission Jacket has become my go-to ski jacket for the winter season.  This jacket is a perfect choice for the resort skier who wants a bit of insulation without too much bulk, allowing the option to layer up or down according to weather.  The Mission Jacket is stylish, functional, and has some great features.

Helly Hansen did a great job with the fit of the Mission jacket and I was very happy to find that it is the perfect length for me.  I am a little over six feet tall, and have a slightly longer torso, so I often have trouble with short jackets.  The Mission jacket is just long enough to be comfortable and I don’t have to worry about it riding up when skiing.  The powder skirt is also at the right place, falling a little below my belt line.  Speaking of the powder skirt, Helly incorporated a nice system for buttoning it out of the way when you aren’t using it, a very smart and welcome feature.  The jacket is cut with sufficient space in the shoulders for athletically-built bodies, and is flattering.  I had great mobility while photographing a shoot for Vail Resorts in the Back Bowls of Vail mountain.  The sleeve length is ideal for me, and the adjustable cuffs accommodate different arm lengths.  One nitpick about the cuffs: the inner fabric often sticks out beyond the cuff when tightened. See below photo.  It’s certainly not a big deal, but it would be nice to see this small detail fixed in the next version.

A really nice feature of the Mission jacket is the helmet-compatible hood.  Plenty of jackets claim to be helmet compatible, but in reality, are not.  Helly Hansen clearly tested the Mission Jacket’s hood with various ski helmets, because it has excellent visibility and movement with the hood on.  The front of the jacket comes up nice and high without strangling you like many jackets do when fully zipped .  With the hood over your helmet, you can still move your head around without feeling the tugging of fabric.

The Mission Jacket provides a good amount of warmth for the weight, without being bulky.  PrimaLoft 60g Warmcore insulation is responsible for this, and was warm enough for me to need to open the air vents on a 27 degree day.  For most days in the Rockies, you will not need more than a mid-weight baselayer under this jacket to be warm.  The two under-arm air vents do a pretty good job of releasing heat, although Helly Hansen saves its superior airflow system for its highest end jackets.  The fabric is Helly’s excellent Helly Tech PROFESSIONAL, which is waterproof and has a 20,000mm/20,000g breathability rating.  This fabric is one of my favorites for ski wear, and it has a little bit of stretch and a nice hand feel.  The zippers are also waterproof for full protection.  The Mission Jacket has 4 fleece-lined pockets on the front that are well-placed and functional.  In addition, there is an internal pocket for music/phone (though I wish there were an easier-to-access phone pocket closer to the front zipper), and one for longer, bigger items like goggles.  I loved having the deeper pocket for stashing things like a balaclava for cold weather.

I appreciate the thought that Helly Hansen puts into design, and I would recommend the Mission to anyone looking for a light-midweight insulated resort ski jacket.  It is also stylish enough to double as an around-town winter jacket.

The Helly Hansen Mission Jacket is available in four colors:  Fiery Red, Arctic Navy, Arctic, and Black.  Size range is S-2XL.

MSRP is $350.

The Helly Hansen Enigma Jacket is the greatest jacket that I could not use because of a fatal fit issue.  The Enigma is Helly’s top-of-the-line insulated ski jacket and it is one of the most comfortable and feature-packed things I have ever worn.  No expense was spared in the creation of this jacket and it is a showcase of technology.  Unfortunately, a personal fit issue kept it from being the perfect parka for me, and I will explain in more detail below.

Helly Hansen put every feature and technology that they have developed over their long and experienced history into the Enigma jacket.  The longer I had it on, the more added functionality I uncovered.

Let’s start with the fabric.  Helly Tech® PROFESSIONAL is employed as the shell fabric and it is a special blend that is waterproof, breathable, and has four-way stretch.  Truthfully, it is one of the best technical fabrics I have ever seen.  It has a feel that is almost satin-like while remaining totally durable and has none of the “crinkle” effect present in a lot of shell fabrics.  For insulation, PrimaLoft® Infinity is combined with 90/10/800 fill goose down to keep you warm in extreme weather conditions.  The down insulation isn’t your typical setup and is instead the flagship feature of the Enigma jacket.  The innovative Flow Down system puts pockets of down in areas where core temperature regulation is needed most and allows air to circulate to keep you from getting weighed down.  In practice, I found this to be an amazing way to have the benefits and warmth of down without the bulk normally associated with it.  Down jackets are usually only good for very cold weather and get overly hot when you start heating up; the Flow Down system combined with huge front air vents and behind the arm air vents, make the Enigma jacket way more versatile.

Moving on, Helly Hansen put a bunch of smart touches into the jacket and some of my favorites are the comfortable powder skirt that can be stored in a zippered compartment, the deep “utility pocket” that is perfect for storing your goggles when you are walking to and from the hill, the included goggle wipe that is attached by a clip to one of the chest pockets, and the helmet compatible hood that is adjustable and removable.  I also appreciated the cozy hand warmer sleeves that provide a nice barrier for snow coming up the cuffs.  Unfortunately, I found these to be a little too short for my large hands and was not able to use them with the thumbhole.  I love pockets in a ski jacket and the Enigma delivered, having 8 total.  The small pocket near the end of the arm was perfect for chapstick and small items.  One final feature that should be mentioned is one that might be considered over-the-top, but is actually an excellent inclusion.  The Enigma jacket comes with a nice balaclava that has its own storage compartment located right behind your neck.  The balaclava is attached by a zipper and can be removed and worn elsewhere if wanted.  It’s nice to have this added warmth on hand when it is totally necessary.  As you can see by the length of this section, feature lovers and gear hounds will not be disappointed by the Enigma jacket.

This is the section where I have to give the Helly Hansen Enigma jacket the only knock I had against it and it is the fit.  I must preface by saying that I am 6’1″ and have a fairly long torso.  The Enigma jacket in a size large was a great fit for me in the shoulders and arms and I liked the athletic cut of the torso.  However, I found the jacket to be entirely too short to the point that I would not recommend this jacket to anyone over 5’10″.  Both the powder skirt and the actual hem of the jacket barely reached my pant waist (I do not wear my pants low by any measure) and my size large t-shirts stuck out from below.  Skiing with this jacket left me cold around my waist because being in an athletic stance caused the jacket to raise up above my pants.  As I mentioned in the intro, this is the one thing keeping the Enigma jacket from being my go-to insulated ski jacket.  I strongly suggest trying on at a store to make sure the length will not be an issue for you.  Looking past the length, the fit was excellent and moved well with me as I skied.

The Helly Hansen Enigma is a phenomenal mid- to heavy-weight ski jacket choice for men under six feet tall, or those who ski in bibs.   The $700 price tag is certainly steep, but know that Helly Hansen put everything they had into the jacket.  Innovative insulation and features put the Enigma firmly at the top of the pack in its category.  The Enigma Jacket is currently available in Arctic and Black.

Mountain Hardwear Vertical Peak at Keystone

The Vertical Peak Jacket is a synthetic insulated and water proof jacket, so if you are looking to battle some of the harshest elements, this is a good jacket to have on your side, no pun intended.  To start, the Vertical Peak has plenty of pockets to carry all your inbounds ski essentials and more.  There are two side pockets that are lined with fleece to help keep your hands warm.  The pockets are big enough to store a cell phone, wallet, keys, sandwich, point and shoot camera, or any other item similar in size.  There is also a chest pocket on the outside of the jacket that that can hold the previous items mentioned.  This pocket is a tad bit smaller than the side pockets as it should be.  It also has a small hole that connects to the inside in case you want to store your mp3 player or phone and listen to music.  On the inside of the jacket, there are two mesh pockets, one to hold your goggles and one to hold other valuables.

The insulation in the Mountain Hardwear Vertical Peak is lightweight and compact, so it won’t take up a lot of room, but it still ads enough warmth in most situations.  In the super cold conditions, I did end up adding more layers, but since the jackets insulation didn’t have a lot of bulk, it wasn’t a problem.  For the days when you are hitting big powder stashes and you want to keep the snow from getting up your back, there is a detachable powder skirt.  While I really like a powder skirt in a ski jacket, I found this powder skirt to ride up past my waist often times which defeats the purpose.  One thing that I am starting to see in higher end jackets is an extended cuff on the sleeve of the jacket.  The Vertical Peak Jacket has this cuff with a thumb hole, but I found the thumb hole to not be in the right place, so I ended up not using it.  If you have shorter arms, this might work out for you.  I am 6’0 tall with normalish length arms.

For ventilation, the Mountain Hardwear Vertical Peak Jacket has pit zips on both sides of the jacket. These come in handy when the temperatures start to heat up and you need to vent a little bit.  The zippers are lined with a plastic/rubber guard that helps water from seeping in, but this texture also makes it hard to open the pit zips themselves.  I often have a friend or my wife help unzip them while on the chair lift. The Vertical Peak has a removable helmet compatible hood which is nice when you run into super cold windy days.  If you are not a big fan of hoods, it is nice to be able to remove the hood.  I haven’t removed the hood except to make sure the zipper works correctly.

Overall, a this is a good jacket, but I think there are a few things that need to be fixed to make it worth the MSRP of $400.

Obermeyer Coco Jacket in True Red

Finding the right balance between warmth and breathability/ease of movement is always a challenge in cold weather sports apparel.  Obermeyer has achieved that elusive combination with its Coco Jacket — not too hot, not too cold.  Carving turns on the Beaver Creek slopes with my board, my torso twisted about with ease in this lightweight but snuggly jacket, arms surfing from side to side with no binding whatsoever, thanks to the articulated sleeves and interior stretch panels.  It’s got a feminine look, as opposed to the knee-length jackets favored by many snowboarders, but it is absolutely about performance.  As a testament to the Coco’s style, a woman two rows away from me in the lift line yelled  ”WHERE DID YOU GET THAT JACKET?  I WANT ONE!”

Suffering as Coloradans must in feather-light powder (sarcasm), we frequently have plumes finding their way up our sleeves and waistlines.  The Coco’s neoprene inner sleeve liner with thumb tab, which extends all the way into my mitten, completely prevented that, and kept my hands unusually warm and dry.  Meanwhile, the snow skirt shielded most of the powder from my torso.    As external protection from the snow, the Coco Jacket is 20K waterproof, a rating considered to be totally waterproof, even under pressure.

One explanation for this lightweight jacket’s warmth-yet-breathability is the Cocona fabric. The high-surface-area properties of this scientific fabric remove moisture several times faster than previous performance fabrics, even through multiple layers. Another factor is the body-heat-reflective, wonderfully slippery, silver satin lining.  So, those inert periods on the chairlift are not the usual bone-chilling experience in the Coco.  Also, I absolutely loved the fact that the Coco’s hood is roomy enough to fit over my helmet, making windy uphill commutes downright pleasant.  And sinking into the zipped-up collar when the wind picked up, I discovered cozy fleece against my face and not the usual frozen sandpaper-like fabric.  In sum, the Coco’s warmth features are amazingly effective given the jacket’s weight and movement capability.

I like to talk to people, including myself, while sailing down the slopes. But for those who prefer music, the media pockets are smartly designed.  Protected from the elements, your music player can stay warm and dry on the inside left panel, while your phone gets its own velvety, easy-access pocket on the right.  Mesh pockets hold whatever lip balm, credit cards, tissue and other supplies one may want to cart along.

Leading the nation, not just in fluffy powder, but also in avalanche-related fatalities, we Coloradans know that media pockets are not helpful when buried under a slide. The Coco does its part to minimize one’s stay in such an unfortunate position by incorporating the Recco Avalanche Rescue System right into the jacket itself.  A non-powered device, the Recco never loses its signal strength and doesn’t need batteries.  So the jacket bounces back the searcher’s radar signal and doubles the frequency, allowing the Recco detector to locate a burial.

Maureen wore Sapphire on the slopes.

Suggestions for improvement:  I’m a big fan of double zippers, as I like to vent from all sides without having the jacket flap open – and the Coco only has a bottom-up zipper.  However, the breathable Cocona fabric, as well as extra-long “pit zips”, make ventilation very effective anyway.  Also, the waterproof external zippers are very sticky, so that I often had to use two hands and take off a mitten to access them.  Unless I were going to wear the Coco in a rainstorm, I’d rather have less waterproofing in favor of an easily gliding zipper.

Bottom line: I bought a brand new snow jacket at the end of last season, by another manufacturer, but now don’t think I’ll bother to take the tags off.  The Coco is really everything I need: warmth with breathability, comfortable movement, convenient features and just pure style.

The Obermeyer Coco Jacket is available in sizes 2-18, with six colors to choose from:    Black, Jade, Sapphire, True Red, Waterfall (blue/white) and White (white/red).

MSRP $399

[Editor's Note:  Review by Maureen U.]

When it comes to cold weather, Isis has you covered with their Whisper down products. Isis offers a solution for all of your active and casual needs with the Whisper Jacket, Whisper Hoodie, Whisper Hoodie Vest, and Whisper Coat.

A few years back, I reviewed the shorter-length  Whisper Hoodie, and this year I had the opportunity to try out the Whisper Coat. The Whisper Coat is geared toward casual use, yet packs some great features that you typically find only in active jackets. For starters, the Whisper Coat has excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, something I don’t typically expect from a long down coat. The Whisper Coat weighs a touch over 1 lb* and features 650 fill goose down that has kept me toasty on single-digit, early morning strolls with the dogs in Colorado’s high country. A detailed quilting pattern helps reduce the bulk and allows the down to remain equally distributed, two important features in my book.

Whisper Coat in Moroccan Blue packed into its stuff sack

Like many active down jackets, the Whisper Coat comes with a stuff sack, and can be compressed into a small package for easy travel. The photo does not do it justice; the actual dimensions when compressed are approximately 4 inches x 12 inches. I utilized this feature and took the coat in my carry-on when I headed to the Midwest for a quick trip. If you like to keep a warm coat in the car “just in case”, the Whisper Coat would be great peace of mind and easily stows out of the way.

The Whisper Coat has a longer center drop than any other coat that I own; the length is 34.5 inches, and hits just about mid-thigh on me (I am 5’9”). This added length helps to seal out the frigid air, and keeps my backside warm. It also comes in handy when wearing a skirt or dress to work because of the added coverage. Other features that I found helpful to keep me warm were the adjustable hood, elastic no-frill cuffs, DWR finish (water repellent), and a draft flap. The draft flap is an extra piece of fabric that lies behind the zipper, preventing air from entering the tiny zipper holes. I have worn the jacket out during a snowstorm and stayed dry after about 30 minutes in the elements (I cannot speak to the water repelling capability beyond that time frame).  You will be pleased to know that, when it is cold enough to zip the coat all the way up, there is a super soft chin guard that buffers your chin against the zipper.  Two zippered pockets along each hip, and an inner zippered security pocket round on the features.

Rear view

Like all Isis outerwear, the Whisper Coat is available in size 2 to 18. I really like this feature because it allows the wearer to get a more customized fit than the standard XS to XL sizing system. Utilizing the size chart, my measurements would dictate a size 6.  However, I went to a local outfitter prior to ordering the coat, and found that a size 4 was more to my liking. I think this was more of a personal choice because I like more slim-fitting jackets.  Even in the size 4, I can still wear a sweater or other mid-layer underneath with room to spare.  Therefore, unless you will be layering heavily underneath, you may want to size down for a streamlined fit.  The Whisper Coat is cut with a female body in mind and I found it to be very flattering in all of the right places, especially the curve the jacket makes just around the true waist, and then the widening around the hips. The coat is easy to walk in and does not restrict your movement, while sitting down is also a cinch.

Blizzard print lining

The Whisper Coat is available in four different colors: Eggplant (dark purple), Moroccan blue (green-blue), Cinnabar (burn orange), and Black. The inside of the jacket is a fun pattern with lots of color to enhance the feminity. In years past, the lining pattern and colors varied with the color of the jacket. This is no longer the case, but also not a drawback in my opinion.

Overall, the Isis Whisper Coat is a feminine, warm, full-length coat that is also super light and compactable, making it a handy addition to your winter wardrobe.

MSRP $229

*Weighed at the grocery store, no weight information provided by Isis

As most people know, goose down is one of nature’s best insulators and the benefits of its use in outerwear is readily apparent.  Depending on its fillpower and amount, down clothing can be a full-on, heavy-duty jacket for the most brutal cold, or a nice insulating layer to add under a shell when temperatures drop.  I’m a big fan of the latter scenario as I like to wear layers depending on the conditions.  One of my complaints with many of the down, mid-layer jackets I’ve tried in the past, is their cut, specifically being too baggy to comfortably fit under a jacket.  Thankfully, Helly Hansen has created the Verglas Down Insulator Jacket for people like me.  It is an athletically-cut, stylish, down jacket that is equally comfortable as an insulating layer as it is out on the town.  This tester thinks Helly did an excellent job designing their latest down midlayer jacket.

One of the keys to midlayer’s success is its ability to work well with an outerlayer, and the Verglas Down Insulator Jacket excels in this area.  Forgoing the large pockets of puffy down, Helly Hansen decided to use a tighter pattern of smaller pockets to achieve similar warmth with less bulk.  The jacket contains 90% goose down at a fillpower of 700+, which is right in the sweet spot for down insulation.  Because of the down placement, the Verglas Down Insulator is able to maintain a sleek profile that not only looks good, but hugs the body effectively without being skin-tight.  To test the jacket’s effectiveness as a midlayer, I wore it under the Helly Hansen Odin Guiding Light shell and found it to be a great match.  Unlike some down midlayers I have tested, I did not feel like a marshmallow-man while wearing this combination.  It probably was an advantage that I used a shell from the same company, but I don’t foresee any issues wearing the Verglas Down Insulator with a performance shell from another brand.  The other element of the fit that I was quite pleased with was the length.  I often have problems with jackets being too short and I was happy to find that this jacket in a size large was the perfect length for my 6’1” body.  The sleeves were also a great length and stayed in place well with elastic cuffs that were neither overly tight or loose.  All told, I found the fit of the Verglas Down Insulator Jacket to be one of its strongest assets.

As you would expect from a midlayer piece, the Verglas Down Insulator has few features to speak of.  There are two zippered handwarmer pockets and they function as intended.  The only other feature, per se, is the hem drawcord around the waist of the jacket.  This comes in handy for tightening up the bottom to avoid drafts on really cold days.  I found this to be great when I was bending down to tend a fire one night, and normally would have had a draft up my back.

The Verglas Down Insulator offers very good warmth for its size and weight, and I found it to be a versatile piece.  I’ve been wearing it around town by itself in 30 to 40 degree weather, and have been perfectly comfortable.  The ripstop fabric does a solid job of blocking moderate winds.  The Verglas Down Insulator really came into its own as a midlayer on a cold and windy day skiing Breckenridge.  The weather was in the low teens and I was nice and warm with the Insulator and a lightweight wind shell over it.  With a warmer baselayer, I could easily see this combination being effective down to 0 degrees. Beyond that, I would combine it with an insulated jacket for ultimate warmth.

If you are looking for a nice insulating midlayer that can do double duty as a standalone jacket, I suggest checking out the Helly Hansen Verglas Down Insulator.  Available colors are Arctic (blue), Smoked Pearl (gray, shown), and Black.  At $200 msrp, the jacket offers a good value with its versatility and good looks.

While the jacket is not claimed to be waterproof, this jacket is water resistant and for all intensive purposes, it keeps the water out.  All of the zippers on the TNF Perception jacket are water resistant which helps from snow and water getting into the jacket.  On the outside of the jacket, there are two zippered hand pockets with a fleece lining to keep your hands warm.  On one of the pockets, there is a bungee style cord that can hold the standard old school lift pass.  Since I have a plastic card with RFID installed in the card, I don’t find this all that helpful.  For when you are skiing at the resorts with the older school passes, this is nice because your pass doesn’t have to be flopping in the wind.  There is also a Napoleon pocket on the left chest that I like to use for my cell phone.  On the inside of the jacket, there is a hidden zippered pocket with a hole for headphones.  This pocket is the size of the standard smart phone.  There is also a mesh pocket on the inside of the pocket to stash your goggles.  I hardly ever use these pockets for goggles; instead I use these pockets for snacks and food so I can grab a quick bite on the lift.

To help keep fresh pow from getting up your jacket, the TNF Perception comes with a button style snow skirt that has plenty of grip to keep it from riding up.  One option that I would like to see in this jacket is for the snow skirt to have the option to zip or button out.  To help keep snow, wind, and cold from getting into your jacket, the TNF Perception comes with a bungee style hem cord that cinches around the waste.  There is also a bungee style cord on the hood to keep the elements from blasting your head and face on the super cold days.  The cuffs of this jacket and cinched so you will need a pair of gloves or mittens with a gator that can go over the jacket sleeves.  The Perception is equipped with the RECCO location tag that helps emergency personal find you in case you are in an avalanche.  For the most part, the resorts with RECCO devices are out west as the chance for inbound avalanches out east is not as great.  At this point, RECCO is more used as body recovery than rescue, so be safe!

The look of the North Face Perception jacket is very clean and classic.  There are not a ton of lines going this way and that, it’s pretty much a solid colored jacket with accents on the zippers.  This won’t make you stand out on the slopes, but it is a nice look if you want to use it off the slopes.  The North Face Perception Jacket retails for $279, which is an appropriate price for a winter jacket that includes Gore fabrics and Primoloft.

Patagonia Ultralight Down Hoody

For the gear snob that has pretty much everything, but wants to have the newest, lightest and greatest gear, the Patagonia Ultralight Down Hoody might just do the trick.  The Ultralight Down Hoody is an 800 down fill jacket that works great as an outer layer and also works nice as under a shell for the really cold days.

One of the best uses I have found for this jacket so far is colder weather backpacking and camping.  When backpacking, I like to keep my pack weight light, but I don’t want to sacrifice on my gear’s performance. The Patagonia Ultralight Down Hoody weighs in at 264 grams, or 9.3 ounces.  When stuffed into its own stuff sack, this jacket packs down to nothing and weighs close to nothing.  The amount of warmth and protection it packs is far from nothing though.  While backpacking outside of Aspen, CO the temperatures dropped down to freezing at night and it stayed pretty cold in the morning until about 9 or 10am.  Having a warm down jacket made the colder nights by the camp fire and the cold mornings much more tolerable. If this were a regular down jacket, it would have taken up a lot more room in my pack which I didn’t want to do, so having a warm jacket that could pack down to the size of my fist was a huge plus.

Backpacking with the Patagonia Ultralight Down Hoody

While hiking with my pack the first few hours of the morning with the Ultralight Down Hoody was easy as pie.  It was nice to have a jacket that was slim and didn’t get in the way of my hip belt and pack straps. The fit of the jacket is a little slimmer than most down jackets.  I am 6’0 and 170lbs and the medium fits me well, so plan according if you plan to make a purchase.

One of the downsides about wearing a down jacket sometimes is if it gets wet, it often loses its insulating properties and you get cold.  To keep this from happening, Patagonia added a durable water repellent (DWR) to the outside of the jacket.  This helps shed snow and rain and keeps the down from getting wet; think of it as Rain-X for jackets.  Sometimes with down jackets, the down will begin to clump up in certain sections and cold pockets will begin to form.  To prevent this, Patagonia has added lots of small baffles to keep the down in the right place so you don’t get cold spots in the jacket.

As the temperatures have started to fall in Colorado, I have found the Patagonia Ultralight Down Hoody to be one of my favorite, go-to jackets as well.  For around town, it looks good, it’s light, stashes in a backpack or shoulder bag super easy, and it keeps me plenty warm. With a price point of $299, there will be a number of people saying no way!  But if you can afford to spend a few extra bucks and want a jacket that will last many years to come, this is a great choice.

Marmot Zion Jacket

Waterproof and breathable has been marketed for many years now, but you know just as well as I do that waterproof and breathable haven’t really gotten along all that well in the past.  For this fall/winter, Marmot is utilizing a new fabric by Polartec called Neo Shell. Most people know Polartec for its fleece that is used in jackets, pants, liners, and more.  Neo Shell by Polartec has taken the Polartec and Marmot brand to the next level in the Zion Jacket with a jacket that really is waterproof and breathable.

I was lucky enough to use this jacket last winter and spring while skiing the slopes of Colorado.  On the cold freezing days when temps were around zero degrees, I definitely wanted a warm layer underneath. On the days when the temperatures were 15-50 degrees, most days, this jacket works like a champ with a regular baselayer.  For insulation, the Marmot Zion uses the Polartec fleece material which helps insulate the body and helps pull moisture to the outside of the softshell fabric.  To help keep water out, this jacket is seem sealed which you will see in most higher end brands such as Marmot.

If you are one of those venturing into the side country or backcountry and like to wear a backpack for avi gear, food, PBR, water, or other extra’s, the Zion jacket is a great option.  I say this because there are small little grippers on the shoulders to keep the shoulder straps from sliding down your shoulders.  This is pretty common while using backpacks with jackets that can be waterproof and slippery.  The Marmot Zion jacket also has its pockets adjusted for backpack hipbelts.  This way, when you are wearing your hip belt while skiing, boarding, snowshoeing, etc, you can still access your side pockets.  These pockets are also water resistant along with the rest of the zippers on the jacket.

For cold, windy, and wet days when you want the least amount of skin exposed, there is an attached adjustable helmet compatible hood.  The cuffs of the Zion jacket are best used with gloves that go over the cuff as these aren’t super wide.  To keep snow from getting up through the bottom of the jacket, there is an elastic draw cord hem.

As a skier that likes a jacket that I can use for multiple conditions, I think the Marmot Zion Jacket is an excellent choice.  As someone who also gets out snowshoeing, and cold weather hiking, I also like the jacket as it provides a good blend of warmth and protection from snow and water.