The best ski jackets for men: protection on the slopes

The best ski jackets are often the perfect marriage of style and substance. They boast the sort of performance and protection that makes them suitable for ambitious backcountry explorations, while also looking great in the après bars and cafes. The best ski jacket allows you to enjoy the slopes to the full, just try not to spill your hot chocolate on them.

As they are such a snow sports essential, choosing the right ski jacket is one of the most important gear decisions you'll make. There are various considerations. Do you opt for a puffer jacket or a hardshell that repels the wind but has little by way of insulation?

To help you make the choice, we've compiled a wide range of the best ski jackets, including waterproof options, the finest insulated jackets and jackets that won't break the bank.  For further guidance on what to look for, see our 'how to choose' section at the bottom of the page. Whatever you end up packing alongside your ski backpack this season, the options here are the very best available.

However, you may want to also take a look at the best women's ski jackets for options that are more tailored to the female form. Otherwise, here we kick things off with waterproof jackets for repelling wind, rain, sleet and snow.

Best waterproof ski jackets

Vancouver-based Arc’teryx has carved out a reputation for producing class-leading gear with eye watering price tags. The Rush is one of the company’s most lightweight yet durable ski shells. Where it outperforms the opposition is in weather protection. Built from Gore-Tex Pro Most Rugged, it’s designed to keep the elements firmly on the outside, no matter how wild conditions may get. The burly fabric has a mix of 80- and 100-denier thicknesses, making it extremely abrasion resistant. Lash through thick forest or scuff along a rock face and it shrugs off the impact. It does make that telltale crinkling sound you get with most hardcore shell jackets, though. 

The Rush is a shell jacket and doesn’t have any insulation so if it’s cold you need to layer up underneath. The Rush is cut for athletic bodies and is closer fitting than many of the jackets tested here yet somehow there’s still plenty of room for layering underneath and it doesn’t restrict your movements. 

Inside you get two deep dump pockets, a zippered valuables pocket and a snow skirt. On the outside two hand pockets sit high enough to cinch a backpack’s waistband underneath and a lift pass pocket sits high on the shoulder. Pit zips allow you to quickly dump excess heat.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Artilect combine high-end fabrics and excellent quality with simple but effective design in the Shadow Canyon men’s ski jacket. Its waterproofing and breathability ratings are both 30,000 – making it the most weatherproof and breathable jacket in this test; but there is no insulation. The Shadow Canyon features a three-layer 40D fabric. Lightweight and supple, it moves with your body and whispers rather than crinkles. 

There are two hand pockets, a deep chest pocket and a shallow horizontally zipped pocket for a phone, keys or a lift pass. There’s no sleeve lift pass pocket though, which feels like an oversight. Inside there’s a good-sized ski goggles / ski gloves pocket. The helmet-compatible hood has multiple points of adjustment and there are side vents to release heat. 

This isn’t a baggy freerider’s jacket. It’s close fitting and trim. In fact, those with wide shoulders or long torsos may want to go up a size – especially as you will most likely need to don a mid layer beneath it at some point.

The only thing missing is a snow skirt. However, this makes the Shadow Canyon a jacket you can wear year-round as a rain jacket. It’s light enough to throw on during a summer storm and stylish enough to wear into town as well. A premium price tag means this is a jacket you’ll need to wear for all occasions to get your money’s worth. Its comfort, style and performance mean you’ll want to have it on all the time anyway. 

Rab claim their Khroma Kinetic jacket offers the performance of a hardshell with the feel of a softshell. And we agree, it does exactly that. The material is soft, supple and stretchy. It moves with your body and makes a soft rustle instead of the usual crinkle. 

Yet if the weather closes in it will keep you protected from anything the heavens can throw at you. Figures of 20,000 and 25,000 for waterproofing and breathability are exceptional. In extended wet weather we found the water beaded and rolled off the jacket, thanks in part to its fluorocarbon-free DWR treatment. Even in strenuous exertion we never overheated or became sweaty either. On the slopes, it’s perfect for warm weather or high-effort skiing. 

Oversized Napoleon chest pockets offer plenty of storage and – cleverly – double up as vents. One of the chest pockets has a smaller zipped pocket inside for keys or a phone. 

There’s a lift pass pocket in the bicep and an internal dump pocket that will swallow gloves or goggles. A helmet-compatible hood can be adjusted with one hand. 

There’s no snow skirt but this is a minimalist jacket and we never felt it needed one. Indeed, the lack of a snow skirt and its light weight means we found ourselves reaching for the Rab Khroma Kinetic as a hiking jacket when we weren’t hitting the slopes. 

Fit-wise, it’s a good length, hanging to mid-hip level, and has a cut that’s trim yet easy to layer under – a good thing, as the Khroma Kinetic doesn’t offer much warmth on its own. 

The Rab Khroma Kinetic is exceptionally breathable and stretchy, and it’s available with matching ski pants, which are also excellent. Unless temperatures were extremely low this was the jacket we found ourselves reaching for more often than any other. 

Extremely waterproof and breathable, the Lassen Xpore is Picture’s range-topping freeride jacket. A mottled blue exterior and a copper interior with black-and-white mountain-trim make it a distinctive piece of kit. We thought it was among the most stylish men’s ski jackets out of the many we tested. Of course style means nothing without performance and fortunately the Picture Lassen Xpore walks the walk as well as it talks the talk. 

The stretchy three-layer fabric offers excellent 25K/20K waterproof and breathability ratings. A removable snow skirt means it can double as a hiking jacket in the off-season. 

Pit zips allow easy temperature control and the collar has been designed with comfort and breathability in mind. Snap fastenings let you close the collar round your neck to prevent it flapping but still drop the zip a little to let some air in. 

There are other nice details, such as lycra wrist gaiters with thumbholes, an adjustable hood that turns nicely with your head, and a handy goggle wipe attached to one of the chest pockets.

Boasting high-end waterproof and breathability ratings (20,000 / 20,000), Mammut’s Haldigrat jacket is an impressive weatherproof ski shell that shrugs off the worst weather mountains can throw at it. The three-layer shell jacket has impressive levels of stretch and articulates well with your body’s movements. You won’t find any insulation in the Haldigrat, as it’s a shell jacket. As such it will protect you from the worst rain, wind and snow you encounter but it won’t keep you warm. 

That’s perfect if you’re a hard-charging backcountry skier, as most of the time you’ll be hiking to the best spot and your body will be working hard enough to keep you warm; its deep pit zips also allow you to quickly vent heat if you get too hot. But you will need a warm mid layer in your pack.

The Haldigrat shouldn’t be ruled out for on-piste endeavors either. While Mammut’s regular fit is more trim than most there’s still room underneath for mid layers to keep you warm. Unless you’re skiing somewhere exceptionally cold, such as Canada in January, you’ll easily be able to layer up enough for comfort.

On the features front, the Mammut Haldigrat comes with a built-in snowskirt and a helmet-compatible hood. There are two deep outer pockets placed Napoleon-style on the chest so you can access them with a backpack on. You get a bicep pocket for a lift pass. Inside there’s a phone pocket and an elasticated dump pocket. The dump pocket isn’t very deep, however, and we would also like to have seen external hand pockets. 

If the pocket configuration works for you the Haldigrat is a great jacket. It comes in a range of striking colors, has a dialled-in fit and feels built to last for many seasons. 

The Haglöfs Elation GTX is made out of burly 70 denier Gore-Tex fabric, which will resist encounters with tree branches and rock faces. Its waterproof rating of 28,000mm is exceptionally high and makes the jacket fully weatherproof, although it lacks insulation. Like many models tested here the Elation GTX is a shell jacket, but the generous cut means there’s room for layering underneath. On a cold day we were easily able to layer a Rab Xenair insulated jacket underneath – giving plenty of warmth in temperatures well below freezing. 

It’s a little longer than most ski jackets too, and thus offers better protection in wild weather. A lack of pit zips means you can’t dump heat easily on warm days, however. 

Two chest pockets, two hand pockets and a liftpass pocket on the sleeve give plenty of stowage space. We would have liked to see an internal dump pocket, though. 

An elasticated snow skirt keeps the powder from getting into the jacket. A cord waist adjustments helps you cinch in the fit as well. Meanwhile, the large hood articulates well on top of a helmet. Indeed, the entire Elation GTX jacket offers great freedom of movement as long as you don’t mind a bit of crinkling noise from the heavy-duty fabric. 

While we wish it had internal pockets and pit zips, the Haglöfs Elation GTX is a high-quality ski jacket that should last for years and years and, with no fewer than seven color options, there’s a version to suit all tastes. 

Best insulated jackets

This high-performance jacket from German outdoor clothing experts Schöffel is aimed at advanced skiers who stick to resort runs. Excellent 20,000 / 20,000 waterproof and breathability ratings are achieved with a stretchy and soft fabric that moves without any of the crinkle associated with a lot of ski jackets. Insulation is provided by recycled Primaloft Eco. This is body-mapped, giving you more warmth in your core and less in areas where your body needs to breathe. It has enough insulation to keep you warm on all but the most frigid days but doesn’t feel bulky and has an athletic fit. The helmet-compatible hood can be removed, which makes it great for resort skiers who can leave it at home on bluebird days. 

The Schöffel Hohbiel has all the pockets you could need. On the outside you’ll find two zippered chest pockets and two zippered hand pockets. There’s also a lift pass pocket on the left forearm. Many ski jackets put their lift pass pockets on the bicep, which means taller skiers need to awkwardly lean over to scan their pass. With the Schöffel you just wave your forearm and you’re through. Inside there’s a zippered security pocket and a deep dump pocket for goggles or gloves. This comes with a handy microfiber cloth attached to a bungee cord that’s handy for giving your goggles a quick wipe. In a nice touch it has first aid instructions printed on it. Also on the safety front, a RECCO reflector helps rescue teams find you in case of an accident. 

The Schöffel Hohbiel is available in a nice range of vivid colors and looks good on the slopes. It’s cut fairly short and there’s no drop hem so it won’t give you as much protection as some jackets. Advanced skiers who stick to the piste will love this jacket. It’s also a terrific jacket for beginners and intermediates as well, but with a hefty price tag you need to be sure you’ll be hitting the slopes at least one or two weeks a year to get value out of it. 

New from Columbia is the Snow Slab jacket, which is designed to supply excellent warmth for its weight. Employing technology first used in the space race, the Columbia Snow Slab features reflective gold foil on the inside and patches of black dots on the jacket’s face. The former reflect your body heat back inside, preventing it escaping. Meanwhile the black dots on the exterior soak up the sun’s warmth and draw it into the jacket. This technology works alongside traditional synthetic insulation and makes for a ski jacket that punches above its weight for warmth. Whether you’ll like the look of the dotted panels on the outside and the shiny foil inside is a matter of personal taste. 

The Columbia Snow Slab comes with an attached powder skirt and a helmet-compatible hood that has plenty of adjustment. There’s a chest pocket, hand pockets, ski pass pocket in the forearm, internal security pocket and a dump pocket, as well as an internal key clip. 

The Omni-Tech fabric has waterproof and breathability ratings of 10,000. These are fairly average and will be fine for resort skiing, though powder hounds will want the performance of higher-end Gore-Tex fabrics for long days in extreme conditions.

A 32in center back (in size medium) and a drop hem offer good coverage and mean the jacket’s hem covers all of your backside, giving extra protection on wet chairlifts. 

The Columbia Snow Slab feels built to last. It has a mid-range price tag and offers a good blend of performance, comfort and durability. 

Best budget ski jackets

The Wedze Men’s Warm Ski Jacket does exactly what it promises – it keeps you warm. And it does so at an exceptionally low cost. Coming in at under a quarter of the price of many ski jackets tested here it’s a budget model but one that offers good performance for the money. It has a HH waterproof rating of 10,000, which is plenty for most resort skiing, but it won’t keep you as dry as others here, especially out in the backcountry. The insulation is a mix of goose feather and down. At this price point you can’t expect 850 fill down, but it offers more than enough warmth in temperatures well below freezing. 

There’s a helmet-compatible hood and five pockets – two hand pockets, a ski pass pocket in the forearm, a zipped inner pocket and an inner dump pocket. Despite its low cost, the quality feels good. Seams and zippers are taped for water and wind resistance and the fabric feels rugged enough to last a good few seasons. 

For advanced skiers it will be too hot, and you’ll be better off with a hardshell and a good mid layer. But beginner and intermediate skiers will really appreciate the high levels of warmth this jacket offers. 

Given the price there’s very little to criticize. The puffy down-and-feather insulation means it’s a little on the bulky side. And we found that while we could put the hood on over a helmet it was a snug fit and we couldn’t turn our head very freely with it up. 

If you only go on one ski trip a year and don’t want to drop a ton of cash on a jacket, this is a great option. 

How we tested the best ski jackets

Each of the ski jackets featured here was tested by our expert reviewer in the mountains of Scotland and the Alps in the midst of winter, and assessed against a range of criteria including warmth, waterproofing, comfort, fit, features, build quality and price.

How to choose a ski jacket

All skiers are different, and therefore so are their jacket requirements. The type of ski jacket a beginner or intermediate skier will need will be very different to the jacket an expert level skier or a backcountry powder specialist will go for.

Waterproofing

All the ski jackets tested here are waterproof, but levels of protection vary. Waterproofness is measured by a Hydrostatic Head rating. Anything above 5,000mm is reasonable but as a rule you want at least 10,000mm. If you’re going to be spending extended time in the backcountry where you’ll be swimming in powder and exposed should the weather close in then you’ll want 20,000mm or greater. 

For resort skiing, anything more than 10,000mm is overkill. Snow doesn’t penetrate fabric as readily as water and not many recreational skiers will stay out all day in blizzard conditions anyway. 

Insulation

Does your ski jacket need to be insulated? That depends on what level you ski at and what temperatures you ski in. If you’re a beginner or intermediate it’s likely you’ll want some insulation. Likewise if you’re in a high altitude resort in January with temperatures well below zero. 

However, more and more skiers are going for non-insulated jackets these days. Modern mid layers worn under a shell offer plenty of warmth and can be ditched if you’re on the slopes in warm spring weather. Many models come with pit zips – large underarm vents that can be opened and are a blessing when you’re too hot. 

Pockets

Even if you wear the best ski backpack you’ll still want your ski jacket to have a good selection of pockets. At least two external pockets are a must and you’ll need a lift pass pocket, which is usually on the forearm or bicep of one sleeve. On the inside there should be a dump pocket for spare gloves or goggles and a zippered valuables pocket. This is useful for keeping your phone in. Being inside the jacket means your phone is kept warm by your body heat, which helps extend battery life. 

Environmental considerations

Many of the best ski jackets are made with recycled materials nowadays. Look out for jackets with high recycled content levels to leave a lighter footprint on the planet. 

• Best winter hiking boots: keep your feet dry and warm