Affordable ski jacket?!

[JoannaSQ]

Hello everyone!

I am a new skier and as I want to be prepared for my winter vacation, I am looking for a cheap ski jacket. I have no idea what to look for, feature-wise (although I am pretty sure I want it to be pink Which brands should I check out first?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Philpug]

Paging @Ron and a few others including women like @SBrown and @Tricia. OK, kinda like gear, what are your interntions? How do you wear your clothing? Are you looking for one piece or are you into layering systems? Will this be skiing specific or will you be using it as a casual piece also? You mentioned "cheap", I am assume you meant "inexpensive". Are you looking for a deal on a leftover design or this years product? Again to pricing, what is your definition of cheap, what range are you looking for?

 

[Ron]

@JoannaSQ. Start checking out Sierra trading post. Sign up for Active Junky which is a free shopping club and save an additional 8-10%. Campsaver and ski essentials has some great deals as well. There are still good deals there. Not sure what you consider cheap

I get it if you are on a tight budget but be careful not to buy something that's not going to keep you warm and dry or not have any wind protection. You pay a ton of money to ski so don't end up miserable or frost bitten.

Look for a minimum of 10k h20 proof and 10k breathability . Gore tex is rated at 20k /20k and neo shell is much higher. Of course materials like gore Tex are good (not very breathable) , neoshell is my Personal favorites and there are other proprietary materials that provide decent performance. Start with a thin base layer That will absorb and transfer moisture to a mid layer that also has these properties. Insulation Warmth is useless if you layers don't absorb and move the sweat away from your skin. The water proof outer protection is known as DWR, durable water repellant, is actually very important and more expensive clothing will have a more durable film but you can buy products like grainger or nikwax that can be applied to less costly clothing to reinforce or revive clothing.

Make sure you have a jacket and pants that meet your needs. You don't need a ton of pockets but at least a couple exterior hand packets and a chest pocket, internally at least one zippered chest pocket. Pit zips are great to quickly dump heat I am a fan of hoods for cold windy days so it needs to be able to fit over a helmet preferably without having to do a lot of adjustments. The zippers should work well and be sturdy. A little soft material at the chin is also a nice touch. I am not a fan of powder skirts but you may like them but a removable one is a nice feature. Bottom hem should have ability to be cinched up.

Edit. Note that the neoshell h20 proofness is closer to 10k.

 

[Jilly]

Keeping Ron and Phil's messages in mind, check TJ Max in the next while. They will have last years Columbia, North Face etc, at good prices.

Along with the above, my one requirement is pockets that zip inside the jacket. And a decent place for lift passes. I don't want to lose my phone or my wallet.

 

[cantunamunch]

Keeping Ron and Phil's messages in mind, check TJ Max in the next while. They will have last years Columbia, North Face etc, at good prices.
.

OP appears to be in the Netherlands, not sure they have TJ Maxx If she's skiing in the Alps she'll probably *not* need a Quebec-cold level jacket. Of course, if she's going to Norway in January...

 

[Ron]

Not sure where she is...

 

[Philpug]

Not sure where she is...

NL:Neitherlands

 

[Ron]

saw that but im never sure what people put down as their location. half the time its some kind of sarcasm or joke

 

[Philpug]

I wlll say that she has one of the best avatars. When I saw it, I immediately assumed she was a bootfitter.

 

[Yo Momma]

Interesting when you click in NL under the avatar it gives Newfie/Labrador

 

[Jilly]

My bad, I couldn't think of a state that was NL, and I didn't think she was from Newfoundland....

 

[Ken_R]

I got an awesome like new OR jacket for less than 50% retail at geartrade.com Worth checking out that site.

 

[Ron]

one of the best "unknown" brands in the US is Rab. Well-known in Euro-land. You can pick up Rab at STP and Campsaver very inexpensively. many of their jackets/pants are eVent and Neoshell. Very well designed, manufactured and very technical. their base and mid layers are fantastic. They make a Alpha One mid too.

 

[Alexzn]

@JoannaSQ. Start checking out Sierra trading post. Sign up for Active Junky which is a free shopping club and save an additional 8-10%. Campsaver and ski essentials has some great deals as well. There are still good deals there. Not sure what you consider cheap

I get it if you are on a tight budget but be careful not to buy something that's not going to keep you warm and dry or not have any wind protection. You pay a ton of money to ski so don't end up miserable or frost bitten.

Look for a minimum of 10k h20 proof and 10k breathability . Gore tex is rated at 20k /20k and neo shell is much higher. Of course materials like gore Tex are good (not very breathable) , neoshell is my Personal favorites and there are other proprietary materials that provide decent performance. Start with a thin base layer That will absorb and transfer moisture to a mid layer that also has these properties. Insulation Warmth is useless if you layers don't absorb and move the sweat away from your skin. The water proof outer protection is known as DWR, durable water repellant, is actually very important and more expensive clothing will have a more durable film but you can buy products like grainger or nikwax that can be applied to less costly clothing to reinforce or revive clothing.

Make sure you have a jacket and pants that meet your needs. You don't need a ton of pockets but at least a couple exterior hand packets and a chest pocket, internally at least one zippered chest pocket. Pit zips are great to quickly dump heat I am a fan of hoods for cold windy days so it needs to be able to fit over a helmet preferably without having to do a lot of adjustments. The zippers should work well and be sturdy. A little soft material at the chin is also a nice touch. I am not a fan of powder skirts but you may like them but a removable one is a nice feature. Bottom hem should have ability to be cinched up.

All good advice. Just one correction: Neoshell is only 10K rated for waterproofness, but that is still enough for it to be waterproof. If you ski in an extremely wet climate, you may still want GoreTex for the ultimate protection. Neoshell is enough for California and makes skiing here markedly more comfortable. STP still has some good deals on Neoshell and Gore jackets.

One word of advice- it is better to buy a high-end jacket used than a new cheap jacket. The fabric, construction, and performance would be vastly inferior, and I would venture to guess that most of people including a lot of the residents here, do not wear out the garments before wanting something new and better.

 

[Philpug]

We ahve gotten this far and have nor mentioned Colorado Freeride Systems? With @TheBestSkier's discount code. You guys are slacking.

 

[Ron]

she said cheap; I asked what that meant but i would guess "cheap" means south of $200.00? But, yes, I am slacking

 

[Monique]

Shipping is going to be a potential barrier for buying at the familiar US sites.

 

[Jilly]

There are sites in Europe and the UK. We need @Cheizz for some help here.

 

[Monique]

@Primoz too, right?

 

[neonorchid]

Eddy Bauer 50% off everything Cyber Monday sale has been Extended !!!

EB First Ascent collection Women's Insulated Neoteric Jacket is a steal at 50% off. Polartec Neoshell / Primaloft Gold, you can't go wrong with that! They have less expensive First Ascent options as well.

Worth looking into, they do ship DHL to NL