All the gear, no idea: Ski Jackets

So it's that time of the week again where I give everyone heading for their fix of the white stuff some tips to help them get the best gear possible. This week I’ll be looking at something that everyone wants to get right & is crucial to you having the best time possible, ski jackets. To start with, what makes this weeks blog hugely different to last week is that with ski jackets it is 100% down to the individual what ski jacket they get, depending on what they are looking for and their individual tastes. There are hundreds of brands that make ski jackets, all with different designs, colours, fits, and features. That is why I’m going to focus on breaking down what is important to look for in a jacket in order for you to get the most out of it. Waterproofing I’m going to start with one of the most fundamental parts of a ski jacket which is the waterproofing, without this you’re essentially wearing your run of the mill coat you can pick up on the high street and you’re going to end up drenched & miserable on the slopes! There are a few different levels when it comes to how waterproof a jacket can be & I’ll quickly break those down: 20,000+ mm: Jackets with this level of waterproofing are at the top end of technical ski jackets and will keep you dry in pretty much all conditions, be it a few runs in the snowdome or knee deep in powder. Most jackets at this level will tend to have a gore-tex swing tag attached to them, as gore-tex is one of the trend setters when it comes to high performance waterproofing. Brands such as The North Face & Salomon also have their own forms of waterproofing such as Dryvent and Advancedskin. The only sticking point with these types of jackets will be the added cost due to how technically focuses they are. 10,000 mm: What I like to think of as the middle ground for waterproofing, the majority of ski jackets you look at will be around this level, and will still ensure you keep dry on the slopes to a good standard. At this level you will also find that these jackets cost a bit less so if you are on a tight budget a jacket with 10,000 mm of waterproofing will do you just fine when you head to Alpe D’Huez. Examples of brands with this level of waterproofing membranes include Burton’s dryride, Eider’s defender membrane and Scott’s dryosphere. You can also get jackets that are 5000 mm but not many brands make jackets with this level of waterproofing anymore as they don’t offer much in terms of keeping you dry. They would be ok for trips to a snowdome but would massively struggle to keep you dry anywhere else. Insulation Along with keeping dry, you’re going to want to keep warm as well, which is why it is vital that you find a jacket that will keep you feeling toasty up in the mountains. Most ski jackets now have insulation systems within the jacket that keep you warm but are also lightweight in order to avoid weighing you down when you shred. Two of the more well known brands that provide this insulation are Primaloft & thinsulate. If you really feel the cold a number of brands do produce down jackets which will provide you with the ultimate warmth but may in turn feel slightly heavier than other jackets. Unless you intend to wear a mid layer for insulation avoid shell jackets as they are solely intended to keep you dry and provide no insulation whatsoever. Go and try some jackets on! The only way to find that jacket that fits perfectly and ticks all the right boxes is to go down to your local store and try on some of the different brands to get an idea of what you feel the most comfortable in. Different brands provide different fits, with some going for a more baggy (steezy) fit, and others going for the tailored (retro ski instructor) fit. Sail and Ski have a wide range of brands in store for you to try on and staff will be there to help you find that jacket that you’ve always dreamed of! You can order a jacket online if walking to town is too much energy after a social, with sail and ski and fellow sponsor freeze pro shop having a wide variety of brands online, and both offer returns should you change your mind once it's in your doorstep. A popular trend emerging over the last few years has been the demand for jackets that can also pass as streetwear, with a number of brands designing jackets that can easily transition between streets and slopes. This has been huge especially for students shredders as it means you avoid having to shell out for two jackets for two different occasions. Examples of this include the Burton Dunmore jacket and the Salomon Icetown jacket. Useful features A number of jackets will provide other features to waterproofing and insulation that can come in handy and make them stand out from the crowd, such as: Water resistant zips- Ideal if you’re like me and like to stash as much as you can in your pockets e.g. wallet, phone, trail map. These zips will protect your jackets from letting in any water into the pocket. Wrist/sleeve pockets- Fantastic little feature when you head to France, as you can store your lift pass in there and avoid flapping when you get to the lift machine and you’re trying to dig out your pass from your salopettes! Goggle pockets- Great if you plan on heading to pares in the afternoon and you want to swap your goggles for your sunnies. Great place to store your goggles and avoid them getting scratched or stolen lying around on a table. Underarm vents- If you’re someone that gets a bit too warm when skiing then getting a jacket with vents is essential! Snowskirt- Pretty much all jackets come with these now, as they make sure you don’t end up with snow up your jacket when you stack it! The most important thing to take from this again is that it all boils down to what kind of jacket you want, the kind of fit you want and what you feel the most comfortable in, and hopefully after reading this finding that perfect ski jacket just got a little bit easier! See you all next week ✌🏻️ Check out sail and ski’s website here: http://www.sailandski.co.uk/index.html Check out Freeze Pro Shop here: https://www.freezeproshop.com