Greatest Ski Attire Manufacturers of 2024-2025

It’s no secret that snowboarding is an costly and gear-intensive sport. And whether or not you’re doing laps at your native resort or skinning deep into the backcountry, you’ll want a top quality jacket and pant combo to maintain you comfy. From budget-oriented firms like Columbia to high-end, touring- and ski mountaineering-focused manufacturers like Arc’teryx and Norrøna, the picks on our checklist symbolize essentially the most well-known and revered gamers on this planet of ski attire. Under we break down every model individually, together with a quick historical past and background, every firm’s hottest fashions, and what units them other than the competitors. For extra info and our high picks in every class, see our ski gear critiques.

Editor’s word: We up to date this text on October 30, 2024 to include newer photographs from testing and guarantee all info was present on the time of publishing, which concerned tweaking a number of product references to replicate the most recent choices.
 

Desk of Contents

Location: Ventura, California
Well-liked merchandise: Powder City, Storm Shift, SnowDrifter
What we like: Wide selection of high quality resort and backcountry choices; robust concentrate on sustainability and social accountability.
What we don’t: Typically much less refined suits than Arc’teryx and Norrøna, and also you pay a premium for the model.

Patagonia is among the most revered and well-loved firms amongst avid outdoor-goers, and for good motive. Based in 1973 by rock climber and now-environmentalist Yvon Chouinard, the corporate not solely creates a few of the highest-quality outerwear in the marketplace but additionally focuses a variety of their time and money on environmental and social stewardship. With initiatives like their Worn Put on used gear program, traceable down and recycled materials, and dedication to donating 1% of gross sales to environmental non-profit teams, Patagonia is head and shoulders above a lot of the competitors relating to advocacy and sustainability. In actual fact, in 2022, Chouinard transferred his possession of the corporate (valued at round $3 billion) to a nonprofit and belief aimed toward combating local weather change and defending undeveloped land.
 

Patagonia has made substantial modifications to their ski lineup over the previous few winters, and their present assortment covers the complete gamut for each resort and backcountry riders. Beginning with the previous, the Powder City—supplied in shell, insulated, and 3-in-1 variations—is their core inbounds piece, whereas the Storm Shift turns up the efficiency dial with a 2-layer Gore-Tex construct (the Powder City makes use of Patagonia’s in-house membrane). The remainder of their ski jackets are tuned for backcountry use, starting from the minimalist and breathable Upstride ($349) to the extra impervious-feeling Untracked ($699). You do pay a premium for the model identify, however the excellent news is that Patagonia has restore providers at choose places, in addition to a mail-in possibility, which makes it straightforward to increase your gear’s lifespan and lower down on waste within the course of.

Location: North Vancouver, Canada
Well-liked merchandise: Sabre, Macai, Rush, Alpha SV
What we like: Prime-notch high quality, efficiency, match, and styling.
What we don’t: Extremely dear with no budget-oriented choices.

Based within the late Nineteen Eighties as a climbing firm, British Columbia-based Arc’teryx is among the most venerable manufacturers within the ski trade immediately. In some ways, they’re the gold normal amongst backcountry fanatics, with a variety of high-end and technical shells that excel in harsh situations and mountain environments (this comes as little shock given the corporate’s proximity to the rugged and demanding Coast Mountains). One in every of our long-time favorites and the model’s flagship jacket is the Alpha SV shell (quick for “extreme climate”), a bombproof and premium design supposed for critical alpine expeditions and multi-day ski excursions. Like most Arc’teryx builds, the jacket has a high-end match and end, seals out climate exceptionally effectively (they use Gore-Tex for all of their waterproof clothes), and appears nice besides.
 

Arc’teryx’s shells are undeniably high-quality and engaging with unbelievable suits and helpful options, however they’re additionally a few of the costliest in the marketplace. For instance, the aforementioned Alpha SV is available in at a staggering $900. The corporate additionally presents extra resort-friendly designs together with the Sabre Jacket (now bought in insulated and “SV” variations, too) and Macai, though these will set you again a steep $750 and $1,100, respectively. Ultimately, most skiers simply beginning out is likely to be higher off saving with extra budget-friendly choices from manufacturers like Columbia or The North Face under, however there’s a motive that Arc’teryx’s ski attire persistently ranks on the high of our ski jacket and ski pant round-ups. For dedicated resort-goers and avid backcountry fanatics and ski mountaineers, it simply doesn’t get any higher.

Location: Oslo, Norway
Well-liked merchandise: Alpha, Legendary, Sogn
What we like: Their resort designs excel in consolation and all-around efficiency.
What we don’t: Not a standout within the freeride or touring markets, though they’re making progress.

Relationship all the best way again to the late 1800s, Norway-based Helly Hansen (HH) was initially created to offer waterproof clothes to employees at sea. And though rainwear remains to be a serious a part of their lineup, the model has been a well-liked sight on the slopes for years. In actual fact, most of the liftees, ski patrol, and mountain guides we see sport custom-made HH gear. The corporate was additionally the baselayer supplier of the U.S. Alpine Ski Crew on the 2012 Sochi Olympics and now outfits Canada’s alpine and para-alpine ski groups, which says loads concerning the efficiency slant of their items.
 

We’ve had Helly Hansen’s Alpha (now in its fourth iteration) ranked close to the highest of our ski jacket round-up for years for its mixture of heat, freedom of motion, and clear styling—all at a worth level that considerably undercuts most Arc’teryx choices. Briefly, you’d be hard-pressed to search out higher on-piste efficiency for much less cash (the Alpha 4.0 prices $475, whereas Arc’teryx’s insulated Macai is over double that at $1,100). Helly Hansen additionally dips into the touring and freeride markets, though most of their standout merchandise are resort-oriented. However it’s value noting that HH has held as much as trendy occasions higher than the Spyders and Obermeyers of the world, which simply goes to indicate that their Norwegian experience and total worth are laborious to match.

Location: Lysaker, Norway
Well-liked merchandise: Lofoten, Trollveggen, Tamok
What we like: A real Arc’teryx competitor in high quality and a spotlight to element.
What we don’t: Overkill in each worth and efficiency for informal resort-goers and areas with restricted snowfall.

One other Norwegian model value having in your radar is Norrøna. Whereas not a family identify like Arc’teryx or Patagonia, this backcountry specialist is on the rise within the U.S., and we predict the latest reputation is effectively deserved. Total, we’ve discovered their merchandise to be very aggressive with the likes of Arc’teryx for big-mountain and alpine makes use of, with premium Gore-Tex builds, practical function units, and exactly executed designs. Their flagship ski providing is the Lofoten, which is obtainable in a number of types and stacks up properly with Arc’teryx’s standard Sabre Jacket. All through testing, we discovered it to be impressively weather-worthy, exceptionally hardwearing, and properly appointed for critical big-mountain using.
 

Norrøna is a high-end model that makes a speciality of strong, mountain-ready items for harsh alpine situations. With that in thoughts, informal resort-goers and people who don’t want the utmost in safety and sturdiness can save significantly with much less performance-focused designs from manufacturers like Patagonia or Helly Hansen. A few of their choices—together with the Lofoten talked about above—additionally lack practical options like hand pockets, which is one other nod to their alpine roots. That stated, Norrøna’s ski lineup has grown significantly since we began protecting the model a number of years in the past, and so they now supply 4 core types—the Lofoten, Lyngen, Tamok, and Møre—in a number of variations, plus loads of pants and bibs to select from. In case you can justify the premium efficiency and costs, Norrøna gear gained’t disappoint. 

Location: Seattle, Washington
Well-liked merchandise: SkyTour, Hemispheres II, Carbide
What we like: Persistently a few of the finest bang on your buck amongst efficiency designs.
What we don’t: Lacks the match and end of Arc’teryx and Patagonia.

Outside Analysis (OR) may not have the identical nationwide reputation as manufacturers like Patagonia or Columbia, however this Seattle-based firm has a loyal following amongst adventurers within the Pacific Northwest. We’ve examined a variety of their ski-specific attire, together with the backcountry-ready Hemispheres package (since up to date to the Hemispheres II), resort-focused Tungsten package (now the Tungsten II), and versatile Skytour assortment. We particularly like their AscentShell membrane, an in-house waterproofing expertise that outperforms a lot of the competitors with a stretchy, breathable, and extremely protecting design. It’s not as bombproof as premium Gore-Tex, however it’s considerably cheaper and presents comparable all-around efficiency.
 

OR has a status for being value-driven, and their ski attire usually undercuts the premium competitors by $100 or extra. That stated, construct high quality is a step down from the painstaking consideration to element you get from Arc’teryx, Norrøna, or Patagonia, and we’ve had a number of match and end points all through testing. However for those who’re trying to stage up from Columbia with out reaching into the higher stratosphere price-wise, OR is a superb center floor. And as a bonus, the entire firm’s gear is backed by their “Infinite Assure,” which offers some added assurance do you have to encounter a defect.

Location: Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah
Well-liked merchandise: Recon Stretch, Daybreak Patrol
What we like: Technical attire at approachable costs.
What we don’t: Sturdiness and high quality management not one of the best. 

Black Diamond is a climbing firm at coronary heart and a relative newcomer to the world of ski attire, however we like what they’ve give you thus far. Their main design this season is the Recon Stretch Shell, which mixes BD’s proprietary waterproofing with four-way stretch for glorious consolation and mobility each out and in of bounds. One other crowd favourite is the Daybreak Patrol, a non-waterproof softshell with a backcountry-ready function set and standout breathability for working up a sweat on the pores and skin observe. All in all, we have discovered BD’s designs to be a handsome bunch with clear styling and fashionable coloration decisions, and so they usually undercut the competitors by a superb quantity.
 

It’s value noting that Black Diamond discontinued their Mission Ski Shell a pair seasons again, which featured a confirmed Gore-Tex design and stacked up very competitively to premium alternate options like Arc’teryx’s Sabre/Sentinel (for lots much less). With the Mission gone, their waterproof ski shell choices are restricted to the Issue (which is new for 2024) and Recon Stretch. To be truthful, each collections embody normal in addition to insulated fashions, and the Recon can be out there in an LT (“light-weight”) variation in addition to a top-end Professional model. And for individuals who prefer to match their package, BD presents the Recon in pant/bib variations, together with an insulated pant for resort riders. Time will inform if BD can catch up and turn into a big-time participant within the ski outerwear market, however they’ve identify recognition and a knack for making high quality merchandise on their facet.

Location: Denver, Colorado
Well-liked merchandise: Baker, Malone, Quantum Professional
What we like: Stylish colorways, high quality builds, and so they do not take themselves too severely.
What we don’t: Match could be a bit lengthy and saggy, and never everybody loves the city styling.

Like many out of doors firms, Flylow Gear obtained its begin when its founders—two Colorado natives and avid telemark skiers—couldn’t discover gear that labored for them. On this case, they wanted backcountry ski pants that weren’t overly technical for mountaineering but additionally had been a step up in high quality and breathability from typical resort choices. Since their first product debuted in 2005, Flylow has established itself as a aggressive model with an in depth lineup of backcountry- and sidecountry-ready attire that stands out with its vibrant colorways, two-tone designs, and high quality constructions.
 

One in every of our favourite merchandise from Flylow is their best-selling Baker Bib (top-rated in our ski bib article), which has a powerful observe document of wonderful efficiency in deep situations. When it comes to jackets, their Quantum Professional has been a longtime favourite, and the Malone/Lucy assortment impressed us with stable weatherproofing from their in-house 3-layer builds. The model can be fairly loyal to its fun-loving freeride roots—their product movies usually embody a humorous nugget or two—and their designs share an identical ethos. Some may not just like the baggier seems or longer cuts that lean towards the park and snowboard finish of the spectrum (all three of the aforementioned fashions included), however the high-end tech and concrete styling nonetheless are interesting to many dedicated and performance-focused riders.

Location: Kent, Washington
Well-liked merchandise: Powderbound, First Chair
What we like: Good bang on your buck and engaging member advantages.
What we don’t: Restricted choice and never a efficiency chief.

Main out of doors co-op REI jumped into the ski outerwear market a number of winters again with a small assortment of resort-focused items, and we’ve been pleasantly stunned by the general worth. Their Powderbound Insulated Jacket, for example, prices simply $229 however features a waterproof construct, cozy 80-gram artificial insulation across the core and 60-gram within the sleeves, nice group, and practical options like a powder skirt and pit zips. The First Chair GTX is a step up price-wise at $319 however boasts extra premium Gore-Tex waterproofing (not generally discovered at this worth level), a clean inside, and a number of sustainability measures highlighted by recycled, bluesign-approved supplies and certification to the Truthful Commerce normal. Each lineups additionally embody matching pants/bibs that share the identical fundamental design and inexpensive pricing.
 

Along with worth, one other massive motive to buy at REI is their well-established member program, which incorporates advantages like a yearly dividend (you get 10% again on all full-priced gadgets), entry to Storage Gross sales, and reductions on gear leases and store providers. We additionally admire the model’s ever-growing concentrate on sustainability, group initiatives, and conservation efforts. You don’t get the identical painstaking consideration to element or top-notch finishes as you do from manufacturers like Arc’teryx or Patagonia—for instance, the Powderbound is just critically seam-sealed, and the First Chair’s 2-layer construct sacrifices some breathability. However REI’s latest foray into ski attire has been a really promising one, and we’re desirous to see what they give you subsequent.

Location: Alameda, California
Well-liked merchandise: ThermoBall Snow Triclimate, Freedom
What we like: Huge assortment of winter-ready gear and equipment.
What we don’t: Cheaper-feeling designs than most of the manufacturers above.

Based within the mid-Sixties as a mountaineering retail store in San Francisco, The North Face has turn into virtually synonymous with informal winter attire (the ever-present Denali fleece has been a mainstay of their lineup for years and a well-liked sight in any main metropolis). It wasn’t till the Nineteen Eighties that they shifted their focus to ski attire, however their present assortment is nothing to scoff at. They do particularly effectively within the resort class for jackets: Their 3-in-1 ThermoBall Snow Triclimate, for instance, is properly fitted, has premium options like pit zips for dumping warmth rapidly, and consists of their down-mimicking ThermoBall Eco artificial jacket, which we’ve discovered does a pleasant job mixing heat and climate safety. The Freedom Pant is one other favourite, with a terrific mixture of insulation and sturdiness for normal inbounds use.
 

Contemplating their top-notch athlete staff and sources, it is stunning that The North Face has targeted a lot of their efforts on the funds, on-piste ski market. That stated, they just lately made a push on the premium and backcountry ends of the spectrum with their Summit Sequence assortment, which includes a number of high-end shells—together with the $700 Verbier GTX Jacket and $590 Torre Egger Jacket—in addition to a number of touring-focused midlayers and high-fill-power (learn: gentle and compressible) down items. Time will inform how the brand new items fare over time, however we’re joyful to see the corporate has been making notable inroads in each high quality and sustainability (together with the usage of recycled supplies) of late.

Location: Portland, Oregon
Well-liked merchandise: Cosmic, Jefferson, Capow
What we like: Glorious sturdiness and safety with stylish freeride styling.
What we don’t: Heavier and bulkier than many opponents.

For these unfamiliar, Trew Gear is an Oregon-based model that excels within the mid-range and high-end of the resort and backcountry markets. Their designs are tremendous effectively constructed and sturdy, have clear and trendy styling, and supply safety on par with pricier Gore-Tex designs. One in every of our favorites from Trew this season is their Cosmic Jacket Primo (and ladies’s Stella Jacket Primo), which targets the crossover resort and backcountry area with a hardwearing 3-layer building, ample storage for full days on the slopes, and built-in stretch to maximise consolation and vary of motion. For many who stick primarily to the resort, their cheaper Jefferson and ladies’s Astoria supply a equally aggressive mixture of sturdiness and safety in a 2-layer building.
 

One other Trew Gear hallmark is their freeride styling—lots of their items (together with each the Cosmic and Jefferson) are bought in multi-toned colorways that add a pleasant dose of aptitude and boast relaxed suits. One trade-off we have noticed is that Trew Gear’s designs are usually on the heavier and bulkier finish of the spectrum. Their crossover resort/backcountry Cosmic Jacket Primo, for example, checks in at 1 pound 14.1 ounces, which is significantly heavier than extra streamlined alternate options just like the Outside Analysis Skytour (1 lb. 5 oz.) talked about above. However for those who just like the styling and don’t thoughts a bit of further heft on the slopes, Trew Gear is a model on the rise and a real standout relating to sturdiness, construct high quality, and safety for the value.

Location: Portland, Oregon
Well-liked merchandise: Bugaboo, Whirlibird, Final Tracks
What we like: Intensive lineup of affordably priced however well-executed resort gear.
What we don’t: A noticeable step down in high quality from the manufacturers above.

Columbia began within the late Nineteen Thirties as a hat producer however rapidly advanced into the ever-present sportswear model that we all know immediately. From mountaineering pants to winter equipment and “athleisure,” they’ve a longstanding status for creating succesful merchandise that usually undercut the competitors in worth. Their concentrate on worth holds true inside their ski attire assortment, which is highlighted by the Bugaboo line. The Bugaboo III Interchange Jacket is a 3-in-1 piece that prices solely $210 however presents sufficient heat and climate safety to maintain most informal resort-goers joyful. Newbies and leisure skiers can get outfitted for beneath $350 by combining it with the insulated Bugaboo IV pants (and it is pretty widespread to search out each gadgets on sale).
 

To make sure, Columbia’s choices are far much less premium than these from manufacturers like Patagonia, Arc’teryx, and Helly Hansen. With the Bugaboo, for example, you get a fundamental shell and lining that aren’t very breathable, really feel cumbersome, and are extra susceptible to wetting out than the Gore-Tex-equipped fashions from Arc’teryx and Norrøna (even Patagonia’s proprietary H2No membrane is way superior at sealing out moisture). However not everybody wants technical options, standout mobility, or top-of-the-line waterproofing, and it’s actually laborious to beat Columbia’s mixture of worth and efficiency. In sum, there’s a motive you see so many Columbia jackets on the slopes, particularly in locations just like the Northeast the place ski seasons are shorter and backcountry snowboarding isn’t as outstanding.

Location: Aspen, Colorado
Well-liked merchandise: Capitol, Pyramid, Nomad
What we like: Distinctive styling, high-quality supplies, and native roots.
What we don’t: Lineup isn’t as intensive as these of bigger manufacturers.

Positioned on the base of Aspen Highlands Resort in Colorado—recognized for its notorious and expert-rated Highland Bowl—Strafe Outerwear is a technical attire specialist with robust backcountry roots. Their Pyramid shell and Capitol Pant have been a few of our favourite designs for off-piste use and properly steadiness breathability and mobility—all whereas packing in additional consolation than related Gore-Tex-equipped choices just like the Arc’teryx Sabre and Norrøna Lofoten kits. To make sure, Strafe’s proprietary waterproofing is much less weather-worthy than Gore-Tex and even falls wanting OR’s AscentShell membrane, however for these residing in locations with dry powder (together with states like Colorado and Utah), the trade-off in consolation is value it.
 

Strafe is comparatively new to the scene (their first merchandise had been launched in 2010), which suggests you don’t get the confirmed observe document of manufacturers like Arc’teryx and Patagonia which were round and innovating for many years. This additionally interprets to a much less intensive lineup, together with simply 4 jackets and 4 pant/bib designs for males on the time of publishing (their ladies’s choices are much more restricted). However for those who want a snug backcountry setup or regularly discover the sidecountry and alpine bowls at your native resort, Strafe is an efficient model to have in your quick checklist.

The place to Purchase Ski Attire

We love supporting our native gear outlets, however within the case of ski attire, shopping for on-line usually brings comfort and a wider collection of producers, colours, and sizes. Net-based Evo (the corporate additionally has 5 shops scattered throughout the West, plus one in Canada) is one among our go-to retailers—particularly for winter—with useful on-line workers, a big array of ski attire and equipment, and free delivery. Backcountry additionally excels within the outerwear market, with a few of the finest number of manufacturers and out there colours/sizes (in addition to free delivery on most gadgets). As well as, we have seen REI Co-op make a powerful push in ski attire lately. Plus, you get the comfort of their nationwide shops and well-documented return coverage and member advantages (10% again for full-priced gadgets). Lastly, a lot of the businesses above have trendy web sites that assist you to entry their full collections, together with Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Outside Analysis, The North Face, and extra.
Again to Our Prime Ski Attire Manufacturers  See Our Ski Gear Evaluations