The 4 Ski Jackets We’d Trust Anywhere on Earth in 2026

Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services.  If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Ski apparel is your best friend, and behind this roundup is arguably the most badass ski test and snowboard team on the planet—we’ve tested jackets in resorts and in the backcountry from the Cascades and Rockies to the Alps and Dolomites. We even sent a few kits to the slopes of Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Testers braved frigid to sweltering conditions across continents, from frontside groomers to no-fall zones. We’re happy to report they also found some untracked powder.

We debated long and hard about which jackets to focus on, but if we had to pick the best new ski and snowboard jacket of the year it would have to be the full Patagonia PowSlayer Jacket. No matter what Mother Nature throws at you, the PowSlayer has you covered—and in style. And the other three featured here are also solid choices, with a pick for an inexpensive but great jacket, a jack-of-all-trades options, and a warm puffy down coat for those extra frigid days.

And if you're looking to upgrade the rest of your skiing or snowboarding kit before the white stuff falls, check out the rest of Men's Journal 2025-2026 Ski Awards, where we’ve tested everything from backcountry safety gear to bindings. Check out our picks for best skis, best helmets, best boots, best ski pants and bibs, and more. 

Best 4 Ski and Snowboard Jackets at a Glance

• Best Ski Jacket Overall: Patagonia PowSlayer Shell
• Best Budget Ski Jacket:Columbia Platinum Peak II 3L Shell
• Most Versatile Ski Jacket: KÜHL Defiant
• Best Down Ski Jacket: La Sportiva Lumina 300 Down

Best 4 Ski and Snowboard Jackets of 2025-26

Best Ski Jacket Overall: Patagonia PowSlayer Shell

Tested over 60-plus days everywhere from posh resort laps to self-supported hut trips, the revamped PowSlayer Kit earns its stripes as Patagonia’s most capable freeride tools to date. At its core is a Gore-Tex Pro shell featuring the new PFAS-free ePE membrane—offering elite waterproofing, wind protection, and breathability without the environmental baggage of older laminates.

But this kit isn’t just tech-forward—it’s purpose-built. First launched in 2012, the PowSlayer was arguably Patagonia’s pinnacle freeride shell. Not the lightest, nor the flashiest—but always the one we’d grab when the forecast read “big.” Now, after a brief hiatus and a two-year redesign window, it returns with the most integrated system Patagonia has ever built.

The shell has been re-engineered from the fit and patterning to the pockets and hood. It moves naturally in the skintrack and doesn’t flinch when you drop into tight, consequential lines. Durability is bomber—handling pack abrasion, bootpacks, and repeated storm-day abuse with ease. The hood is a standout: it stretches just enough to pop over your helmet without unzipping, and it actually stays put when you move your head (a small miracle in high winds). The storage is stealthy and smart. Pockets are flat when empty, expandable when you need to stash gloves, skins, or serious snacks.

The full FreeRide Kit includes boot-cut Capilene thermal base layers and the new Nano Air Ultralight Freeride Jacket—a midlayer purpose-built for skiing, with stretch, breathability, and just the right hit of insulation. The new DAS Light Skirt and Shorts provide ultralight, quick-on insulation for transitions or lunch breaks; and the all-new PowSlayer Pack is a streamlined touring pack with dedicated avy-tool storage and minimalist lines that hug close to your body for descents. And yes, you’ll want the entire kit as each piece is drool-worthy in its own right.

Best Budget Ski Jacket: Columbia Platinum Peak II 3L Shell

Tested in the heart of the French Alps, from Val d’Isère and Tignes to Les Deux Alpes and Serre Chevalier, the Columbia Platinum Peak II 3L Shell held its own across storm days, park laps, and high-speed groomers. One of Columbia’s most technical shells to date, it features a three-layer stretch fabric made from 100 percent recycled polyester and Omni-Tech waterproofing, keeping us dry and mobile through long chairlift rides, deep turns, and even a few raging snowball fights.

The fit is roomy and freeride-friendly, with just the right back length for excellent butt coverage for sitting on lifts or tailgates. The helmet-compatible hood is exceptional—maybe the best in this review—and it stays put when the wind picks up. Underarm vents, a powder skirt, and plentiful pockets—including an RFID pass pocket and large chest pockets accessible with a pack—make this shell functional in all conditions. Pro snowboarder Curtis Ciszek helped refine the freeride fit and pocket placement, ensuring quick access to gloves, hats, midlayers, or touring skins, a huge advantage in shifting backcountry conditions.

At this price point, you’d expect compromise, but Columbia delivers a shell that’s breathable, storm-ready, and surprisingly dialed for both resort riders and backcountry users.

Best Versatile Ski Jacket: KÜHL Defiant Shell

Designed in collaboration with ski icon Glen Plake, the KÜHL Defiant Shell Jacket is built for skiers who demand one jacket that performs just as well on stormy resort laps as it does on multi-day backcountry missions. With its proprietary KÜHLFLEX 3L fabric (20K/20K), this fully waterproof, windproof, and breathable shell offers legit storm protection with the stretch and mobility you want for technical terrain. And the bomber PFAS-free DWR coating means you're not trading performance for sustainability.

The freeride fit is roomy enough to layer up in deep winter, while clever design touches—like reinforced cuff guards, a removable powder skirt, and goggle-sized inner pockets—show this shell was built by skiers, for skiers. Large underarm vents, a dual zipper draft flap, and chest vents kept air flowing even during steep skintracks and bootpacks. "I love the front vent that runs alongside the zipper,” says one tester. “It really makes a difference when I need to dump heat.”

“Every feature feels dialed,” said another tester. “From the laser-cut storm flaps to a helmet-compatible hood with sculpted brim, it is a jacket you put on, then focus on skiing, not whether you’re staying warm and dry.” It may not be ultralight, but the Defiant Shell is extremely versatile—ideal for side country touring, all-mountain resort days, and week-long hut trips where durability, breathability, and real-world functionality matter most.

est Down Ski Jacket: La Sportiva Lumina 300 Down

La Sportiva's Lumina 300 Down Jacket is engineered for alpine athletes who demand top-tier warmth without the weight. The Lumina boasts 1,000-fill power pure white down, delivering exceptional thermal efficiency in subzero conditions. It’s a huge bang for your buck and our choice of a backcountry safety net for warmth without the weight penalty.

The jacket features a Pertex Quantum shell with Diamond Fuse technology, which translates to superb abrasion resistance for when you’re getting up close and personal with terrain. Elasticized inner cuffs, an adjustable hood and hem, and two harness-compatible zippered pockets make the design efficient without excess. Testers love the integrated stuff sack—as we’ve all lost the ones that aren’t attached—and the lightweight backcountry repair kit that comes with each jacket. “If you’re counting grams but can’t compromise on warmth, this jacket deserves a spot in your kit,” says one tester.

The Lumina line also includes the lighter 100 Lumina Jacket at 170 grams, designed as an ultra-light insulating layer, and the 200 Lumina Jacket at 250 grams, offering a middle ground of warmth and weight. Both share the same premium 1,000-fill down and technical fabric treatments, giving athletes options tailored to varied alpine needs.

Why You Should Trust Us

Our team of nine testers knows how to do our homework out in the field. Collectively, we’ll rack up more than 1,000 on-snow days in a given season just testing out ski gear to see if it lives up to its promise. Most of us have been running ski apparel through the ringer in every type of alpine terrain and weather condition imaginable for over 20 ski seasons.

We’ve run glades, bowls, couloirs, steeps, and remote backcountry in this gear—and we’ve taken copious notes. We’ve skied the slopes of New England and Eastern Canadian hardpack, Whistler powder, Pacific Northwest cement, and everything in between, including months in the French, Italian, and Swiss Alps. We offer a combined ski history of more than 100 years of high-level race and big-mountain experience racked up from Japan to North America to the Alps—and we know exactly what we want and need from the gear we’re relying upon. We also love being dazzled and inspired by the latest, greatest ski gear innovations, which never stop.

We’ve rigorously tested and compared thousands of items, harnessing not only ambition, but wisdom and experience, with testers from their early 20s to seasoned vets. We also tested a lot of this stuff with less experienced skiers to assess their own valuable takes. It’s never easy putting so much great ski gear and apparel through its paces before whittling it all down to our favorite performers—but it’s always a ton of fun.