inbounds hardshell recommendations

[SupreChicken]

6'4" and 205 lbs and own Arcteryx, TREW and Patagonia and my absolute favorite coat to date is the Patty Untracked coat (and pants)... Every year I finish my ski season at Bach and my Untracked has handled it all with absolute flying colors... And to boot they have without a doubt one of the best warranties and customer service...

Sent from my SM-G955U using TGR Forums mobile app

+1. Swear by the patagonia untracked jacket. Not the slimmest cut. I’d call it a modest freeride fit. No wrist gaitors. But the best warranty there is. Paired with untracked pants most days. Upgrade to an OG trew bib on balls deep days. I have one jacket entering season 4, easily 100 days on it, and I’ve washed/tc directed annually. Still beads. Brushed lining is much nicer to wear than gore pro. Gore pro may be slightly more weather proof, but I couldn’t tell the difference in performance. Sold my powslayer (gore pro) because I prefer this one. Ski in the PNW and do a few days a year in rain.

Edit to add: 6’0” 165#, happy with a large. But I like a freeride fit.

[californiagrown]

Im 6'4" 200lbs and wear a 2 year old model Dakine Smyth jacket in an XL. It is 2L Goretex shell, with wrist gaitors. I prefer a jacket with more coverage than most, especially because of my lankiness, but also because looking like im pro is far more important than skiing like i am.

the jacket fits pretty slim, but is long enough to touch just below my ass cheeks in the back, and i can raise my arms over my head without the sleeves revealing the cuff of my gloves. It doesnt look baggy at all, nor over the top big because of the slimness, but it has a ton of coverage. Once the DWR wears off after a normal period of use, the material will wet out, but none has ever gone through the jacket and it recieves NikiWax DWR very well. Ive put one 50 day Washington ski season on it with many of those days in less than optimal conditions, and many of those days wearing a backpack as well and it is still in super good shape.

I bought it for <$100 of SAC, and i know that evo was selling last years model for cheap a while back too. I highly reccomend taking a look at Dakines stuff if you arent overly into super tech, lightweight, mountaineering type of outwerwear.

for example: https://www.evo.com/outlet/shell-jac...blue-black.jpg

[ThreeRidges]

6’3” flylow quantum large. Not the slimmest fit but bomber waterproof excellence. Plus, mag friendly company. Chemical pants rock too


Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums

[gregorys]

A couple of years ago, I got a new hardshell from North Face.

Yeah, buying NF feels, to me at least, practically like buying something from the Kardasian's. But it was, IIRC, sub $275 for their, I think, freethinker jacket. At the time, it was less than half what I could find it elsewhere... [In the "we'll find you from outer-space" orange and red.]

It's the new Gore Pro, and I'm very happy with the membrane. [Though to be fair, I didn't have a lot of problem with the old regular gore 3 layer stuff - so while it's probably an improvement, I'm not sure I would notice.]

@AaronWright has a point about keeping out the wet in prolonged super-wet conditions. But unless you're a total hard-ass who, unlike me, will stay out in those conditions - a regular technical shell might be just fine. And I know I'd enjoy the day a lot more in a regular shell, rather than that thing. [But to be fair, it's gonna keep you dry, probably even if you fell in the ocean.]

The point of this tale is coming, and it is: Be careful of the details.

It's not the end of the world, but I came from a technical shell that was in the same class, and all my prior shells all had two way main zips. I didn't even think to consider that it wouldn't have two-way zips. But it didn't. The top end technical hard-shell from NF didn't come with two way zippers?

I ask myself what conceivable reason you might have for doing that, and can't come up with any. [It's probably because, buying NorthFace these days is like buying from the Kardashians - it's all gliz and glam, and thinking of value and making reasonable sense went out the window a long time ago, when boat payments needed to be made.]

Anyway - I'll live with this one. If it wasn't such a great deal at the time, and I hadn't needed a new shell, I'd have sent it back. But given your fit issues and how easy it is to miss details - I'd +1000 the advice to go actually try on a bunch of shells to see how they function in real life. [Or be like me and snag a cheap deal and live with imperfections. ]

[OldMil]

Really? Where?

I think I scored that one on Amazon. Their stuff is often on STP as well.

[gregL]

33* at the bottom of padded seats is the tipping point.

At 32 degrees flowing is still rocking the faux-Gorilla fur . . .

[::: :::]

The Alpental Indigenous seem to ski a lot in Helly-Hansen fisherman's gear. There's probably a reason for that.

Hey I'm sure there are others here that have worked on commercial fishing boats in AK and they're not wearing anything techy to stay warm and dry all day when it's 32-35F and raining and snowing. The conditions are pretty similar to a warm winter storm here in the Cascades. Save the Gore and Neoshell for when it's below freezing and snowing.

Don’t you people sweat?!?

[JayPowHound]

Very happy with my Flylow Quantum as a true hard shell.

[::: :::]

A couple of years ago, I got a new hardshell from North Face.

Yeah, buying NF feels, to me at least, practically like buying something from the Kardasian's. But it was, IIRC, sub $275 for their, I think, freethinker jacket. At the time, it was less than half what I could find it elsewhere... [In the "we'll find you from outer-space" orange and red.]

It's the new Gore Pro, and I'm very happy with the membrane. [Though to be fair, I didn't have a lot of problem with the old regular gore 3 layer stuff - so while it's probably an improvement, I'm not sure I would notice.]

@AaronWright has a point about keeping out the wet in prolonged super-wet conditions. But unless you're a total hard-ass who, unlike me, will stay out in those conditions - a regular technical shell might be just fine. And I know I'd enjoy the day a lot more in a regular shell, rather than that thing. [But to be fair, it's gonna keep you dry, probably even if you fell in the ocean.]

The point of this tale is coming, and it is: Be careful of the details.

It's not the end of the world, but I came from a technical shell that was in the same class, and all my prior shells all had two way main zips. I didn't even think to consider that it wouldn't have two-way zips. But it didn't. The top end technical hard-shell from NF didn't come with two way zippers?

I ask myself what conceivable reason you might have for doing that, and can't come up with any. [It's probably because, buying NorthFace these days is like buying from the Kardashians - it's all gliz and glam, and thinking of value and making reasonable sense went out the window a long time ago, when boat payments needed to be made.]

Anyway - I'll live with this one. If it wasn't such a great deal at the time, and I hadn't needed a new shell, I'd have sent it back. But given your fit issues and how easy it is to miss details - I'd +1000 the advice to go actually try on a bunch of shells to see how they function in real life. [Or be like me and snag a cheap deal and live with imperfections. ]

I’ve only owned gore pro jackets and never had a two way zip in the front ...on pit zips sometimes, but not the main one

Sounds glitzy

[edit] bag that, I did have a gore xcr TNF summit series with a two way zipper, it was not glitzy

[TAFKALVS]

Don’t you people sweat?!?

I actually don't sweat very much. Even in hot weather or when doing cardio.

[Abad]

I spent the last 3 winters in cold places, and I have been really happy riding lifts wearing my Mammut Bormio jacket. Now I'm back in the PNW where skiing in the rain is a real possibility and it's rarely below the twenties. This thing is too warm and not waterproof enough.

I need a new shell for inbounds days. In the past around here I've worn on most days a t-shirt, Patagonia R1 fleece, and a hard shell.

I think I am looking for:

1. Gore-Tex hard shell (I'd consider another membrane but keeping the wet out is top priority, and I imagine something really breathable would be too cold)
2. Slim fit, I'm 6'2" 165 lbs and I want this jacket to have long enough arms that I can wear under-cuff gloves, in the Bormio this means a size L, I have an Arcteryx size M shell that has arms which are not really long enough
3. Wrist gaiters
4. Little or no insulation
5. Decent ventilation I can open up while hiking
6. Some kind of bright color, if it's not too much to ask, it seems like color trends are getting more boring lately

What am I looking for?

Get a Burton AK, cyclic or the 3L, unless you're a skier, then you would look way too cool.
We have the exact same size and I wear M.

[Aus George]

Armadas 3L offerings. I'm really impressed with their gear, love my jackets. Good colours too!

[54-46]

Patsgonia 3L works for me. Size M, 6'1", 175#s. Have a Primo and it's been bomber

[californiagrown]

Armadas 3L offerings. I'm really impressed with their gear, love my jackets. Good colours too!

Yup. Basically, it sounds like OP is looking for one of the technical offerings from a "newschooler" brand. Saga, Armada, Dakine, etc. They have the fit tall folks want, and are just as technical with materials as all but the highest level patagucci, OR, Arc'teryx stuff. the difference is that they are usually heavier facing material, and because they are cut longer, they have even more material weight.

[OregonDead]

If it's really pouring rain I'll pull out the rubber and duct tape jacket. I just had to save it from the goodwill pile so we'll see it might be a different rubber or parka if I go out in those conditions again. Can't really ski too far before having to wipe off the goggles so stopping often and not sweating too much. Conditions I'm talking about are not the conditions you would start a ski tour in. Rubber jacket is for the I'm going to take a few laps in the rain or be damned conditions.

Don’t you people sweat?!?

[gramboh]

I switched to Arcteryx Gore Pro this season and from a handful of wet Whistler days, I am very impressed. Good breathability (better than the last eVent I had) and very waterproof. Pants and jacket were dry by the time I walked back to the car after downloading on a 0C snaining sideways day the other week. Last setup was Mountain Hardwear DryQ Elite (eVent) and it was OK for maybe a season and then went to crap.

Friends have also had very good experiences with Arcteryx warranty so once this stuff starts to fail I will be getting it replaced.

[gregorys]

I’ve only owned gore pro jackets and never had a two way zip in the front ..

[edit] bag that, I did have a gore xcr TNF summit series with a two way zipper, it was not glitzy

Yeah, in 30+ years, I've never had one from any vendor *without* double zips. It's not the end of the world, but I'm very used to unzipping from the bottom, sometimes even for heat control. And the longer "freeride" cut of the new TNF jacket makes the lack of double-zips even more annoying. When the shell is short-ish, you can hike it up if you have to - to pee, or dig in your pockets etc. The longer cut makes that a lot less viable. [I'm turning into a grumpy/grouchy/peevish old man, I guess.]

[Nwsno]

2. Slim fit, I'm 6'2" 165 lbs and I want this jacket to have long enough arms that I can wear under-cuff gloves, in the Bormio this means a size L, I have an Arcteryx size M shell that has arms which are not really long enough



What am I looking for?

You may want to check out some of the Arcteryx jackets made for ice climbing and mountaineering. I feel like the sleeves are a little longer than the ski lines due to being cut for over head motions. Their warranty is pretty stellar.


Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums