Whether you’re a regular ski bunny or a newbie going on your first-ever ski trip, the one piece of ski gear you can’t do without is a good ski jacket.
But choosing the best one is not easy. What material to buy? How much money to spend? Which is the warmest?
The market is flooded with myriad choices for women traveling on ski trips. Selecting the right ski jacket can feel confusing and overwhelming and because they’re such an investment, you want to make sure you’re getting the right one.
Well, as your trusted travel advisor, I’ve done all the hard work for you. I’ve waded through the choices and selected the best women’s ski jackets out there. In this article I bring you the lowdown on everything from style and fit to features and price. But first, let’s take a look at the why, when, and how.
Women's Ski Jacket FAQs
Because I have so much experience skiing, I get asked a lot of questions about gear, equipment, and outfits. Most women want a ski jacket that look cute on the slopes, keeps them warm, and (ideally) doesn’t break the bank. But along with that, I get a lot of other questions about ski jackets.
Below, I tried to answer most of the common questions I get about women’s skiing jackets and outerwear.
Is a ski jacket necessary?
Ski vacations don’t come cheap even if you’ve managed to find one of those last minute ski deals. You probably don’t want to spend a huge amount of money on ski equipment and snow clothes. But you do want to stay comfortable and look stylish on the slopes. Truth is a ski jacket is one of the travel essentials for women as it’s the outermost layer of clothing you’ll wear. You can layer whatever you want underneath to stay warm, but a good waterproof (or at least water repellent) ski jacket will keep you dry. And a well-insulated ski jacket will keep you toasty warm even in biting cold weather. The last thing you want is to ruin your ski vacation because you’re cold and soaking wet. Of course, your ski jacket is the layer that’s visible to everyone, so it’s also your style statement on the slopes
How to buy a ski jacket?
You don’t want to compromise on style, but there are two main functional features to look for in the best women’s ski jackets – warmth and weather resistance – wherever you might travel around the world. If you’re headed to super-cold conditions, a protective insulated jacket is the best option. For warmer weather, such as skiing in April, a lightweight, breathable, waterproof, and windproof ski jacket will serve you better.
Why buy waterproof women’s ski jackets?
When it comes to the best women’s ski jackets, the holy grail in features is a jacket that keeps the snow out and allows the heat your body generates to keep you warm when you’re skiing or snowboarding. That’s why every social media influencer swears by waterproof ski clothes.
I recommend buying a ski jacket that is waterproof and breathable, at least to some degree. The waterproofing effectiveness varies, and the price often correlates to the jacket’s performance, but we’ll look at that in more detail in the individual reviews below.
What should I look for when buying a ski jacket?
One of the key factors that determines your comfort during adventure travel is your gear. Check the style of the ski jacket – is it a single piece or modular design. Single piece women’s ski jackets have a lightweight lining, insulation, and outer shell all quilted together, so they tend to be bulkier. Modular ski jackets have a removable inner insulating layer, so there’s greater versatility in terms of temperature regulation and wearing options.
You should also check the fit of the jacket, since skiing will require considerable maneuverability. You don’t want a jacket that’s so bulky that it keeps you from moving freely or a collar that is going to rub your face raw. Also check if the hood is ski helmet compatible and if the cuffs will fit the gloves you use.
There are lots of other features to look out for, such as taped seams, zipper quality, hood design, powder skirts, pockets, and cuffs, but more on that later in the detailed reviews of the best women’s ski jackets below.
When is the best time to buy a ski jacket?
If you’re a regular skier, waiting for the end of season sales is a good idea when your chances of grabbing a good deal are the highest. However, if you have an upcoming ski vacation and you need the jacket and ski pants right away, check out the clearance sections on websites and in stores. This is an insider tip from a YouTube influencer. Sometimes you can get some of the best women’s ski jackets at a fraction of their original price only because they are “last season.”
What about color matching in ski jackets?
Even though I’m a travel influencer, I don’t stress too much about colors when it comes to fashion while snow skiing. Your ski wear should be fun and you should buy whatever looks trendy. But remember, something that looks good while you whiz past people on the slopes may look a little over-the-top if you wear it during aprés ski activities or while running winter errands.
Recommended Women's Ski Jackets for 2021
Now that you know some of the things to look for, here are my top picks of the 21 best women’s ski jackets on Amazon. The list includes top brands as well as less expensive ski jackets if you need budget ski gear. These best women’s ski jackets 2020 range in price from about $80 to $750, so there’s something for everyone.
1. Wantdo Women’s Mountain Waterproof Ski Jacket Windproof Rain Jacket
Let’s kick off the review with a women’s ski jacket that offers the most value. At under $100, you get water resistance, wind resistance, and a fuzzy lining to keep you warm. There are enough pockets for the jacket to be functional. There’s a large removable hood and a powder skirt to keep the snow out of your clothes. I think this is the perfect option for the first time traveler and skier who doesn’t know if they’ll be going back. All you have to do is find one of those January ski deals, pick up this Wantdo jacket, and you’re all set for a great time on the slopes.
2. NILS Womens Ester Jacket
I love this brand! I wear generic black pants from NILS Ski for the simple reason that I’m 5 feet 11 and the nils ski pants are long enough. I ordered a relatively basic red and black NILS womens ski jacket, but they do have some jackets in bright colors and different styles. This jacket has nice details (racing stripes down the middle) and the black on the side will make you look slimmer at the waist. The hood is removable but there’s a little gap there that might let the wind in. It’s a good quality, sturdy jacket, and I recommend it if you don’t get too cold.
3. Helly Hansen Womens Alphelia Lifaloftjacket
A lightweight, breathable, waterproof, windproof jacket from a well-known brand that makes some of the best rated womens ski jackets. This one ticks all the boxes. There are lots of useful features, including LIFALOFT insulation, dual hand warming pockets, a ski-pass pocket, goggle shammy, and snap away powder skirt. The hood is detachable and helmet compatible. The air vents on the back yoke are great to let the steam out.
4. Obermeyer Women's Tuscany Jacket
I like the sleek design and fur hood on this Obermeyer jacket! It features a removable hood, fleece lined collar, and pockets for hand warmers. Another great feature is an adjustable hem to keep the cold and snow out.
5. Burton Ak Gore Embark Jacket
Definitely the brand to buy for snowboarders. I ordered the women’s snowboarding jacket in a lovely turquoise that is a little more muted than the bright colors skiers tend to choose. This is an oversized jacket with a removable powder skirt, nice pockets, and sleeves that can be Velcro-tightened around your gloves (this is important because snowboarding gloves tend to be bigger). Definitely recommended for hip snowboarders. Is it among the warmest womens ski jackets? I’ll have to wear it and let you know.
6. Gsou Women’s Waterproof Ski Snowboard Jacket Windproof Mountain Rain Coat
I’ve said this before, I love lots of color on the slopes. When it’s a group of women traveling together, my friends can see me on the mountain and I can’t lose my ski jacket. Lots of snowboarders wear this particular brand. I ordered a bright watercolor ski jacket. Something to know… the hood is not removable. But I loved the seamless zipper so you actually can’t see it. There’s also a matching ski pant available if you want to go all out. And if you want to tone it down a bit, match with nils womens ski pants in a solid color. Super fun and great value!
7. The North Face Women’s Arrowood Triclimate Jacket
A ski jacket from a brand that needs no introduction and is popular with people who’re into luxury travel. I purchased this in a light gray/white to show you what a white jacket looks like. Again, it’s a cool color to have, but your friends will have a hard time finding you on the mountain. I love the fact that this North Face jacket has a removable layer. This means for spring skiing in March you can wear just a t-shirt and the jacket shell. Then, during aprés ski when it’s starting to get colder and darker, you can pop in the liner. I recommend this North Face women’s ski jacket only for spring skiing though. It’s not warm enough for skiing in January!
8. Spyder Women’s Entice Jacket
This is a well-known US brand among skiers and Instagram influencers. They have a whole range of ski gear including some of the best womens ski pants. This particular women’s ski jacket has sleeves that close down, a well-placed pocket on the sleeve for your ski pass, and a hood with a fuzzy trim that’s big enough to go over your ski helmet. Is it the best women’s ski jacket? All I can say is if you tend to get cold while skiing, look for a Spyder jacket that’s a little bit thicker and warmer. I’ve worn Spyder jackets for years and this last season I ended up buying a DESCENTE because personally I’m always cold. I ordered a simple Spyder ski jacket in black with gray accents, but there are some beautiful colorful ones available if you want to showcase your personality. This is a well-styled jacket and is a great pick if you want to accentuate your feminine figure.
9. Columbia Women’s Bugaboo II Fleece Interchange Jacket, Waterproof and Breathable
What I loved about this ladies ski jacket from well-known outdoor brand Columbia is that you can tighten the sleeve to prevent wind getting up into your arm. There’s a removable hood on this modular design jacket. So, when you’re spring skiing, you can use just the shell and remove the inside fleece lining. This is a longer jacket so it can work for snowboarding as well as skiing (snowboarding jackets tend to be a little bit more open and wider and bigger and longer). This Columbia jacket is a great option for all-weather skiers and snowboarders.
10. Cloudveil Women’s Koven Jacket
A basic polyester ski jacket with waterproof laminate and water-resistant zippers. This is one of the more inexpensive women’s ski jackets I’ve reviewed. Even though it’s not among the best ski clothes available, I recommend it for newbie spring skiers and leisure travel. Buy it if you don’t want to blow a whole lot of money and are looking for cheap ski gear.
11. MOERDENG Women’s Waterproof Ski Jacket Warm Winter Snow Coat Mountain Windbreaker Hooded Raincoat
If you’re looking for multi-purpose ski wear that’s windproof and waterproof and can double as rainy weather or snow gear, this is a good option. It has a fluff lining for heat retention, a storm hood and soft shell to keep the wind out, and quick dry material with a relaxed fit styling.
12. Obermeyer Tuscany II Insulated Women’s Ski Jacket
The Obermeyer brand based in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains is known for high-quality ski gear. This sturdy ski jacket is sure to hold up after years of use. Go for it if you’re looking for a mid-priced women’s ski jacket that is US designed and made.
13. Roxy Women’s Jet Ski Snow Jacket
A nice ski jacket that comes with patented WarmFlight technology to maintain your body temperature on the coldest of days. If you’re looking for the best clothes for skiing, this one’s nicely styled with faux fur. It features a removable, adjustable hood, hook-and-loop cuffs, mesh-lined pit zips, and inside pocket with a media port so you can listen to your favorite beats on the go. I love the flattering fit and contemporary styling of this sporty women’s ski jacket.
14. Billabong Women’s Sula Snow Jacket
With an allover print in pop colors, this is the best womens ski jacket if you want to turn heads on the mountain. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a mid-weight jacket that allows you to layer. You won’t have to compromise on insulation or waterproofing and the polyester material is machine washable.
15. Acr’teryx Alpha AR Jacket – Women’s
With a Gore-Tex Pro 3-layer face fabric in bright colors, this is one of the best waterproof ski jackets on the market from a well-known ski apparel manufacturer. It will keep you dry on the slopes while allowing you to look stylish with its great fit. The jacket is designed to maximize comfort and movement. Match it with ladies ski pants from the same brand and you’re good to go. I recommend it to serious skiers and snowboarders.
16. SALOMON Women’s Fantasy Jacket W
Stay toasty warm in the harshest of conditions with this womens ski jacket from well-known outdoor brand Salomon. Styled for urban chic, this ski coat can be worn around town without looking out of place. Recommended if you’re looking for an all rounder jacket for a variety of winter activities.
17. The North Face Women’s Gotham Jacket II
Your search for the best women’s ski jackets can end with the North Face brand. Stay protected from the forces of nature in this DWR (durable water repellant) ski outfit. The adjustable hood, the faux fur trim, and the flattering fit will have you looking stylish on the slopes. A great buy if you want a jacket that can cope with whatever the elements might throw at you.
18. Marmot Women's Ithaca Down Puffer
Keep yourself extra warm in this Marmot Women’s jacket. It’s made specifically to withstand extreme temperatures, is water-resistant, and includes lots of pockets. You’ll find multiple interior pockets to stash your phone, wallet, etc.
19. DESCENTE Womens Cynthia Jacket
I’ll go out on a limb and call the descente women’s ski jacket the best women’s ski jacket out there. It’s because this is the ski jacket I use! It’s from my favorite brand for ski clothes. The descent jacket has nice details across the back. I love the hot pink color. A white ski jacket is cool, but a hot pink (or green or any crazy color) jacket makes it easy for your friends to find you on the mountain. Features I love include the thumb-through sleeve, armpit opening, and ski pass pocket. The removable hood can come off for spring skiing. My descent ski jacket has real fur, but you can go for fake fur or no fur. The fur trim comes right off as well. This descent women’s ski jacket is at the expensive end of the price spectrum, but it works for me since I’m a regular skier.
20. Spyder Syncere Jacket
Spyder makes some of the best ladies ski jackets. This one features a fixed hood with adjustable opening. Some nice features are the underarm vents, powder skirt with snaps, and pant attachment tabs. I loved the Velcro adjustable cuffs and internal zippered pockets. Available in a range of bright colors and prints.
21. Mountain Hardwear Women’s Barnsie Insulated Jacket
A simple but flattering women’s ski jacket that is functional and looks graceful as you zip down the slopes. I recommend it if you’re a minimal-fuss, occasional skier and don’t want to spend money on designer ski wear or an overly technical ski jacket.
Conclusion
Whether you ski every week in the winter or you’re trying skiing for the first time and might end up wearing your ski jacket to get groceries, my advice is to always invest in good ski gear. This review of the 21 best women’s ski jackets has something for everyone. If you want the best womens ski coat that will last for several seasons, choose one from a well-known brand’s top-of-the-line range. If you’re looking for a budget women’s ski jacket, pick something that will keep you comfortable, dry, and warm and fits well. Did you find this review helpful? Don’t forget to follow my travel vlog for more useful reviews and information.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products that I personally know and use, and the income helps to keep this site updated and free for everyone.
I’m Kim the Abundant Traveler and today it’s all about women’s ski jackets today i’m going to be sharing some of my favorite ski jackets off of amazon i hope that you enjoy and find value in all of these reviews remember hit that subscribe button and ring the notification bell you don’t want to miss an episode also make sure to leave a comment below of your favorite ski jacket as well as introducing yourself if you’re new to the channel whether you are a spring skier or you ski in the middle of january i have the perfect jacket for you this is a review of several top name as well as inexpensive ski jackets that you can find on amazon if you check out the description below i have an affiliate link to every single one of those items so no need to write anything down i’m actually going to start with my ski coat today this is dessant which is one of my favorite brands for ski clothes it has really really nice detail across the back i like the fact that it is hot pink or a bright color for me personally it is best to have color it’s cool to have a white jacket or a black jacket on the mountain however your friends who you’re skiing with can’t find you if you’re in hot pink or green or crazy colors your friends are going to be able to find you on the slopes this jacket has the sleeve where you put your thumb through it has the armpit opening it has the little space for your ski pass right here which is really really important one thing that i do love this hood actually comes off so if it’s spring skiing you can unzip this and take this off as well and i have always wanted this design jacket with actually real fur on it if you’re not into fur you can buy fake fur or you cannot use it at all but what is cool is you can pull this right off as well so my personal favorite is this dessant this day saw is more expensive i have jackets ranging today from like 80 dollars to about 750 since i’m a big skier this jacket is the one that’s about 750 and this is mine the next jacket i’m going to be showing you is the one of most value it is a want to and i ordered it in this beautiful bright red this particular jacket is less than a hundred dollars and i think it is a great value you have a fuzzy lining you have water resistant wind resistant so you’re going to stay warm you have just enough pockets here and one nice thing about this pocket is there is a covering over the zipper so you can protect your things also you have a nice big hood as well again this hood does come off as well for when you’re spring skiing and you don’t need a hood it has a couple of extra pockets and something that is very important is a skirt i know it sounds funny to have a skirt with a ski jacket but you want this skirt so the powder doesn’t get up inside your clothes so this is a great value i think this is a great little jacket your friends will be able to see you on the mountain and i think this what do is a perfect option for you the next jacket i’m going to be showing you is from columbia columbia is a great brand you can find this at reif locally or anything you want in columbia brand you can usually find on amazon something i like about this jacket and also is important on all jackets is that the sleeve you can tighten the sleeve around your glove that’s very important so you don’t get wind up in your arm and you’re really cold so this has a hood and the hood is also removable like the other jackets i’ve showed you so far something that is fun about this one is it has an inside fleece lining so when you’re spring skiing you can just have your shell and this particular shiny fabric typically holds in warmth and so you’ll be really warm even spring skiing and then you’ve got this cute powder blue lining which is a fleece i think that colombia makes great clothes i do like the fact that this is a longer jacket it could go for snowboarding as well as skiing because it’s a little less shaped like a female and snowboarding jackets are a little bit more open and wide and longer and bigger and longer sleeves so this columbia jacket would be a great fit in spring skiing in winter skiing as well as if you’re a snowboarder or a skier make sure to join the tribe and become a member of the community by clicking the link in the description below so if you are a snowboarder definitely the brand to buy is burton this is a woman snowboarding jacket i love this turquoise color it’s a little bit dusty so it’s a little more hip not quite so bright skiing women typically wear bright colors and snowboarders i find wear a little bit more muted this is an oversized jacket as you can see it does have the skirt as well and what’s great about this skirt is you can unzip the skirt and pull it off this powder skirt it has great sleeves where you can actually close it down around your gloves and snowboarders gloves tend to be bigger and cover more of your wrist area which is extremely important you have great pockets here this is the only jacket that has this big pocket as well and the rest of them have pockets most of them have zipper pockets inside but this is the only one that had a big open pocket so if you’re a snowboarder or a little more hip i would definitely recommend this burton snowboarding jacket also while you’re checking this out make sure to check out my video about all of the ski gear that i use i’m going to put it right here so you can check it out from my helmet to my goggles to my ski pants to my underwear that i wear everything you need to know about going skiing is in that video so the next jacket i have for you is a spider jacket if you’re not familiar with skiing you may not know the spider brand but this is a well-known great brand to buy any product in whether it’s your underwear your pants your thermals jackets anything it is a us brand if you are looking for us they also have the sleeves that close down and they have a great pocket right here and this pocket is on the front where you can put your ski pass in here as i mentioned previously this is some fuzziness which is fun to wear and this hood is big enough to go over your ski helmet one thing that i would recommend to you is if you are cold when you ski and you’re looking for a spider jacket which is extremely popular look for a spider jacket that is a little bit thicker and a little bit warmer i have worn spider jackets for years and this last season i decided to buy a dessent because it was a thicker heavier jacket because personally i’m always cold so this is a great jacket it is very simple it is black with this nice gray stripe down the back it’s very simple there are some beautiful spider jackets that are more colorful but during this review i was trying to buy all different colors different styles different themes so this is a great jacket i do like the fact that it is a little bit longer and the spider is really good if you are want a little shake when you are on the mountain our next jacket is a very no well-known brand and i’m sure we all have a little bit of this in our closet this is a north face jacket i purchased this in a light gray white just so you can see what a white jacket looks like again it’s very cool to have a white jacket but your friends can’t see you on the mountain i love the fact that it has an outer layer and so in the middle of spring skiing you can be skiing in your t-shirt and just your shell then after screen you can pop in your liner here for in the evening when you’re on prey skiing and it’s starting to get dark and a little bit cooler north face is a great brand this will be in the description below but i recommend this one only for spring skiing it’s not warm enough to be scanned in january in this jacket so the next jacket is from a great brand this is helly hanson and this is a fantastic brand you can find some really good jackets on amazon that are heli handsome i just have to show you though i accidentally ordered a kids size check out this so i will put on the description below and link to a beautiful woman’s not a child’s ski jacket that would be a great fit for this ski season but in this cute if you have a little kid it’s really cute and the next to last jacket is from g so that’s spelled g-s-o-u i’ve said this several times i love lots of color on the mountain my friends can see me i can’t lose my jacket i can’t lose my friends and you get lots of snowboarders wearing this particular brand i love the hood here it is not removable so something to know i love the interior color of it i love how there is a seamless it’s a really really nice zipper so it doesn’t wear out and things don’t fall out but it is seamless and you actually can’t see it in the middle of the jacket they have nice zippers on the pockets here and this jacket is just super super fun it’s also a great value as well it’s not an expensive jacket and they have this exact same thing in ski pants so if you want to go all out in your watercolor you can get the ski jacket and the ski pants this is a great one and the last jacket i’m going to be showing you is nils i love this brand my ski pants are actually nails just simple black ski pants the reason i buy them is because i am 5’11 and they are ski pants that they have along so this is a great great brand it’s a more simple jacket they have some beautifully bright color jackets different styles of ski coats this has some nice detail as well with the black on the side so if you want to look a little slimmer through the waist this would be a great option for you this jacket is really high quality it has the button here and a smaller zipper here to remove the the hood so if you are cold you will likely get a little bit of wind in here i recommend this to someone that doesn’t get cold because this will let wind in even when you are using your hood i like the racing strength down the middle they have great pockets very sturdy very strong definitely nils is a great brand if you are looking for a high quality well known brand so to recap some of my favorite jackets here today number one if you were a snowboarder by the burton this is the way to go or if you’re a little bit younger and a little bit hipper and your skier definitely burton it is the way if you are looking for value there were a couple relatively inexpensive jackets i had today but i am loving this watercolor jacket and in fact i may go and buy their ski pants because i just think this is the greatest jacket all up and this is less than two hundred dollars i think it was around 150 dollars but of course my favorite is the dessant i love this jacket it is warm it is cozy i love the brand i love the detail i love everything about it i don’t love the price tag but when you get good gear which is extremely important always have really good gear it’s worth having something that is this gorgeous and this yummy i thank you so much for watching make sure to check out the description below for all the links to all of these jackets i’m kim the abundant traveler and i’ll see you on the next adventure just walk by and go beep or walk by and go another important thing that i think is super important is make sure to click number one i have all these stuff the next jacket that i’m going to be showing you is from one toe and i don’t even know what i’m showing i have owned several um my nose itched should i start over okay it is from want dough for one dude okay let’s try this third time maybe i should try that again but i didn’t like that um so can i ask you how many times have i said personally on this video me personally personally personally for me personally at least a hundred so i apologize but personally my opinion is just silly so
