How to Buy the Best Ski Jacket

If you are in the market for a ski jacket, it is important that you know and understand all of the features that may or may not be a part of the jacket that you elect to buy. Ever since I was young, I wanted to engage in skiing. Since I live in Florida, the only types of skiing that I may engage in involve water and not snow. Well, the day finally came when I could vacation to an area where there were many ski slopes. The problem was, I had no clothes that were appropriate for that type of climate. The goal was to purchase warm clothing that I could where while learning to ski in the snowy mountains. The problem was, I did not know anything at all about ski clothing.

This became apparently evident as I searched for a ski jacket. All of the websites that I went to kept stressing the importance of having the "right" ski jacket. In Florida, I consider my little windbreaker to be appropriate, but apparently, the ski jacket was a much more constructed type of jacket. As I continued my research, I learned that it is! There are many features that are often included on a jacket that is used for skiing in the snow. I was pretty amazed to be honest, but I was also quite confused. I have spent a lot of time learning about the important features. I figure that there are many others out there that may not know what features to look for when shopping for their ski jacket, so I am going to share what I have learned with you.

The first and one of the most important features of the ski jacket is the hood. Now, I say this from experience. When you get out on the ski slopes and the snow and wind hit your head and ears, it is a less than pleasant experience. You should always purchase a jacket that comes with a well insulated hood. In all honesty, I would say that a jacket with a hood that can be removed may be your best option. This way, the jacket can be multifunctional. When choosing a jacket with a hood, be absolutely certain that the hood does not obstruct your vision. It is also important to ensure that you are able to move your head easily from one side to another.

Now, it is very important to have a waterproof ski jacket. I learned something, though. If there are no taped seams on the jacket, water and snow will still get inside. Yes, I actually learned this on one of my many falls as a beginning snow skier, but it was well worth knowing. The seams of the jacket should be taped with waterproof material. This prevents all types of moisture from passing through the different stitches on the jacket. There are jackets with "critical seams" and jackets with "full seals". I suggest the full sealed. This means that every single seam on the jacket is taped. If you just go for "critical seams" it means that the hood and arm areas are sealed only.

Two other features I feel you should know about are the storm flap and the snow skirt. The flap is a protective layer that prevents environmental conditions from going in the jacket - including the stingy winds that often accompany snow. The skirt works to prevent snow from shooting up inside the ski jacket as you snow ski. As you can see, there are many features associated with the ski jacket. The ones mentioned here are the ones that I feel are of the highest importance.