Outerwear Reviews | The Best Men's Ski & Snowboard Jackets 2026

Our experts have selected the very best men's ski and snowboard jackets at a range of price points — from Gore-Tex shells designed for the backcountry to insulated models aimed at casual piste cruisers.

TL/DR Verdict Summary

If you’re looking for the very best lightweight shell jacket for backcountry performance then the Patagonia Powslayer Jacket is our pick of the bunch.

More of a piste cruiser? You can’t go far wrong with the Spyder Leader, or Descente Shoulder Pad jacket. On a budget? Columbia owns this space, take a look at their Iceberg Point II jacket. And if you're a snowboarder? Well, the Burton AK Cyclic or Howl Shell jacket are both great places to start. 

Buying a Ski or Snowboard Jacket - The Basics

Ski jackets come in many shapes and sizes but there are a few key points to be aware of before finding the right ski jacket for you. Firstly, do you prefer an insulated jacket or a shell?

Insulated models are usually fine for casual skiing and often preferred for very cold climates. But anyone who's going to be really exerting themselves or working up a sweat (by ski touring, for example) will usually prefer to have a shell jacket, so they can layer up underneath as appropriate. 

"Howl Supply Co. offer up pure snowboard style, and Spyder are distinctly geared towards piste skiing"

Second, choose a level of waterproofing that's appropriate to you—if you're doing long days in the backcountry, you'll want a higher rating. (For more details, and a breakdown of what waterproof and breathability ratings on ski jackets mean, have a look at our buyers' guide at the bottom of this article). 

Finally, different brands tend to offer different looks. For instance, Arc’teryx tends towards backcountry performance, Howl Supply Co. offer up pure snowboard style, and Spyder are distinctly geared towards piste skiing. Here, we've chosen a range of different jacket types to suit all kinds of skiers, listed in alphabetical order. 

Many of these are unisex—meaning the same model is available in women's sizes and colourways. But if you're looking for a women's-specific jacket, check out our list of the best ski and snowboard jackets for women here. 

Best Men's Ski & Snowboard Jackets of 2025

Arc’teryx Rush GTX Pro 2.0 Jacket

RRP: £750

If you’re a serious skier or snowboarder who wants the best 3 layer shell jacket money can buy, what do you buy? Arc’teryx has to be on your list, and the Rush GTX Pro 2.0 is one of their most compelling offerings. It might look unassuming, but this packs a serious punch in terms of performance. It's made of Gore Tex's most waterproof and durable material, Gore Pro ePE, which keeps even the worst mountain weather at bay, and has features like a Recco reflector and a helmet compatible storm hood.

All zips are watertight, it has pit zippers to let you quickly dump excess heat and enough pockets for everything you need, without going over the top and adding too much weight. Gore Pro ePE is the new, less environmentally damaging version of their top end fabric. It's durable, but lightweight—the jacket weighs just 485g, and is handy for stashing in a backcountry pack if you're touring.

Buy Arc’teryx Rush GTX Pro 2.0 Jacket: £652 at alpinetrek.co.uk

Burton AK Acamar Gore-Tex Pro 3L Jacket

RRP: £840
Founded in 1977, Burton is the biggest name in snowboarding, and this, from their high-end AK collection, is one of their absolute, top of the range models. It's a fully featured, 3-layer shell made from Gore-Tex Pro, the toughest, most protective material the company make. This is designed to keep you dry in tough conditions, on long days, in big mountain environments. The fit gives you great mobility without being oversized and it is jam packed with smart features ideal for guides and mountain professionals. 

It’s seriously well-equipped when it comes to pockets too with several gear specific stash zones, and although you might not ever use the radio compatible pocket and mic access zipper, you’ll look damn cool wherever you get to on the mountain. The price tag may make some snowboarders balk, but the tech spec justifies it. 

Buy Burton AK Acamar Gore-Tex Pro 3L Jacket: £840 at burton.com

Burton AK Cyclic Gore-Tex  2L Jacket

RRP: £460

Also part of Burton's AK range, the Cyclic is a 2L Gore-Tex shell that's not quite as high performance as the Acamar, but will still handle almost anything the average—or even the expert—riders can throw at it. One member of the SNOW test team who's based in the Dolomites has owned this jacket for a couple of years, and regularly uses it to go splitboarding. "It's perhaps not as breathable as Gore-Tex Pro, but it's still incredibly efficient at keeping you dry when you work up a sweat," they said. 

As well as its high waterproof and breathability ratings, the jacket's fabric is BlueSign approved, meaning it meets stringent sustainability standards. And it's packed with handy features, from an insulated phone pocket which helps prolong its battery life to the lift-pass pocket on the arm. 

Buy Burton AK Cyclic Gore-Tex 2L Jacket: £460 at burton.com 

Columbia Iceberg Point II Jacket

RRP: £180

Columbia are masters of all mountain ski jackets that perform on the slopes but don’t break the bank. The Iceberg Point II is a perfect example of this, featuring Omni-Tech waterproof fabric and a thermal reflective lining to keep the heat in.

Although only critically seam sealed, the zips are water resistant and the powder skirt will help keep the snow out. Pit vents help with temperature regulation and the wrist pass pocket, zipped hand pockets, chest, and interior pocket keep your kit organised. 

Buy Columbia Iceberg Point: £152.96 at Alpinetrek.co.uk 

Descente Shoulder Pad Jacket

RRP £679

Descente’s Shoulder Pad Jacket combines cutting-edge protection with the brand’s trademark sophistication. Its 20k/20k waterproof and breathability rating ensures reliable weather resistance, while the reinforced shoulder panels are perfect for carrying skis or brushing off tree branches. The 4-way stretch fabric, Lycra cuffs, and dual underarm vents keep things flexible and comfortable. Inside, an elastic powder skirt and water-repellent zips round out a design that’s both functional and refined.

“This is a super-comfy jacket that oozes quality,” said our tester. “It is a great resort skiing jacket with a nice, soft feel to it.” For skiers who appreciate Japanese engineering and attention to detail, this is hard to beat.

Buy the Descente Shoulder Pad Jacket:£645 at alpinetrek.co.uk

Dope Blizzard Full Zip Snowboard Jacket 

RRP: £174

The Dope Blizzard Full Zip Snowboard Jacket punches well above its weight, offering a minimalist but entirely practical mountain jacket that’ll deal with weather just as well as the bar afterwards. An insulated jacket, it's packed with medium-weight insulation for a sensible balance between warmth and performance (60gsm body, 40gsm sleeves and hood), and features a bonded waterproof membrane, fully taped seams together with a PFAS-free DWR treatment for rapid water beading and runoff.

It’s a roomy cut without being too baggy, and packed with features that’ll warm your cockles on a cold mountain - such as the double-layer storm flap and three-way adjustable hood. If you're a price-conscious snowboarder, looking for an insulated, piste friendly jacket, this is a good option. 

Read our full-length review of the Dope Blizzard Snowboard Jacket for more details. 

Buy Dope Blizzard Snowboard Jacket: £174 at Dope Snow

Howl Supply Shell Jacket

RRP: £240

Founded by professional snowboarders Darrell Mathes and Nima Jalali, Howl Supply are known for their streetwear-inspired designs that blend function and durability. Led by their "by snowboarders, for snowboarders" ethos, their new 3-layer unisex shell looks effortlessly cool while remaining completely practical.

The ripstop waterproof shell feels supple yet strong with fully taped seams and a tall collar with an oversized, adjustable, roll-away hood to protect from all weather. All three pockets are extremely generous and the hand pockets are mesh lined if you prefer to use them as vents. Overall this is a stylish, fully featured shell for all mountain riding, that will take you from first lifts all the way to last orders.

Buy Howl Supply Shell Jacket: £145 at blue-tomato.com

Klättermusen Allgrön 2.0 Jacket

RRP £500

Klättermusen’s Allgrön 2.0 is a technical 3-layer shell crafted from Cutan fabric—a fluorocarbon-free alternative to Gore-Tex that’s fully waterproof, windproof, and breathable. The ergonomic Scandinavian design includes angled zips, underarm vents, reinforced shoulders, and a helmet-compatible hood.

Subtle stretch in the fabric enhances comfort without compromising protection, and the recycled materials align with the brand’s sustainability ethos. Whether you’re skinning into the backcountry or lapping lifts in a storm, the Allgrön 2.0 offers reliable protection and minimalist alpine style. “A neat, sleek-looking jacket that really packs a technical punch,” said our tester. 

Buy Klättermusen Allgrön 2.0 Jacket: £399.45 at Absolute Snow

Montane Niveus Lite

RRP £475

Designed for ski tourers and ski mountaineers who like to move fast and light, the new Niveus Lite from Montane is stripped back and snow ready. It’s built with an ultralight 3-layer Gore-Tex with PFC-free ePE membrane and weighs in at just 360g. Ideal for high Alpine tours and spring mountain missions, it really excels when you’re moving at pace.

It has a slim fit, clean design, and keeps features to a minimum to save on weight, with a low-profile snow skirt and just a couple of pockets. What we love about this jacket though, is its excellent articulation which allows you to move freely on demanding climbs and tricky descents. 

Buy Montane Niveus Lite: £475 at blacks.co.uk

Patagonia PowSlayer Jacket

RRP £720

Patagonia’s PowSlayer remains one of the lightest and most durable Gore-Tex Pro shells around. Fully waterproof and highly breathable, it’s designed for serious backcountry skiers who demand top-tier weather protection. Every seam is taped, every zip watertight, yet it still packs down impressively small. Pit zips and a refined fit ensure comfort on both climbs and descents. The recycled nylon face fabric and PFC-free DWR treatment underline Patagonia’s ongoing sustainability drive. 

Rugged, minimalist, and mountain-ready, this is a jacket built for riders who spend as much time beyond the resort boundaries as possible. Our tester wore this on some serious backcountry missions last winter, and said: “At the risk of getting really nerdy, the Pro in Gore-Tex Pro does really make a difference—you have to work really hard to sweat in this.” 

Buy Patagonia PowSlayer Jacket: £719.95 at alpinetrek.co.uk

Patagonia Storm Stride Jacket

RRP £450

Striking the perfect balance between an athletic and freeride fit, the new Storm Stride is ideal crossover jacket for the backcountry skier. The combination of a lightweight, stretchy fabric and economical cut, keeps the weight and bulk down, while features have been kept minimal with a low-profile snow skirt and fuss-free design.

Pair it with the Storm Stride Pants for excellent freedom of movement on steep kick turns and icy boot packs without straying into ultra-tight territory, looking just as at home on the piste as out in the powder. It’s made from Patagonia's own PFC-free, H2NO fabric, which is highly waterproof and breathable and packs down easily for stashing in a pack. 

Buy Patagonia Storm Stride Jacket: £449.95 at alpinetrek.co.uk

Patagonia Untracked Jacket

RRP £630

Patagonia's high-end Untracked outerwear (there are ski pants to go with this) was some of the first to be made from Gore-Tex's ePE, a waterproof, breathable material that's free from PFC "forever chemicals" and produces fewer emissions in the manufacturing process than conventional Gore-Tex. Patagonia's boffins worked closely with the material brand to develop the fabric, and it's now being used by several other brands (see the Montane Niveus Lite, above). 

While this jacket isn't cheap, the performance justifies the price tag. Our tester spent much of last winter ski touring in this jacket—perhaps the ultimate test of waterproofing and breathability. "I had in out in everything from heavy snow to blazing spring sunshine, and it handled everything with aplomb," was their verdict. 

Buy Patagonia Untracked Jacket: £629 at ellis-brigham.com

Peak Performance Vertical Gore-Tex 3L Jacket

RRP £720

This all-singing, all-dancing Gore-Tex Pro shell from Peak Performance is like the skier’s equivalent of the Burton Acamar. Developed with input from their athletes, it’s been built for top-tier, big mountain freeriding. It’s constructed with a winning combo of Gore-Tex Pro across most of the jacket, and Gore-Tex Stretch panels in the back and hood for better mobility and easy head turn.

It has a long cut that completely covers your hips and a plethora of pockets for stashing essentials. Come stormy weather the impeccably well-fitting, adjustable, helmet-compatible hood will leave you wondering what everyone else is complaining about.

Buy Peak Performance Vertical Gore-Tex 3L Jacket: £720 at Peak Performance

Peak Performance Vislight Gore-Tex 3L Jacket

RRP £520

This jacket is designed to be suitable for summer hikes as well as winter forays into the backcountry. It's not quite got the same spec as the all-singing, all-dancing as the Vertical shell listed above—it's made of Gore-Tex C-Knit, rather than higher-spec Gore-Tex Pro, for starters. But it's still more than capable of handling everything you'd encounter on a day's skiing. You'd expect nothing less from a high end brand like Sweden's Peak Performance. 

Features include a Recco reflector, which can help rescuers locate the wearer in case of an avalanche, a ski helmet compatible hood, and plenty of pockets. 

Buy Peak Performance Vislight Gore-Tex Jacket: £520 at Peak Performance

Picture Welcome 3L Xpore Jacket

RRP  £460

Stay seen on the slopes this season in this new 3-layer shell from French brand Picture. The Welcome 3L Xpore Jacket is part of Picture’s new backcountry touring range. Designed to offer breathable, all-weather protection, it’s built with an Xpore membrane and a recycled face fabric made through Picture’s Circular Program which collects used clothing and fabric scraps from manufacturing and makes them into something new. 

The Xpore is fully seam sealed with waterproof zips, an adjustable hood and hem, and underarm zips for quickly dumping heat. It’s a functional and versatile snow shell with a long, straight cut that would work just as well in resort as it does on the skin track. Our tester took this out touring in a variety of conditions last winter, including a heavy snow storm. His verdict? "The Xpore is a worthy equivalent of Gore-Tex or other, better-known membranes. I was dry, despite the heavy snowflakes and the sweat I'd worked up."

Buy Picture Welcome Xpore Jacket: £230 at Picture

Rab Khroma Converge Jacket

RRP £550

Originally a mountaineering brand, British brand Rab continues to elevate their snowsports gear each season. They really know how to make reliable kit for big mountain adventures. We love the new Khroma Converge with its long, freeride cut, handy inner stash pockets for stowing skins, and spacious hood that cinches in around your face for better viz in a storm. It’s built with 3-layer Gore-Tex with the PFC-free ePE membrane and has a soft lining that gives it that plush, premium feel and makes it super easy to layer underneath.

This jacket feels bombproof for deep winter freeriding, but light and packable enough for backcountry tours.

Buy Rab Khroma Converge Jacket: £549.95 at absolute-snow.co.uk

Schöffel Skuta Jacket

RRP £600

This jacket was tested by our ski team in Megève, a resort where style on the slopes can sometimes outshine performance. This high-quality jacket however combines form and function without compromising on either, and so our tester felt right at home. The Skuta is a premium insulated shell designed for cold-weather comfort and high-altitude performance. 

A 20k/20k waterproof and breathability rating, paired with PrimaLoft Gold insulation, keeps you warm and dry without overheating. The 4-way stretch fabric moves naturally with your body, while features like pit zips, a detachable snow skirt, and a helmet-compatible hood make it a versatile choice for both resort and backcountry use. Stylish yet practical, it’s built for skiers who want warmth and technical performance without bulk. 

Buy Schöffel Skuta Jacket: £537 at aplinetrek.co.uk

Spyder Leader Jacket

RRP: £580

This jacket has sat in French brand Spyder’s ski jacket range for years, and rightly so. It has developed over that time to become one of the best resort jackets out there, and that’s not to say it doesn’t perform well over the rest of the mountain too. Although it comes at a premium price, it feels every bit of the £580, with precision construction and near-perfect fit and finish.

This jacket is suitable for gentle skiing or more demanding skiing in colder conditions, with a hefty 100g of PrimaLoft Silver Eco insulation keeping you warm, boosted by graphene heat conduction technology to spread and dissipate heat.

Buy Spyder Leader Jacket: £311 at ellis-brigham.com

The North Face Descendit Ski Jacket

RRP: £270

This sleek ski jacket is designed to be as dependable as a German car, keeping you warm and dry all over the mountain. The Primaloft Black synthetic insulation keeps you warm while maintaining breathability and the DryVent 2L outer is reliably waterproof. Although pared back visually, the Descendit jacket still offers handy features such as a wrist pass pocket with a goggle wipe, pit vents, and a helmet compatible, fully adjustable hood.

Buy The North Face Descendit Jacket: £270 at ellis-brigham.com

What should you look for in a ski jacket?

What makes a good ski or snowboard jacket? Well, there are lots of different things to look out for, but here at SNOW, we believe there are four main things you should consider when choosing a men's or women's ski jacket. Each of these four factors will also effect the jacket's price.

1) Waterproof & Breathability Ratings:

Ski jackets need to be waterproof, for obvious reasons. But they also need to be breathable—i.e. they need to let your body breathe by allowing sweat to pass out through the fabric. If they don't, as soon as you start moving, moisture will accumulate inside, leaving you feeling cold and clammy. 

Try skiing (or even worse, ski touring or splitboarding) in one of those free plastic ponchos they hand out at music festivals and you'll see what we mean. Sure, the plastic might be waterproof, but you won't stay dry inside for long!

Every decent snowboard jacket should have a waterproof and breathability rating on the label, usually written as something like 10,000/10,000, or even just 10k/10k.

Waterproof & breathability ratings explained:

The first number is the waterproof rating. It's calculated by placing an open ended plastic pipe on the exterior fabric, and filling it up with water until droplets start to appear on the inside. The more millimetres of water the column holds, the more water pressure the fabric can handle, and so the more effective it is at keeping out snow, rain, or spilt beer. 

Breathability is measured in grams/metre square/24hrs — i.e. the weight of moisture that will pass through a metre square patch of fabric over a 24 hour period. The higher the rating, the more effective a jacket's fabric will be at "wicking", or allowing sweat to escape away from your body, so the more breathable it is.

What waterproof or breathability rating do you need?

Ski jackets built primarily for piste or snow park riding are often made of fabrics that will resist a water column of 5,000mm - 10,000mm, and they'll usually have a similar breathability rating. This helps keep the price down, and you don't really need much more if you're never far from a café or a lift station in which to warm up or dry out. 

Where you'll find higher waterproof and breathability ratings is on jackets built for the backcountry, and especially for ski touring, where you'd expect to work up a sweat. These tend to be more expensive. 

It's worth noting that some of the most waterproof and breathable fabrics, like Gore-Tex, Patagonia's H2NO material, or the Futurelight fabric patented by The North Face, don't always come with waterproof and breathability ratings listed. All three however, are usually well above 30,000 (depending on what kind of Gore-Tex or Futurelight that's used).

2) Insulated or Shell:

Insulation obviously helps keep you warm, but you'll find that many higher-end, backcountry-focussed jackets actually don't contain insulation. This is because skiers and snowboarders heading into the backcountry often prefer the added control of being able to layer up underneath their jacket, rather than having the insulation built in. 

Jackets without insulation are known as shell jackets. Those with, are called insulated jackets.

3) Features:

A decent ski jacket will have a whole range of different features, many of which you won't find on a regular waterproof jacket. Things to look out for include:

A powder skirt: This links to your snowboard trousers and prevents you getting snow up your back or down your pants.

Zip pockets: Which prevent you losing your phone, wallet or whatever else you put in them. The more, the merrier, unless you're looking to keep your jacket weight down. 

Waterproof seams & zippers: Usually seen on higher end, backcountry jackets, these stop the tiny bits of moisture that might seep in through seams or zips. 

Adjustable hood: A hood that you can fit snugly around your face, which can be handy if the weather turns really bad. 

4) Fit:

Perhaps the most important factor of all is whether a ski jacket fits you properly. Most brands now publish size guides on their websites, and it's worth making sure that you check these out before you make a purchase. 

After all, there's no point on shelling out on an amazing new jacket if it's going to be too tight or too big!