15 best women’s ski jackets for staying warm and chic on the slopes

If you spend all day every day out in the elements working as a guide, a liftie or a snow sports athlete (or if you’re just a seasoned skier who wants to invest in a great bit of kit), you’ll need something more heavyweight than your average ski jacket. Enter, Helly Hansen’s powderqueen, which is ready for whatever weather you chuck at it.

This design is impressively waterproof and warm (thanks to plenty of PrimaLoft black eco insulation) but still highly breathable, and lightweight enough for you to wear it all day. All the usual features we look for are present and correct in this smart jacket, plus, there are extras such as a Recco reflector (a passive transponder that makes you searchable by rescue teams), a helmet-compatible hood and a clever pocket that keeps your phone warm to preserve its battery.

Decathlon is a great one-stop shop for affordable ski wear, and we were really impressed with the FR100, which costs less than £100 but performs as well as some jackets that are twice the price. Aimed at competent skiers who might stray off piste, this design packs in waterproofing of 10,000mm, taped seams and a very generous 150g of insulation (which does make the torso of this jacket feel quite bulky). A good snow skirt and adjustable cuffs further trap in heat, making this a lovely choice for colder conditions.

If you’re an experienced skier but still want a jacket that’s good value for money, try the Decathlon FR500 (£159.99, Decathlon.co.uk), which is aimed at freeriders.

If you’re a beginner skier or boarder, buying a reliable ski jacket needn’t break the bank. Mountain Warehouse’s options start from just £34.99 – although, we think the brand’s best all-rounder is the moon II, which is snowproof and insulated enough to keep you comfy during your first lessons or ski holiday to the Alps (it’s unlikely to be weatherproof enough for more-extreme ski adventures).

Decent pockets can store a lift pass and phone, while a snow skirt will keep the white stuff at bay if you take a tumble. Generous sizing and a curve-friendly fit means this is a great choice for plus-size women, and we think the moon II looks rather smart for an affordable option, too.

Indie brand OOSC is best known for its bright and beautiful ski onesies in a range of retro patterns – ideal if you like to turn heads at après. But the brand also offers ski separates, and this season’s new yeh man/yeh girl unisex jacket is a treat. We love outdoor kit with good eco credentials, and the yeh man is made with 100 per cent recycled nylon sourced from old fishing nets.

This is a jacket that’s ready for the elements, with a hefty 20,000mm of waterproofing and taped seams, to keep blizzards at bay. Plus, there’s 80g of synthetic insulation. This a unisex design but it fitted our female tester well and felt roomy without being boxy, with a nice longer length hem for added warmth and space to pop a mid-layer underneath.

This jacket is so comfortable, once you’ve popped it on, you may not want to take it off again until spring. The fit really stood out on test – the boxy padded design is as pleasingly puffy as a down jacket.

Lots of recycled synthetic insulation traps in warmth and is ideal for withstanding cold and windy weather but makes it too warm for spring skiing. Keep in mind this is a bulky jacket and not a slim shell you could stash in your rucksack.

When it comes to ski-specific features, there’s a good adjustable snow skirt and hood, 10,000mm of waterproofing and great comfy thumb loops. A good mid-priced all-rounder that would suit beginner and intermediate skiers.

Meet Sylva: a jacket designed to be the perfect outer layer for ski tourers. This high-performing shell combines excellent waterproofing with the best breathability on test, so you’ll always be protected but will never overheat, even as you skin or splitboard up a steep mountainside.

While there’s limited insulation, that does make this jacket light and freeing to wear, and the Sylva works well when worn with an insulating mid-layer, such as a down jacket in the coldest temperatures. The Sylva is also one of the best-looking jackets we reviewed – you could even wear it as a raincoat for the commute to work.

We reckon this is well worth the investment for great functionality, great looks and a low carbon footprint. It also comes with a lifetime repair warranty, making it a long-term choice.

Arc’teryx packs all the tough weatherproofing and breathability of a shell jacket into the sentinel, then adds a very welcome dose of synthetic insulation. Unlike most insulated jackets we’ve tested, the sentinel isn’t bulky or restrictive and doesn’t make you instantly overheat once you start moving. It’s ideal for the coldest winter days when you’re on and off ski lifts or are touring in the back of beyond.

The sentinel is packed with all the features we look for in the very best ski jacket designs – a great hood, a Recco reflector and Gore-Tex waterproofing. There’s a sentinel to suit every kind of snow sports fan, too: it’s available as an all-in-one ski suit, an anorak, shell jacket or an insulated jacket. 

If you love to ski further afield than the pistes but only tend to make it to the slopes once or twice a year, you’ll want to invest in a great shell jacket that works for more than just snow sports. Enter, Trekitt’s vastra, which has been designed to go effortlessly between mountain adventures, from ski trips and climbing to mountaineering and hiking. This versatile shell proved fully waterproof and windproof on test, with a tough Gore-Tex membrane repelling heavy rain and snow.

We didn’t find it super breathable, so you’ll need to swap to a lighter shell in warm conditions. Nevertheless, Trekitt reckons this jacket is ready to take you “from flying down the Swedish ski slopes, to hiking in the Scottish Highlands”, and we would agree.

The best snowboarding jacket we tested is the beautifully made, well-fitting Verbier – a shell ski jacket that ticked all our boxes. It will keep you reliably dry, thanks to an impressive waterproof membrane, which is still breathable enough to stop you sweating even when you’re boarding hard in the sunshine. On cold days, this jacket fits perfectly over a mid-layer, and the hood is helmet-compatible and easy to adjust.

There are lots of well-placed pockets to hold your phone, goggles and other kit, and the longline fit means the jacket is warm and flattering and keeps your torso well protected. To top it all off, this high performer is made with recycled materials, too.

For a jacket that fits like a second skin, try on UYN’s driftey for size. This insulated jacket is surprisingly stretchy and flattering and moves as you do. Two knitted panels in the shoulders allow the jacket to follow every movement of the arms, without limits or constraints. The only reason we can’t give it top marks for fit is its shorter length, but if you’re not a fan of longer jackets, this may be the ideal choice.

While the jacket has a decent amount of insulation, it’s also surprisingly breathable and waterproof to 20,000mm, meaning this is a great all-rounder if you want just one outerwear item that can tackle the whole winter season.

You’re guaranteed to stay at a cosy temperature in this ski jacket. On the snow, Columbia’s innovative gold reflective lining does a great job of trapping in body heat, which is very welcome when you’re out in bad conditions (or just sitting on a chilly chair lift). Meanwhile, a light layer of insulation further keeps your torso warm but also makes the highland summit breathable enough to be comfy on balmy spring days.

This has all the features we look for in a good jacket, such as a snow skirt, pockets for your lift pass and goggles, and an adjustable hood. It’s also very comfortable to move in, although, we’d go a size up if you aren’t keen on a slim cut (even then, curvy figures may find it doesn’t fit too well).

If you spend all day every day out in harsh winter conditions working as a guide, a snow sports professional or exploring the mountains, you won’t find a better jacket to keep up with you than 66 North’s Hornstrandir.

Designed on Iceland’s harsh coastline with feedback from winter athletes, this hard-as-nails jacket has it all – Gore-Tex waterproofing stops snow in its tracks and the fit is great, with flexible panels that mean you’ll barely notice you’re wearing this shell, even if you’re moving at pace.

The hood fits over a helmet and the jacket sits nicely under a harness for mountaineering adventures. The bright orange colourway is ideal for keeping visible in tough conditions, too.

Bring a bit of blingy style to the mountains with this smart and slim-fitting jacket, which combines a metallic water-resistant shell with a sumptuously soft shearling lining. It’s an eye-catching choice but it’s also extremely comfortable, with a thick filling of animal down that traps in warmth, and an oversized fit that sits nicely over base layers, despite the jacket’s form-fitting looks.

Only water-resistant enough to repel light snow, this jacket is best for those crisp, cold sunny days. It’s also a nice choice if you don’t like sporty designs and want a smart coat you can wear in the city when you’re back from the mountains.

Bring a little style to the slopes in Roxy’s latest collab with American snowboarder Chloe Kim. This eye-catching cloud print jacket (which is reversible, if you fancy rocking two looks) is rather fetching and was also one of the best coats we tested for fit – it has a flattering longer cut and fits curvier women beautifully.

Waterproofing is middle of the road at 10,000mm but will suit most recreational skiers and boarders, and there’s a decent amount of insulation that makes this jacket warmer than a shell but not too hot to wear on warmer days. There’s a well-designed snow skirt, a soft lining and the cuffs feel far nicer to wear than some plastic-y jackets.