The Best Women’s Ski Jackets of 2023
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Looking to update your ski kit with something fly and functional? You've come to the right place. The best women's ski jackets of the year feature high-tech fabrics designed to keep you warm and dry, flattering cuts, and built-in niceties like ample pockets, helmet-compatible hoods, and glove-friendly zippers. Some of these choices are ideal for ladies who run cold and prefer insulation and a longer cut to protect the derriere on the chair; others are as eco-friendly as they are techy; and some are style-statements first and foremost, but still pack a performance punch.
Whatever type of ski jacket you're looking for to complement your kit and keep the weather at bay, you'll find something that fits the bill on this list. Each of these ski jackets comes highly recommended by our crew of apparel testers, a mix of outdoor industry professionals of all shapes and sizes who know from experience what really counts in a great ski jacket.
Don’t miss: The best women’s ski pants of 2023
How We Test
Number of testers: 9
Product considered: 30
Number of days testing product: 4-10
Average height of testers: 5'6''
We enlisted a group of nine female gear testers based in different parts of the country--from Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming to Colorado to Vermont-- to ensure this year's crop of ski jackets was put to test in a variety of weather conditions. All testers were asked to ski in their test jacket for a minimum of four days, then provide written feedback of how the jacket performed across different categories, including waterproofing, breathability, insulation, fit, comfort, and style. We then reviewed their feedback to parse out the best women's ski jackets of 2023.
Reviews: The Best Women's Ski Jackets of 2023
Black Crows Ferus Mechanical Jacket ($540)
Size: Women's XS to L
Weight: 2.1 lbs
Insulation: No
Pros: Long-cut sleeves with internal gaiters; warm without being bulky
Cons: Hood doesn't quite fit over a helmet; beautiful, but not steezy
We loved the buttery feel and clean design of the Ferus Mechanical. Its posh, softshell-like fabric was windproof, waterproof, eye-catching (it comes in four colors), and unrestrictive. It's insulated with ultra-warm synthetic that's so low profile, it looks like just a shell. Tester Grace Simmons said, "I'm always cold. But skiing in this jacket at Sugarbush, Vermont, on a subzero day, I shed a layer after two runs." The Ferus is fitted, but cut long in the back. Elbow-to-waist pit zips provided venting. Fish goggles or gloves out of the inner stuff pocket and you flash the playful map-printed liner. Two outer chest pockets and the pass pocket have waterproof zips; the main zipper is also waterproof. An inner chest pocket comes with a tethered lens wipe. The jacket was slim enough to keep snow out without the zip-in powder skirt. Long-cut sleeves cinched with broad, glove-friendly Velcro tabs and had lycra inner sleeves with thumbholes that kept snow out of our gloves.
Burton Pyne 2L Jacket ($270)
Size: Women's XXS to XXL
Weight: 1.9 lbs
Insulation: No
Pros: Insulated media pocket with cord routing; killer price
Cons: Must size down for a less-baggy fit; not as breathable as some
Steeze, stretch, and an asymmetric, two-way front zipper made this jacket a favorite. Burton's weather-ready, two-layer Pyne is also quick drying. Mesh-lined zip vents added breathability, a two-way adjustable hood sealed out wind and weather, and the removable powder skirt locked in warmth and kept out snow. "It is loose, but slender, and easy to move in," said tester Grace Simmons. The coat and sleeve length were "perfect" for testers from 5 feet 3 inches to 6 feet tall. The long cut kept everyone's butt dry and protected on icy and snowy ski lifts. Though the jacket is longer than most, the lower pockets are both flattering and functional. Riding with tunes, we loved the thermal media pocket. "I was stoked to find it had a cord port and ample room for any size phone," noted Stowe, Vermont, skier Alix Klein. Burton built this jacket with Bluesign materials that minimize impact on people and our planet.
Picture Seen Jacket ($300)
Size: Women's XS to XL
Weight: 2.5 lbs
Insulation: No
Pros: Eco-friendly; cozy brushed lining and hand pockets
Cons: Pow skirt doesn't zip out; one-way center zip
The Picture Seen treads more lightly on the planet than most jackets, yet still has the features we want: fully taped seams, an adjustable hood, and waterproof zips throughout. Thoughtful details like lycra inner sleeves with thumbholes, a stretch snow skirt, and a jacket-to-pants snap interface won testers over. Grand Targhee, Wyoming, tester Susan Mol shared, "I was warm enough on the lift and comfortable riding through chopped-up powder, which typically makes me overheat. The Seen wasn't too hot while bootpacking Mary's Nipple." The secret sauce is Picture's body-mapped Thermal Dry System, which has extra wicking power mid-back, where skiers sweat most. Mol also loved the colors and lines. "The jacket isn't too girly. I wasn't self-conscious wearing it as an outdoor professional. I also love Picture's charter to 'use business as a force for good.' I feel proud to wear a brand that pushes hard to fight climate change."
Flylow Sarah Anorak ($280)
Size: Women's XS to XL
Weight: 2 lbs
Insulation: Yes
Pros: Roomy fit makes layering easy; efficient insulation
Cons: No hem snap to keep side zip closed; no pass pocket
Add some attitude to your resort laps with Flylow's retro, two-layer insulated anorak. The Sarah is warm, but not sweaty, and roomy, yet has shape. "It wasn't a super-feminine cut, but it also wasn't too boxy," said tester Grace Simmons. "And the over-the-butt length was really good." Made with 10k/10k waterproof, breathable fabric and 60 grams of recycled insulation, it's a pullover everyone praised. "This anorak made me feel badass, like one of the cool kids," shared Sun Valley, Idaho, tester Cassie Abel. Pit zips and a long side vent, paired with a deep chest zip, lets you adjust your temperature as the day warms up. A zippered chest pocket keeps your phone at hand. It's insulated, but if you ski the East or it's a cold day, plan to add a midlayer.
FW Apparel W Catalyst Fusion Jacket ($650)
Size: Women's XS to XL
Weight: 2.6 lbs
Insulation: Yes (removable puffy)
Pros: Can be worn three ways; pockets galore
Cons: Must size up for looser fit; puffy sleeves get hung up when taking jacket off
The three-in-one goes new school with FW's W Catalyst Fusion. The workwear-inspired jacket has a 2.5-layer waterproof ripstop shell that snaps and zips to an insulated inner jacket, and it's versatile enough to wear all year. Testers reported it's light yet tough--it resisted branch snags and ski cuts, but remained soft, pliable, and fully unrestrictive when carving. With the synthetic-insulation puffy zipped in, this jacket can handle the coldest days, and the puffy's removable collar eliminates extra bulk at the neck. For urban adventures and nights out, that stylish puffy can hang solo and is an attention grabber when paired with jeans or shell pants. The jacket has tons of pockets of every style: Velcro close, zipper close, and stash, including inside and outside stash pockets in the puffy. A zippered media pocket protects your phone, but is easy enough to access to crank your tunes whenever. A stash-pocket lens wipe takes care of condensation, while mesh-lined side vents extend this jacket's season. Bonus: Testers affirm that the hood is truly helmet compatible.
Stio Women's Environ XT Anorak ($429)
Size: Women's XS to XL
Weight: 1.3 lbs
Insulation: No
Pros: Lots of venting; fun colors with contrasting zippers
Cons: No internal pockets; fabric is loud
Made for mountain-town living and big-mountain shredding, Stio's Environ Anorak is basic, functional, and fun to wear. The colorful jacket has all the features a skier needs: a hood that easily slides over a helmet, long-cut sleeves with glove-friendly wrist tabs, a pass pocket, pit zips, and a snap at the bottom of the hem-to-biceps zip to keep it closed. What's more: Stio uses 100-percent-recycled polyester face fabric and a fully seam-sealed construction to make this pullover both eco-friendly and functional. Paired with waterproof zippers, it gave us bomber weather protection. A fleecy panel at the chin prevents chafing when the shell is zipped. Because not all resorts use RFID, this jacket has a sleeve pass pocket as well as a hem loop for a wire wicket. Cinch down the hood and hem and you won't have to wrestle them open; they adjust with press-to-release cord locks. We love the long sleeves, the mid-long cut, and the heavier fabric that makes us feel like we could weather any storm.
Scott Vertic 3L Women's Jacket ($370)
Size: Women's XS to XL
Weight: 1.2 lbs
Insulation: No
Pros: Freeride styling; super breathable
Cons: One-way pit zips; no internal stuff pockets
Rated 15k waterproof/10k breathable, Scott's Vertic 3L can handle the sweat that comes with skiing big lines while taking the sting out of harsh weather. This women's jacket is packed with features without looking or feeling busy: internal cuffs with thumb loops, an anti-chafe chin guard, elbows-to-ribs pit zips, and seamless shoulders that eliminate pressure points when wearing a pack. Made from light, stretchy polyester, it's got an adjustable, helmet-compatible hood, and a fixed powder skirt with jacket-to-pants interlock that keeps the weather out. Low-profile pockets have easy-to-open waterproof zips. "The two front pockets were my favorite," said Sun Valley, Idaho, tester Sarah Kope. "They kept my hands out of the wind, held a pocket beer, and gave me easy phone access." All who tested this jacket praised its relaxed fit and flattering shape. We also love the articulated sleeves and stretch, which make it easy to move. The hood is the perfect width and depth, and the jacket zips high enough, but not so high as to feel suffocating.
The North Face Women's Tsirku Futurelight Jacket ($750)
Size: Women's XS to XL
Weight: 1.5 lbs
Insulation: No
Pros: High neck wards off bad weather; cut long in back and sleeves
Cons: Stiff fabric; no powder skirt
The most breathable waterproof jacket we tested, The North Face's Tsirku practically takes weather out of the equation. It's also super durable, ski-edge resistant, and tough enough to get you through many seasons. "It's like a bulletproof vest against winter, but still light, and it moves well," said Vermont tester Berne Broudy. The three-layer jacket is fully featured without feeling overbuilt: pass pocket, internal stuff pockets big enough for skins, and four external pockets that holds everything you need for a day on the slopes or an off-piste side trip. Zippered pass-throughs in both chest pockets lets you access contents from either side. Articulated elbows make holding a pole comfortable, and the helmet-compatible hybrid hood has a riveted cord lock for easy adjustment. Perforations in the brushed chin guard keep condensation minimal when fully zipped, and an internal radio pocket has cord routing. There's no powder skirt, but it doesn't need one, especially when paired with bibs. The waist cinch is enough to keep snow out in deep conditions.
Patagonia Storm Shift Jacket ($479)
Size: Women's XXS to XL
Weight: 1.6 lbs
Insulation: Yes
Pros: PFC-free Gore-Tex membrane, fabric, DWR; body-mapped fleece lining
Cons: Snug collar; traditional styling, muted colors
Patagonia's Storm Shift sets a new eco standard for ski gear. "I love that this fully waterproof kit is durable and made without damaging chemicals," said tester Sam Berman after four days skiing in Montana. "I'd buy it for that reason alone." The PFC-free, 100-percent-recycled jacket is "guaranteed to keep you dry," like every Gore-Tex product. The shell has a high warmth-to-weight ratio, with a fleecy body-mapped zigzag inside that wicks moisture and dries fast. The powder skirt clips into Patagonia snow pants for bib-like protection. "On cold mornings, I was grateful for the fleece lining," added Berman. "It gave me extra warmth until I could get moving. But the jacket wasn't too hot on warm days, and I could dump heat through the generous armpit zips. The soft and silky Storm Shift is a solid one-kit quiver for resort skiing in all but the coldest or warmest temperatures. Storm skiing, there was no perceptible performance difference between this and any other Gore-Tex jacket."
Jones Mountain Surf Anorak ($440)
Size: Women's XS to L
Weight: 2 lbs
Insulation: No
Pros: Relaxed fit; abrasion-resistant shoulders for wearing a pack
Cons: Sleeves could be a tad longer; light sleeve fabric
The Mountain Surf Anorak is comfortably baggy with a cool-without-trying vibe. Made for layering, it uses burly yet supple fabric in the hood and shoulders to resist abuse from pack straps and branches. Buttery lighter fabric on the torso and sleeves keeps weight down and doesn't snag. "Oversized and comfortable, this jacket is versatile and sturdy," praised tester Alix Klein. Sleeves--long enough for all but our tallest testers--cinch down with big Velcro tabs. The large kangaroo pocket and connected hand pockets hold a phone, gloves, and a sandwich. Fully waterproof, it has zippered pit vents, and a full side zip make it easy to get the jacket on and off, though it's forgiving enough to put on without unzipping. The helmet-compatible hood has a fleecy neck liner and perforations to disperse condensation. Hidden pull cords in the hood and hem allow for gloves-on fine-tuning. The side-snapping powder skirt, and a snap at the hem that keeps the side zip from opening, are exceptionally well done.
More 2023 Gear Reviews
The best women’s all-mountain skis of 2023
The best women’s backcountry ski boots of 2023
The best helmets of the year
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