Powder Review: Rossignol SKPR 3L Jacket and Bibs

Cy Whitling
·6 min read

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In a nutshell

The Rossignol SKPR 3L kit is one of the more interesting outerwear combinations I skied in last year, and while it doesn’t quite hit the “backcountry specific” mark that Rossignol set for it, it’s still got a solid feature set for the right skier.

  • Size Tested: XL

  • Materials: SYMPATEX Membrane 45/45K

  • Pockets: Zippered hand pockets, zippered pass pocket, interior drop-in pockets

  • Vents: Underarm zip vents

  • Features: Helmet compatible hood, fleece chin guard, adjustable hood and hem, thumb loops

  • Weight: 686 g

  • MSRP: $475

The Rossignol SKPR Jacket is available now.

  • Size Tested: Large

  • Materials: 100% Polyester 15/20K

  • Pockets: One zippered chest pocket, two thigh pockets, one rear pocket

  • Vents: Outer and inner thigh vents

  • Features: Adjustable suspenders, scuff guards, gaiters, reinforced knees

  • Weight: 870 g

  • MSRP: $395

The Rossignol SKPR 3L bibs are available now.

Intro

Rossignol, yes, that Rossignol, makes outerwear in addition to their excellent ski lineup. They say that their SKPR line is designed to: “Charge through the trees. Lay first tracks in the backcountry. Indulge your sense of adventure.” They also say the line is built for “ski touring in all conditions.” That’s a pretty interesting claim because when I hold or wear these garments I’d swear I was in an inbounds kit. So we’ll be breaking down how the SKRP does as a pure touring set, and how it performs inbounds as well.

Fit

Sometimes when reviewing backcountry outerwear from the more European brands, I’m worried about intimate fits and outlandishly tight cuts. Worry not, the SKPR kit is generously cut. At 6’1” 200 lbs I generally go with XL tops and Large bottoms. On my frame the XL SKPR jacket is steezy. It’s probably the biggest, baggiest jacket I wore last year. That’s not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind. These are cut with a freestyle bent, not an alpinist bias. The SKPR bib is similar–it’s got plenty of extra space everywhere.

This cut is not my top choice for long alpine days spent trying to move efficiently through the mountains, but it’s great for shorter tours and inbounds skiing.

Pockets and Features

You may have noticed that the pocket and features list up top is a little shorter than usual. That speaks to the SKPR’s stated intentions for backcountry travel. That said, I think the bias of the pockets and features the SKPR has are a little different than the norm and worth diving into.

The SKPR 3L Jacket has three external pockets: two zippered hand pockets and a pass pocket. The zippered hand pockets as the only external pocket are an interesting choice. They’re inaccessible when wearing a pack, which you should be doing in the backcountry, and don’t really fit skins comfortably. You can put skins in there, but they make a part of your body bulky that really shouldn’t be. And there’s no obvious spot for your phone, inside or out of the jacket. That’s not a huge deal, but I kept finding myself surprised by that. I really don’t like skiing with my phone in a hand pocket, since it ends up whacking my gut and legs, so I ended up putting it in the bibs, which means it’s a little extra hassle to access. I didn’t realize how accustomed to zippered chest pockets I’ve become until I didn’t have them.

I think there might be a reason that two big chest pockets are becoming the de facto standard for backcountry jackets. They’re accessible and practical in the backcountry, and it was weird to use a jacket without at least one of them.

The SKPR 3L Bib’s pocket layout is non-traditional as well. There are four pockets total, and none of them are beacon pockets. The chest pocket is nicely sized for a phone, and either of the thigh pockets would work for a beacon, but neither of them has an internal anchor. That means you’re left wearing your beacon in a harness, which, when combined with bibs and a pack (and maybe a climbing harness), makes for more straps than a bondage party.

Otherwise, the SKPR kit has well thought out features. Pit zips dump heat nicely, the hood works well over helmets and is adjustable, along with the hem, and the elastic thumb loops keep the sleeves in place while being unobtrusive.

On the bibs, the combo of inner and outer thigh vents means you can get a mean crossflow ripping and dump a lot of heat fast. The suspenders are fully removable and adjustable, and there’s a longer zipper on the left side that makes dropping trou in the backcountry more accessible.

Performance

I really got hung up on the missing chest pocket and missing beacon pocket on the SKPR kit. This is meant to be a fully backcountry-optimized set of outerwear, and it’s missing two pretty important pockets. But pockets aside, the SKPR kit does work nicely for a lot of ski days. The jacket is quite breathable and waterproof. That 45/45K rating is nice to see, and it did a great job of keeping the elements out on some really deep days, without getting too swampy inside.

It makes sense to make less breathable pants (although I wish they had the same waterproofing rating as the jacket) in favor of durability, since most of that heat is coming off your core, not your legs. The reinforced knees will be appreciated by anyone who has to spend time kneeling in the snow for work, and I’m always a fan of the inner/outer vent combo, because it dumps heat really well.

The best outerwear kits disappear while you’re skiing–you’re not thinking about them, just about the task at hand. But in the SKPR kit, I found myself noticing them a lot, both when I reached for my phone to grab a clip of my partners or navigate, and when I had to dig my rarely-used beacon harness out of the back of the closet.

I’m not sure the SKPR is a perfectly-optimized backcountry kit yet, but it does perform really well inbounds. It’s burly, durable feeling, and comfortable, which is a great combo.

Who is the perfect skier for the SKPR Kit?

If you don’t need your phone close at hand, and don’t like beacon pockets, you’ll be a great candidate for this kit. Beyond that, anyone looking for a steezy, weatherproof kit could do worse than the SKPR.