The Best Hardshell Jackets of 2023

One metric was truly the deciding factor for landing the Arc’teryx Beta AR Jacket ($600) at the top of the heap, and it’s all in the name. All Round. In a pile of hyper-specialized hardshells, versatility is the name of the game, and the Beta AR balances the scales with ease.

The GORE-TEX Pro variant used in this hardshell is made with Most Rugged tech, a textile that was a collaboration between the teams at Arc’teryx and GORE, and one that touts extreme durability. A 40D face fabric used across the body of the jacket creates a lightweight shell, and is balanced against panels of 80D fabric used in areas of high wear. The perfect combo, in our tester’s opinion.

One of our favorite features of the Beta AR was the tall protective collar, a 2.5-inch tall barrier that allows you the choice of keeping the hood down during gusty conditions. We loved having the choice of a middle-ground option when weather started to kick up, and the microsuede lining on the interior of the collar makes for a comfortable cockpit.

To test the mettle of the Beta AR, we ski toured in Pacific Northwest storm cycles, dry-tooled at dripping crags, and explored the glaciers of the North Cascades National Park, and throughout it all the Beta came out smiling.

While many strictly alpine-focused shells will sacrifice handwarmer pockets in lieu of more function-driven chest pockets, this hardshell opts instead to retain the hand pockets, and adds an additional pocket on the interior of the jacket for extra storage. Not every trip is going to be full-tilt, and having the ability to warm your hands certainly kept us out longer during testing. 

Though both the Beta AR and Alpha SV jackets reside under the regular fit label from Arc’teryx, we found the Beta to better represent the title, while the later jacket was a bit roomier. Perfect for the mountaineer, alpine climber, or ice-aficionado who wants a jacket that’ll do it all, the Arc’teryx Beta AR hits the spot.

Let’s be clear: Hardshell jackets aren’t cheap. But that doesn’t mean you need to spend the big bucks to get your hands on some high-quality protection. The Rab Namche GORE-TEX Jacket ($350) slides in hundreds of dollars below many of the other jackets on our list, and in our testing held up to much of the same abuse.

Crafted from the tried and true 3L GORE-TEX membrane, this jacket puts up the same impressive waterproofing numbers as other GORE membrane shells, but suffers a bit when it comes to breathability at a rated 17,000 g/m². This doesn’t mean it was a slouch in our testing, just that it’ll be one of the first to tap when it comes to high-humidity conditions and hard treks.

The cut is a general all-around style, meaning there’s space beneath for a light fleece, but not much else. The sleeves are articulated for easy overhead reaches or swings, and the underarm vents help make up the difference when really chugging along.

In the field, we took the Namche everywhere we went in our other hardshells — working our way up snowfields and skintracks, and found that this jacket can hang tough. The 75D exterior is a strong weave, and we’ve got confidence that it’ll stand up to seasons of abuse. We were also impressed by the number of features the Namche retains at its price, including a cinch hem, pit zips, wire-stiffened hood brim, and expansive chest pockets.

One of our biggest laments about the Namche is the lack of a truly helmet-compatible hood, which can be a real bummer when conditions are truly brutal and you want to tuck away. We found in testing that a lower profile climbing helmet will fly, but only just. It is, thankfully, a very adjustable hood, like its sibling the Rab Latok Mountain.

Perfect for mountaineers who have already blown their paycheck on the latest boots and tools, the Rab Namche Jacket makes a perfectly serviceable hardshell, and at a much lower price point than others available today.

The word burly gets tossed around a good bit when describing hardshell jackets, but we can assure you that the Mammut Nordwand Advanced HS Jacket ($650) is among the worthy. This jacket doesn’t leave much on the cutting room floor and has the grit to hold out when it’s time to slam the shutters closed.

The Nordwand Advanced HS makes use of the GORE-TEX PRO Most Breathable textile, a variant that bumps up overall breathability at a slight durability ding. The 30D face fabric further bolsters the venting, and while there’s still the unavoidable crinkle of GORE PRO, we found the materials used in the Nordwand to be confidence-inspiring.

At the front of the jacket, two cross-accessible chest pockets are externally pleated to keep bulk to a minimum within the jacket itself. The underarm pit zips are among the most generous we’ve seen at 17 inches long and are dual-zip equipped for easy open and close. And inside the jacket, a small zippered slash pocket stores valuables like a sunscreen stick.

This jacket is similar to the Arc’teryx Alpha SV in terms of roomy cut and feature set — namely the choice of chest over hand pockets and oversized hood and wrist cuffs. These options lean more into the hunker-down ethos, and both jackets are among our top choices for the worst of the worst weather. Compared to the Alpha, we actually prefer the application of the Most Breathable GORE PRO in the more well-rounded Nordwand, over the Alpha’s Most Rugged.

While not the most environmentally friendly, the DWR treatment on the Nordwand is undeniable. This jacket continued to shed water during a particularly wet Pacific Northwest spring far longer than many of the other jackets we tested.

The price tag certainly stings a bit on the Nordwand Advanced HS, but when it comes to an investment piece like a hardshell jacket, the absolute weather protection provided proved far worth the lightening of our wallets.

With almost 25 years under its hem, the Arc’teryx Alpha SV Jacket ($800) makes no excuses for itself when it comes to big terrain, rough weather, and the prospect of an extended stay. Arc’teryx has a well-worn groove in the hardshell game, and with its pinnacle Alpha SV offering being near archetypal at this point, it had little effort in proving itself the best for extreme alpine pursuits in our testing.

The Alpha SV (“Severe Weather”) truly shines when the sun doesn’t — thriving on the spindrift, driving rain, and howling winds that can turn an alpine route into a real sufferfest. A true ‘to-the-hilt’ build means this jacket is hewn from a 100D Most Rugged GORE-TEX Pro material, a new blend that ups the durability to easily the highest in our testing so far. 

The cut is pure alpine, tailoring to the movements of overhead ice tool swinging, ski touring, and the occasional chimney grovel. This articulated design is brought together with minimal stitching and makes use of narrow seam tape that both cuts down on bulk and increases available membrane for vapor relief. Smart.

While the jacket does lack hand-warming pockets, it makes up for it in other available storage for things like belay mittens or a V-thread tool. The twin napoleon pockets on the chest are slant for easy access, and are guarded by highly water-resistant zippers which in our own testing take their job seriously. No water penetrated through any of the zippers during a proper Pacific Northwest alpine storm.

We were a bit puzzled by the lack of a two-way front zipper, (in fact, none of Arc’teryx’s hardshell jackets feature such a zip) which typically can be a boon for belaying while under cover. A bit of tucking makes it manageable. 

Compared to a more all-around hardshell like the Beta AR, the Alpha SV feels like an idea taken to its natural (and rugged) conclusion. And at only an extra 2 ounces of weight, the bump up to a total 100D outer weave and inclusion of a few other alpine niceties means the Alpha is top dog in our book when the weather truly turns for the worst. We wouldn’t second guess ourselves to take this shell from the rime halls of Scotland to deep into the Kichatnas.

Read more about the Arc’teryx Alpha SV jacket in our in-depth review.

At 8.3 ounces and about the size of a good offwidth fist stack when packed, the Patagonia Storm10 Jacket ($329) is a bit antithetical to the typical hardshell recipe. But with a true 3-layer build, this jacket was created with the mountains in mind and makes a compelling argument for going light with your hardshell when it makes sense.

Made from the same H2No membrane as its burlier sibling the Dual Aspect, the Storm10 boasts admirable waterproofing and acceptable breathability. It isn’t quite the action piece you’d want to be huffing and puffing all day in, but for passing squalls and dry snow, its shedding abilities impressed us.

We used the Storm10 this spring as our volcano skiing outer layer, where it turned stiff winds and blown snow with ease. The helmet-compatible hood, while only adjustable via a single cordlock at the back of the head, does feature elastic at the periphery of the opening that keeps the hood out of the way when turning your head.

Astute observers will note the lack of pit zips on this jacket, which while certainly cut to obtain the overall featherweight, do limit the ability to really move moisture out of the jacket. 

In terms of feature set, the Storm10 comes stripped down of a lot of the bulk that weights down more fortified hardshell jackets, but retains a number of important ones, such as dual handwarmer pockets (with internal hem adjustment), water-resistant zippers, a RECCO reflector, and a single chest pocket with hang loop for parking the shell on the back of your harness.

It won’t be your alpine fortress for everything, but for low-probability, high-consequence weather forecasts, the Storm10 Jacket more than makes the grade in our books.

For long days on the skin track or technical entrances to steep couloir skiing, the Ortovox 3L Ortler Jacket ($550) impressed us the most when it came time to reach for a hardshell we wanted to use for ski-accessed pursuits in the mountains.

While GORE continues to dominate the heavy-duty waterproofing scene, the Dermizax NX fabric used in the Ortler jacket is one that we have been excited about for a while. This unique nonporous membrane specs out at 20,000 mm of waterproofing, and an impressive 40,000 g/m² breathability rating, placing it head and shoulders over many other membranes.

The added bonus of using a nonporous membrane is the inherent stretch incorporated into the material, which is key since the Ortler has what many in North America would call the Euro fit — a slimmer cut that prioritizes moving with the body over an ability to layer under the jacket. This is something we can absolutely get behind during high-output activities like ski touring.

While not the most feature-rich (the Ortler only hosts a single chest pocket, in addition to a small upper arm pocket), this hardshell hits the high points with a two-way adjustable hood, chunky wrist cuffs, 13-inch pit zips, and a two-way front zipper to accommodate ski-mountaineering harnesses. We will note that the zippers used in this jacket employ a finer tooth than most other hardshells, and when grappling at them with gloves on, they could be a little finicky to adjust.

Using the 3L Ortler Jacket this spring in the skin track, we found it to be the perfect companion for when squalls blew up and we needed the extra protection. While in other hardshells we typically need to unzip both pit zips and the main zip a bit to maintain the breathability equilibrium, the Ortler was perfectly happy buttoned up as we huffed into the high country.

While the name may not be familiar to some, the Norwegians behind Norrøna certainly know harsh weather — and how to protect against it. Norrøna was the first company to bring GORE-TEX to Europe, and since then has been refining its use for high-end hardshell wear like the Trollveggen Pro Light Jacket ($649).

This jacket certainly lives up the history as well. The shell is a more well-rounded version of the company’s straight-ahead Trollveggen Jacket, a storm bunker that uses 70D fabric throughout. In contrast, the Pro Light aims to be a more active and svelte version, opting for a 40D GORE-TEX Pro Most Breathable across the jacket, in addition to 70D reinforcements on the hood, shoulders, and elbows.

Given a “technical” fit label from Norrøna, the Trollveggen Pro Light is a bit trimmer than the rest of the brand’s more ski-focused shells, but that isn’t to say it’s snug. We find that Norrøna is second to only Arc’teryx when it comes to savvy articulated cuts that anticipate the maximum of motion the hardshell might expect to see during use.

Rounding out the alpine-centric feature set is a pair of napoleon pockets on the chest, asymmetric wrist cuffs with generous hand protection, a two-way front zip, underarm pit zips, and a long drop hem that provides protection for your backside. Set beside other jackets in our mix, this compares well to the Arc’teryx Alpha SV or Mammut Nordwand Advanced HS.

The hood, while generous and made to fit climbing and ski helmets alike, is only wrangled by a single cordlock at the rear of the head — which we found to be a bit light in the adjustability department. Without the further ability to batter down the hatches, this hood can flap a bit more than other hardshells.

Perfect for long alpine ridge routes or mixed terrain where the difference between making the move is mere inches, the Norrøna Trollveggen Pro Light has all of the baked-in mobility and durability to see you to the summit.

One of the few hardshell jackets to toss the yoke of a build with PFCs in it (that’s perfluorinated chemicals), the Patagonia Dual Aspect ($479) is on the leading edge of what a hardshell jacket can be without harming the alpine environment you’ve set out to enjoy.

Patagonia has been ditching the nasty forever chemicals since 2019, but the Dual Aspect jacket is the first alpine-specific piece in the line-up to get the treatment. Crafted from Patagonia’s proprietary H2No 3-layer membrane, we found the Dual Aspect to perform on par with the original 3-layer GORE-TEX, with possibly a slight ding on the overall longevity of the waterproofing.

Typical of a Patagonia shell, we found the overall cut to be a little more generous than the slimmer jackets like the Ortovox Ortler or Helly Hansen Odin 9 World. This makes layering a breeze, and the slick jersey-backer interior allows for easy motion without bunching up. The sleeves are a bit long, but this allows for easy overhead tool swinging without hem-lift annoyance.

The chest profile of the Dual Aspect is a clean and snag-free design that ensures slings tossed over the shoulder won’t be a hassle to retrieve on lead. The twin chest pockets are hidden away behind storm flaps, and the two handwarmer pockets are set off to the side and above any harness or pack hipbelts.

We were surprised at the overall lightweight fabric used in this jacket — a 30-denier weave that while lightweight, kept our hackles up over the long-term durability. Even Patagonia’s top-tier GORE-TEX Pro build jacket, the Pluma, only uses a 40D face fabric. This doesn’t warrant full-time kid glove treatment, but that ice chimney you were eyeing may have a bit more bite than you want.

Pushing the scale in any one direction is bound to require some course correction, but by taking their time to refine the formula, Patagonia is moving the needle in the right direction when it comes to sustainable hardshells, and the Dual Aspect is proof positive of that.

Sporting a new take on waterproofing, the Helly Hansen Odin 9 World Infinity Shell ($600) makes use of a waterproof membrane that makes the bold claim of never needing a DWR treatment again.

The LIFA Infinity Pro membrane is Helly Hansen’s proprietary new weave that combines an expanded polypropylene waterproof membrane with a LIFA face fabric that is inherently hydrophobic, requiring no chemical DWR finishes whatsoever to maintain waterproofness. Very tech.

During use, we found the Odin 9 World to be better poised as a ski or general mountaineering piece, versus something you might bring along on alpine rock. The unique weave is a bit stiffer than other hardshell jackets, and overall mobility is a bit limited for that reason.

The hood of the Odin 9 World was one of the more adjustable in our review, with buried cordlocks for the sides of the hood, as well as twin shockcords at the back of the hood to manipulate the crown and peripheral openings. A stiffened brim tops it off, along with a RECCO reflector that can make life easier for ski patrols and search and rescue outfits.

The two handwarmer pockets also bucked convention with dual zipper openings, as well as being externally pleated, meaning they expand outward when filled as opposed to toward the torso. Functionally we found that we often don’t carry enough in our jacket pockets to make much of a difference either way, but stashing bulky belay mitts would ride better in the Odin 9 World.

The fit of this hardshell jacket, unfortunately, is a bit snugger than we’d like, leaving little room for layering much beneath the shell when the temps dip. This is combined with a stiff material that doesn’t move very well with your body, which led to a bit of a wrestling match when pulling active moves on ice or rock. We’d recommend sizing up because of this.

Trust the Brits to nail the idea of a hardshell jacket. With two weights of GORE-TEX Pro Most Breathable, a two-way harness-friendly zipper, and one of the best hoods we’ve draped over our noggins, the Rab Latok Mountain ($525) hits all the high points we’re looking for.

With 80D GORE across the shoulders and sleeves, and 40D elsewhere, this jacket aims to shore up the durability where it’s needed and cut the weight where it’s not. A YKK Vislon front zip brings it all together, and is two-way directional to accommodate easy belaying while maintaining good coverage. There’s even a snap to keep the jacket from flapping away while opened.

While it does sport a generous opening for a gloved hand, the single chest pocket, unfortunately, shares volume with the left-hand warmer pocket, and in circumstances where both are occupied it can be a fight to get storage out of either.

We’ve always been fans of the care that Rab gives to the hoods of their hardshells, and the Latok Mountain is no different. The hood is three-way adjustable, with concealed cordlocks for the side adjustments tucked away near the chin of the hood. A wire-stiffened peak stays where you want it, and the whole hood can be stowed away when not needed. 

The only fault we can find is that this jacket’s hood lacks the unique ability that its higher-end cousin, the Latok Alpine, does: stashing the loose cord ends when extended and avoiding being flayed in the face by them in a stiff wind.

Rounding out the Latok Mountain are 15-inch underarm pit zips that feature two different types of zipper pulls — one plastic, one knotted cord — to help with differentiating which will open or close the vents. A smart design, which is actually something we could say about the whole of this jacket.

With a classic alpine cut, tasteful feature set, and a waterproof fabric that puts big breathability numbers up on the board, The North Face Summit Torre Egger Jacket ($575) is hard to deny. We’ve been big fans of the FUTURELIGHT membrane since it debuted in 2019, and it finds an excellent application in the Torre Egger, a hardshell that’s meant to be climbed in all day.

While most of the high-ranking hardshell jackets in our review utilize some flavor of GORE-TEX, The North Face has a good thing going for itself when it comes to its FUTURELIGHT membrane, which claims a breathability rate of 75,000 g/m². Unreal.

Adding to those impressive numbers is a hybrid fabric design on the Torre Egger, which uses a 70D recycled nylon across the body of the shell, and a 20D in the underarms to further increase moisture management. This cut is all sewn up with no shoulder seams to reduce wear areas, and gussets under the arms for full tool swinging ability.

So how does the Torre Egger stack up in the mountains? It can definitely hang. During our testing, we intentionally battened down the hatches and set about hiking up the hill, aiming to overwhelm the breathability. While no hardshell is magic (we’re waiting …), we can say that the Torre Egger held out the longest of any jacket in our review when it comes to moving moisture out.

This jacket compares easily to the Mammut Nordwand Advanced HS or Arc’teryx Beta AR jackets when it comes to overall fit and function. All utilize a premium waterproof membrane, similar prices, and boast feature sets that put them in the middle-upper ends of their respective lines. But when you prioritize breathability over all else? Grab the Torre Egger.

With a full GORE-TEX Pro build, smart hood design, and close to the most pockets of any jacket in our testing, the Stio Objective Pro Jacket ($699) follows the ideal hardshell jacket recipe and delivers a solid shell.

Cut from the ski-centric patterns of Jackson Hole-based Stio, the Objective Pro was made for the deep powder of the Tetons, but is adaptable enough to be brought along on mountaineering objectives. 

During testing, we appreciated the two-way front zipper on this jacket — not something we typically see on more ski-styled shells — as well as the helmet-compatible hood that accommodated both climbing and ski helmets.

Instead of opting to deck out this jacket in either lower torso pockets or high chest pockets, the Objective Pro goes for both — though unfortunately at the expense of sharing volume between pockets. This means that the pocket space overlap, and that filling one pocket greatly limits the usability of the other.

One bright side, however, is the novel inclusion of a ‘pass-through’ pocket on the jacket’s right chest, which allows for layering adjustment and grabbing an avalanche beacon without totally stripping the shell. Smart.

At 1 pound, 5 ounces, the Objective Pro certainly tips the scales compared to the rest of our line-up and is likely due to its all-70D construction (versus hybrid fabric weights in other jackets). This undoubtedly ups the durability, though at the expense of weight.

Compared to the pared-down skimo styling of some jackets, the Mountain Hardwear Viv ($725) practically has the kitchen sink in additional features — even some we hadn’t encountered before. Among the most unique are a strip of fabric below the hood that functions as a radio mounting point, as well as deep internal drop pockets and a “skin pin” system for hanging climbing skins to warm.

All those features certainly don’t come for free, and the Viv is on the heavier end of the spectrum for jackets we tested at 1 pound, 2 ounces. But for those who need a hardshell jacket for a number of different mountain activities, this jacket fairly well covers the spread.

Made from a 30D GORE-TEX Pro waterproof membrane, you can be assured of high-level waterproofing and breathability performance with this jacket. Topping off the protection is a helmet-compatible hood, and underarm pit zips for venting off heat when the skin track turns into a booter.

When it comes to hood adjustments, the Viv is one of the few hardshell jackets that opt to route the front-of-hood adjustment cords to the inside of the hood (the other on our list being The North Face Torre Egger). The upside to this is no loose cords to fuss with, though adjustment will require zipping down the shell briefly to fine-tune the fit.

On the outside of the jacket, the Viv goes for the full compliment and integrates two Napoleon pockets, as well as two zippered hand pockets for the ultimate blend of storage and comfort. In terms of sizing, this shell certainly skews further toward the “ski” of ski mountaineering, and has a fairly roomy cut for getting insulation on board.

Made to do it all, the Viv Jacket from Mountain Hardwear is perfect for those with minimal closet space, or simply difficulty choosing exactly what they plan on getting into that day.