The Best Ski Jackets for Men of 2026

The Mountain Hardwear Mythogen Jacket ($700) has 100% recycled face fabric and includes GORE-TEX PRO with ePE for big mountain and backcountry abuse. It caught our eye at the Winter Outdoor Market Alliance (OMA) trade show. We got an early sample and used it for in-bounds and backcountry skiing in Colorado and in Chamonix through the end of 2024/25.

When you pick this shell up, it’s immediately clear it’s a bomber piece of kit. The membrane is light and low-bulk but very durable and downright impervious to wind and water. The two-way waterproof front zipper accommodates a climbing harness for ski mountaineering objectives. The water-resistant pit zips are smooth and easy to pull, and the powder skirt zips off.

Pockets are everywhere on the Mythogen Jacket, too. It has two chest pockets, two gusseted hip pockets, two internal mesh dump pockets, and an insulated interior phone pocket to protect your device’s battery.

The helmet-compatible hood snaps back, securing it to the jacket so it’s out of the way and keeping a low profile when not in use. Big button-style drawcord releases make it easy to adjust the fit and cinch or loosen the hood, collar, and hem, even if you’re wearing gloves.

One of our favorite features was the perforated draft flap under the main zipper. It snaps closed at the top, so you can leave the jacket partially unzipped but still have full, ventilated face coverage.

In testing, this jacket continually impressed us with Mountain Hardwear’s thoughtful design elements. It would do well as a backcountry jacket, although it might be a little heavy for long-distance, high-output skins. However, this would be one of our top picks for any excursion into deep powder or on steep, technical slopes. That’s the terrain this jacket was designed for.

As for ski style, the brand swung for the fences. The color scheme uses earth tones that pop, and the jacket’s cut is long enough to cover your rear when you sit down. Mountain Hardwear made sure its Mythogen jacket had as much steeze as it does technical features.

When GearJunkie reviewed this kit, we concluded that “for skiers who want to pursue big, technical objectives, or those who want a durable kit that can handle any weather and hard use, the Mythogen Kit is a great option.”

This season, Helly Hansen upgraded its Helly Hansen Ridge Infinity Jacket ($725), a calculated layer for big mountain, side-country, heli skiing, and resorts. We tested the Ridge Infinity 2.0 jacket in Colorado and Utah, skiing in bounds, side country, and backcountry. It was everything we needed for the conditions we encountered.

The shell is hydrophobic, waterproof, windproof, and breathable thanks to a combination of 3L fabric construction and a LIFA INFINITY membrane. Both technologies are proprietary to Helly Hansen and are made without added solvents or PFAS.

The Ridge Infinity Jacket is light enough to backcountry skin in, but is by no means “ultralight.” This burly shell is durable enough to withstand hard use in backcountry conditions. The 3L shell material also has a two-way mechanical stretch, making movement feel less restricted. Articulated sleeves also free up the movement of your arms.

Two gusseted chest pockets are big enough to store any devices, tools, or snacks. The left chest pocket is lined with Primaloft Aerogel to insulate and protect your phone or beacon’s battery against the cold. Inside, there’s one large mesh dump pocket that is perfectly sized for gloves or skins.

Then, there are some extra comfort details that make a big difference in the user experience. The elastic cuffs have thumb holes that are easy to slide into, and the hand pockets and chin are lined with soft, brushed fleece. This is a surprisingly comfortable jacket for such a technical piece of gear.

The Ridge Infinity jacket is intended for short boot-packing or skinning excursions to access better snow. However, the brand notes it is not intended for all-day ski touring. The all-season jacket does run slightly large, so consider trying one on before you buy or simply sizing down.

Stio clearly tried to think of everything when designing the Stio Environ Shell ($465). Not only can almost every aspect of this jacket be adjusted (from the hem to the cuffs and the removable hood), but its PeakProof 3L membrane is 100% recycled and, as the name suggests, capable of handling almost anything mountain environments can throw at you.

Throughout testing, we found it to be exceptionally windproof, blocking freezing gusts of alpine air, and waterproof, easily shedding spring snow and moisture. The jacket boasts four pockets on the outside (five if you count the pass pocket on the arm) and security and stash pockets inside.

Breathability-wise, this fully seam-sealed and taped jacket doesn’t earn wildly high marks. But it has two-way pit zips, which allow you to control heat and ventilate moisture well.

When fully zipped, the brushed tricot collar and chin guard were comfortable. The zipper and cuff tabs are outfitted with easy-to-grab rubber pulls that we could adjust even with bulky gloves. All the zippers are water-resistant YKK Aquaguard and have really smooth action when pulled. We didn’t have issues with the zippers getting caught or double zippers breaking open during testing (as we saw with some other jackets).

In fact, the only zipper we struggled with was the non-water-resistant zipper that allows the hood to detach. It was a little sticky and didn’t have as smooth an action as the other zippers. That would only present a real problem, though, if you were removing and reattaching your hood often or on the go.

The Stio Environ jacket has a more traditional cut and fit than some of the other more style-forward jackets on this list, which will appeal to some. It’s slightly boxier and doesn’t offer as much backside protection. But it fits true to size, and the ample adjustability points make it easy to dial in depending on how many layers you’re wearing.

Overall, the Environ is a really comfortable ski shell with practical features. It’s not a first choice for high-output backcountry skiing, as its breathability isn’t great. But for all else, the Stio Environ jacket is a well-designed, bomber piece of gear.

Stellar is new to U.S. markets, but the Swedish brand has been around for a while. The Stellar Equipment Stellar Shell ($700) is one of its flagship products, and when we started testing it this season, we realized why. This shell is not bedecked with bells and whistles, features, functions, and extras. It’s a fairly basic ski shell made with high-quality materials and a clean design. It’s billed for freeriding, ski-touring, and sidecountry skiing.

This jacket is made with 100% pre-consumer recycled Japanese nylon fabric, and a Dermizax NX membrane provides waterproofing and breathability. In testing, this material has proven to be very durable and seems like it will hold up well over multiple seasons of use and abuse. The articulated arms fit well and allow for easy, free movement.

The 3L Dermizax NX membrane is moisture permeable (so it can wick sweat), and there are also two oversized two-way pit zips to aid in ventilation and to dump heat when you need to. The vents reach from the middle abdomen to the elbow, so you can easily adjust how much heat you’re dumping.

Elastic cords in the hood, collar, and hem are easy to grab and adjust with gloved hands. Unlike some elastic adjusters, it’s simple to release tension and loosen them up if you need more space.

All of the zippers use YKK Aquaguard for water resistance. They pull easily, and we’ve had no issues with zippers sticking or getting caught on this jacket. However, the two-way zipper at the front requires extra care when you’re connecting it. If the zippers aren’t lined up perfectly, the teeth can become unfastened and open up at the bottom.

There are two large zippered hand and chest pockets (for a total of four pockets on the outside) and another mesh dump pocket inside for gloves and/or skins. The only other pocket on the jacket is a pass pocket on the left arm.

Overall, this simple, straightforward shell was one of our favorites. Stellar includes everything you need and nothing you don’t, and it puts a lot of design work into its features. For a smaller, foreign brand, this shell punches up and competes with products from much bigger names.

Turning heads, The North Face Summit Series Verbier Jacket ($700) was one of Editorial Director Sean McCoy’s favorite pieces from the season. The technical-oriented jacket uses a 100% recycled GORE-TEX 3L membrane that we found to be impeccably waterproof and windproof even on wet, windy spring days in Colorado.

The two hand pockets on the front side are generously sized and located slightly higher on the torso instead of lower toward the hips. Inside are two mesh dump pockets and a security pocket (for electronics and other small odds and ends). The pass pocket on the left wrist also comes with a goggle wipe that McCoy used quite often.

This jacket is dialed for backcountry use. The shoulders were designed without seams for maximum comfort under a backpack. The powder skirt is fixed and has a grippy rubber strip to keep it from moving around. It also has a specific integration clip that attaches to the pants, so the skirt stays in place no matter how much you move around.

We had only two notes about this jacket for potential buyers. First, he found the fit to be more athletic than expected. The jacket is long and slightly tight across the chest. He recommends that anyone with a shorter, wider build try on the jacket before buying. (Editor’s note: TNF said it is addressing this issue for the 2025/2026 version of the Verbier.)

The other drawback McCoy pointed to was this jacket’s price. With YKK zippers, GORE-TEX, and other premium ingredients (not to mentoin the TNF name) this is not a cheap ski jacket.

In his review, McCoy concluded, “This one is for serious skiers who want a stylish, protective shell for mostly in-bounds days. It will keep harsh weather at bay, and it looks good doing it.”