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7 Responses to 'Why are new modern ski jackets so thin and have no padding in them?'

1. Clint - March 19th, 2009 at 2:51 pm

   milder/hardly any snow

2. Richard P - March 22nd, 2009 at 5:54 pm

   i bought one in America last year and it is full of padding and very warm……….. i never get cold

3. Catjuggler - March 24th, 2009 at 12:21 pm

   I think that those coats are fine for keeping you warm…until you fall in the snow and get wet.

   For a coat to be both warm AND waterproof, they need an outer shell and a warm fleece or padded inside.

   I don’t know where you have been shopping, but I still stand by my opinion that Spyder jackets are the absolute best ski jackets for the money. If you are shopping for a good jacket (which your question somewhat implied) I would highly recommend those jackets.

4. iansand9876 - March 27th, 2009 at 10:18 pm

   They are called shells. I ski in one. Just wear another layer underneath.

   Te advantage is that they are still comfortable for spring skiing, and they are also more useful as a waterproof jacket away from the snow.

5. Willie D - March 30th, 2009 at 1:52 pm

   Lighter materials that provide more insulation and weather resistance have been incorporated into ski clothing.

   You can still get jackets and pants that use a basic polyester fill and have heavy-weight shells, but that is old-school tech.

   Materials like Primaloft are very light and compact, but trap more dead air than down. More dead air = Warmer.

   Materials such as Gore Windstopper and Polartec WindBloc use a windproof laminate that will virtually stop all airflow from the outside of the garment, yet allow your body to breathe and let water vapor pass through, thus keeping you dry. Drier = Warmer.

   Softshell materials like Scholler also offer wind resistance without bulk.

   Thinsulate, Thermore, and Holofill have been around for years. These aren’t as breathable as other materials, but again, they trap a lot of dead air.

   Also, a lot of companies produce only a non-insulated shell. They also produce the lining, or mid-layer, piece seperately, allowing the user to customize the jacket.

   I have several shells ranging from heavy, bombproof mountaineering jackets to ultralight single layer Gore-Tex. Likewise, I have various mid-layers in wool, Primaloft, Thermore, Polartec, etc. This allows me to vary my wardrobe based on the weather quite easily.

   On a day where it is sunny and 37 degrees, I may just wear a Windbloc fleece jacket and keep my lightweight shell stashed in my pack in the event of a sudden rain. On a day where it is 15 degrees, I might wear a Primaloft mid-layer and a heavy duty shell to give myself a bit more protection.

   Variety is the spice of life, so go buy a lot of gear!

6. gilchrist - March 31st, 2009 at 4:45 pm

   Modern ski jackets in recent years have become thinner by them being made with new materials.
   You actually do get the same warmth and waterproofness as the old more padded ones but maybe not the protection.

7. CDUBBLES - April 2nd, 2009 at 2:35 pm

   a lot of ski jackets are thin and puffy so you can wear a lot of layers under them
   or they could be racing jackets (those are really skinny so you can race in them, they are aerodynamic and thin so you can go much faster
   good luck

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