Updated October 26, 2026. Prices checked October 26, 2026.
Five ski jackets cost $569 or more. The Arc'teryx Sabre has the most behind it, with OutdoorGearLab, GearJunkie and Switchback Travel all testing it. The Stio Objective Pro scores almost the same on a single GearJunkie test, and the Arc'teryx Rush is the lightest of the Gore-Tex Pro shells. The Patagonia Insulated Storm Shift is the only insulated jacket here. The Helly Hansen Ridge Infinity has a version question that the page explains.
How these scores are built. Outer layers are judged mainly on waterproofing, which counts for 45% of the score. Breathability counts 25%, and the other two criteria count 15% each. Based on: OutdoorGearLab (17 men's ski jackets, updated February 2026), GearJunkie (September 2026), Switchback Travel (2026/27) and SKI magazine, manufacturer specifications and prices read on REI and Stio on October 26, 2026. Two of the five jackets have one test, so their scores carry more doubt. We do not test products in person. 9 source pages are linked under the 5 products so you can check each finding. How we score.
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Product
Best for
Waterproofing
Score
1
Arc'teryx Sabre
Best weather protection, shell
9.5
9
2
Stio Objective Pro
Best Gore-Tex Pro value, shell
9.5
8.9
3
Arc'teryx Rush
Lightest Gore-Tex Pro shell, touring
9.5
8.6
4
Helly Hansen Ridge Infinity
Best durability, shell
9
8.4
5
Patagonia Insulated Storm Shift
Warmest Gore-Tex jacket, insulated
8.5
8.3
01
Arc'teryx Sabre
Best weather protection, shell, $750.00
9/10
Waterproofing 45%
9.5/10
Breathability 25%
8/10
Fit and mobility 15%
8.5/10
Durability 15%
9.5/10
Pros
OutdoorGearLab (78 out of 100) names it its Best Shell Jacket for the Resort and gives it 10 out of 10 for weather resistance. GearJunkie rates durability 9.5 and fit and mobility 9.1.
It has an 80D 3-layer Gore-Tex ePE shell, a flannel backer, pit zips and a helmet-compatible StormHood. Switchback Travel names it its Best Premium Ski Jacket.
Cons
OutdoorGearLab finds the fabric stiff and the powder skirt fixed, and it is not made for touring. Switchback Travel finds it neither light nor compressible, and the flannel liner takes a little from breathability.
It costs $750, and OutdoorGearLab gives it a warmth score of only 5 out of 10, so it needs warm layers underneath.
GearJunkie (8.8 out of 10) names it its Best Premium Ski Jacket. It rates weather protection 9.5 and durability 9, and puts the 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro ePE at about 28,000 mm of waterproofing and up to 25,000 g/m2/24 hr of breathability.
GearJunkie found the hood roomy over a freeride helmet and the chest pockets large, with a stretchy phone pocket inside.
Cons
It costs $799, and GearJunkie notes that a thin, uninsulated shell needs proper layering at the resort.
OutdoorGearLab (75 out of 100) gives it 10 out of 10 for weather resistance and 8 for breathability. It names it its Best for Backcountry Skiing, and it weighs 0.59 kg.
GearJunkie (8.4 out of 10) weighs it at 570 g and finds the 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro ePE unfazed by heavy snow and wind.
Cons
OutdoorGearLab lists the price and the fixed powder skirt as downsides, and GearJunkie finds the crinkly fabric stiff and rates breathability 7.5 out of 10.
GearJunkie finds it closer to resort armor than to a lightweight touring shell.
GearJunkie (9 out of 10) names the Ridge Infinity Jacket 2.0 its Best Overall Ski Jacket. It rates weather protection 9.2 and durability 9.1 for a thick 3-layer Helly Tech Professional shell.
GearJunkie likes the glove-friendly cuffs, the pocket layout and a phone leash, and finds the softer fabric quieter than a Gore-Tex shell.
Cons
GearJunkie finds it heavier than the Arc'teryx Rush and rates breathability 7.3 out of 10. It runs warm on bootpacks.
GearJunkie reviewed the 2.0 at $650, and REI lists a jacket named Ridge Infinity Shell Jacket at $650. We could not confirm that they are the same version. It is the only independent test we read.
Readers in Germany, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom and Sweden are sent to their own Amazon store, where prices show in local currency. The prices on this page are US prices.
05
Patagonia Insulated Storm Shift
Warmest Gore-Tex jacket, insulated, $569.00
8.3/10
Waterproofing 45%
8.5/10
Breathability 25%
7.5/10
Fit and mobility 15%
9/10
Durability 15%
8.5/10
Pros
OutdoorGearLab gives it 83 out of 100, third of its 17 jackets, with comfort 9 and breathability 8. It has a 2-layer Gore-Tex ePE shell and recycled insulation in the front and back panels.
SKI magazine names it its Warmest ski jacket. It has a RECCO reflector and pit zips.
Cons
OutdoorGearLab finds the tapered front powder skirt less effective, and the chest pocket has no insulation to protect a phone.
OutdoorGearLab weighs it at 1.08 kg, and REI has no owner reviews of it.
Each score comes from independent tests (OutdoorGearLab, GearJunkie, Switchback Travel and SKI magazine), manufacturer specifications and the price on REI or Stio. We do not test jackets in person. The ratings are our assessment of what the reviewers report, and we used the more cautious figure when sources differed.
The Sabre has three tests and the Rush and the Storm Shift have two. The Objective Pro and the Ridge Infinity have one each, so their scores carry more doubt.
Four of these five are shells that need a warm layer underneath. The Insulated Storm Shift is the exception, and the scoring model has no warmth criterion, so it gets no credit for its warmth.
What we left out
Trew Gear Cosmic Primo: scored 8.2, with an unclear price and version.
Patagonia Stormstride ($519): scored 7.8 and is not on REI.
Norrona Tamok GORE-TEX: no US price could be read.
Kuhl The Defiant Shell ($675), Stellar Pro ($749), Flylow Lone Pine GORE-TEX 2L ($550 and up), Salomon S/Lab Scrambler GORE-TEX ($750) and Mammut Haldigrat HS Hooded ($649): SKI names them, but we did not read a US retailer price for them.
Arc’teryx Sabre Insulated ($900): a different jacket from the Sabre, with no test read.
What to look for
A hood that fits over your helmet
Pit zips, since a 3-layer shell breathes less than a thin one
A fixed or removable powder skirt, depending on how deep your snow gets
Questions
Why is the Trew Gear Cosmic Primo not here?
OutdoorGearLab (75), Switchback Travel and SKI all rate it well, but its calculated score of 8.2 is below the fifth jacket here. Its price and version are also unclear: GearJunkie prints $499, the other tests print $599, and a 2025 to 2026 refresh may not be tested.
Why is the Norrona Tamok not here?
GearJunkie rates it highly, but Norrona's site sent us to its Spanish store, so we could not read a US price. We do not publish a price we could not read.
Why is the Patagonia Stormstride not here?
Switchback Travel names it its Best Backcountry Ski Jacket at $519, but it scored 7.8 and is not on REI. Each ranking keeps its five best scores.
Why is the Kuhl The Defiant Shell not here?
SKI magazine names it its Best All-Around jacket at $675, but we did not read a price on a US retailer page.
Why does the Ridge Infinity cost $650 here?
REI lists the Ridge Infinity Shell Jacket at $650, with an outlet price of $487.73. We use the regular price and ignore outlet prices. The Check price button leads to Amazon, which listed $500 for one color of the same jacket that day.
Where do the prices come from?
The regular price on REI and Stio on October 26, 2026. Sale and outlet prices are ignored.