how warm are ski jackets in place of winter jackets? please help.

I need you pros to help me with an arguement. My point is that ski
jackets are meant to be sweaty in and need to breathe so they don't
make the best winter jackets because they vent so well and the makers
assume you will be heating up in these things. Is this correct or do
some ski jackets make better winter jackets than actual winter coats.
If you're going to tell me it depends on the ski jacket, can you tell
me what materials I should look for? Any advice?

Domenic wrote:

I need you pros to help me with an arguement. My point is that ski
jackets are meant to be sweaty in and need to breathe so they don't
make the best winter jackets because they vent so well and the makers
assume you will be heating up in these things. Is this correct or do
some ski jackets make better winter jackets than actual winter coats.
If you're going to tell me it depends on the ski jacket, can you tell
me what materials I should look for? Any advice?

The ideal ski jacket is just a waterproof breathable shell.
Warmth/insulation is provided by multiple layers of fleece, wool,
polypro, etc. worn underneath the outer shell.

That said, a moderate amount of insulation in the shell is not a show
stopper. The important feature, as far as I'm concerned, is pit-zips or
core vents that you can open up for additional breathability on the warm
days or when you've worked up a sweat.

Those serious -40 degree winter parkas are just about useless for
skiing. You'll overheat and sweat, then you'll be wet and cold when the
sweat can't vent to the atmosphere.

--
//-Walt
//
// http://www.bushtax.com/

On 6 Jan 2004 14:12:19 -0800, (Domenic) wrote:

I need you pros to help me with an arguement. My point is that ski
jackets are meant to be sweaty in and need to breathe so they don't
make the best winter jackets because they vent so well and the makers
assume you will be heating up in these things. Is this correct or do
some ski jackets make better winter jackets than actual winter coats.
If you're going to tell me it depends on the ski jacket, can you tell
me what materials I should look for? Any advice?

What it really depends on is what you want to do while wearing your
winter jacket or coat, i.e. how you define a "better" winter jacket.

Most ski shells do vent really well when you need them to, but the
vents can be closed for lower temperatures or lower activity levels,
and with the right layers underneath they can be as warm as any other
winter jacket (most ski jackets aren't even insulated, so it all
depends on the layers underneath). IMHO, the versatility they offer
does make them better overall winter coats than, say, a heavy Carhartt
or a down parka, but for certain low-activity applications (like a
night game at Lambeau Field, or grilling in the back yard in
single-digit temps), I favor a nice heavy military-surplus wool
greatcoat.

bw

bdubya writes:

[snip]
What it really depends on is what you want to do while wearing your
winter jacket or coat, i.e. how you define a "better" winter jacket.

Yeah, zackly. I've got one ski jacket that's kind of small and
close-fitting, and that works well for some things; another one
that's kind of big and loose, and that works well for other things.
I wouldn't wear either of them for just knocking around town or for
a winter hike.

--
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.

In article ,
Domenic wrote:
If you're going to tell me it depends on the ski jacket, can you tell
me what materials I should look for? Any advice?

I ski in a Mountain Hardwear Gore-Tex XCR shell, or a Gore Windstopper
Mountain Hardwear fleece tech jacket. I kick around in a Mountain Hardwear
Absolute Zero down parka. Then again, I live in a Winnebago behind the
Teton Rock Gym in Jackson, Wyoming. No rent means I have plenty of money
to buy the parka that does the job for any job. Layers are always the
best solutions.

Think shell and insulating layers. Add and subtract as necessary.
--
According to John Perry Barlow, "Jeff Davis is a truly gifted trouble-maker."