Recommendations for good ski jacket for short, husky man

I need to get a ski jacket. My old jacket got ruined by the Hurricane Katrina
flood, and I've been just getting by with an old leather jacket that is
falling apart.

I've been looking around the shops in the western Denver area, and I just
can't seem to find any jacket that fits right. The size medium is too small
for my well developed chest and back, but the large has arms that way too
long.

I want a jacket that has plenty of pockets on the inside as well as a few on
the outside. I especially like the otuside pockets to be simply flaps that
are held down by velcro, and not zippered. I would also like the jacket to be
an actual jacket, and not simply a thin shell that offers no heat insulation.
I know I can wear layers, but I like the idea of a heavy jacket that is easy
to unzip to regulate my heat.

Anyway, it looks like I will have to buy my jacket online, but I would really
like to first find out if the jacket would fit.

Any ideas? I am sure there are others out there like me.

Hit an outdoor supply store, not just ski shops.
For sure, hit climbing and cross country type shops. They offer lots
of alternatives in design and fit.
I'm a skinny little guy, but wear L clothing all the time. I like
long in the sleeves, as it's good for swimming out of deep pow.
Perfect length is just for fashion. For practical, you need to be
covered when you're stretched and splayed out over the mountain, so
bigger stuff is better.

It's pricy, but take a look at the Volkl Supersport, Nano, or Kevlar
jackets. I got the Nano.

http://live.voelkl.com/performancewe.../12/wear/1/303

I'm 5-9, 215, with big shoulders, and this is the first ski jacket I have
tried
that fit my shoulders and didn't hang to my knees. It is cut much like a
motorcycle jacket. This is a very light jacket which uses Thinsulate. I was
concerned that it would not be warm enough, but it was fine in 10-30 degree
weather.

JWW

"The Louisiana Skier" wrote in message
ink.net...
I need to get a ski jacket. My old jacket got ruined by the Hurricane
Katrina
flood, and I've been just getting by with an old leather jacket that is
falling apart.

I've been looking around the shops in the western Denver area, and I just
can't seem to find any jacket that fits right. The size medium is too
small
for my well developed chest and back, but the large has arms that way too
long.

I want a jacket that has plenty of pockets on the inside as well as a few
on
the outside. I especially like the otuside pockets to be simply flaps
that
are held down by velcro, and not zippered. I would also like the jacket
to be
an actual jacket, and not simply a thin shell that offers no heat
insulation.
I know I can wear layers, but I like the idea of a heavy jacket that is
easy
to unzip to regulate my heat.

Anyway, it looks like I will have to buy my jacket online, but I would
really
like to first find out if the jacket would fit.

Any ideas? I am sure there are others out there like me.