Norrøna Women's lofoten Gore-Tex Jacket 26/27

The women's lofoten Gore-Tex jacket. Freeride cut, helmet-compatible storm hood, zip-off powder skirt, generous two-way pit venting, built in standard GORE-TEX rather than the Pro version.

This is our most recommended women's shell, because it lands at the point where more money stops buying meaningfully more jacket for the way most people actually ski. The Pro version is more abrasion resistant. It isn't more waterproof, more breathable, or better featured. Unless you're guiding, patrolling or carrying a heavy pack daily, the durability you're paying up for is durability you won't use.

Everything that makes the lofoten line worth owning is here. The hood clears a helmet and adjusts one-handed, which matters when it's blowing and you've got poles in the other hand. The powder skirt snaps to matching lofoten pants for a sealed waist. The back hem drops for coverage.

Cut technical rather than roomy, sized to layer over a mid-weight piece. If you ski cold and want to wear real insulation underneath, size up or consider the insulated version.