The search for a good resort-skiing jacket can be a tough one. Skiing in-bounds is an unusual workout since it’s all about charging hard down the mountain (and getting sweaty), then sitting on a lift (getting cold), over and over again. The start/stop activity causes problems with body-temperature regulation, which then fuels an internal debate over what to wear on a given day. Is it a fleece under hardshell kind of day? A baselayer with softshell day?
The North Face Odyssey Softshell Jacket may solve that problem. It’s made from a flexible “Apex Aerobic” softshell fabric that breathes, but it’s also insulated to keep you warm. The combination of warmth and breathe-ability means that layering is not needed except on the coldest days, which takes away the guess-work from the “what to wear” game. It also has a powder skirt for those big dumps, lots of pockets, and a removable hood.
I skied several days last season with the North Face Odyssey Softshell Jacket and was happy with the way it performed. From a cold, windy day at The Canyons with temperatures around 28 degrees and 40 mile-an-hour wind gusts, to a mild, 30-degree powder day at Alta, the Odyssey Jacket kept me warm, and I never felt the wind get inside except for the zipper on the left sleeve where the goggle wipe is stored. This was annoying, but wasn’t a big enough problem to be a deal breaker.
It did take me a couple of trips to figure out the jacket’s limitations. Wearing a mid-layer fleece underneath was too warm, especially after pounding moguls or skating across traverses. But on really cold days, I was glad to have an extra layer. On most days, however, I usually got away with wearing just a capeline shirt under the jacket, allowing the insulation to do its work while the softshell material wicked away any moisture.
The softshell fabric also allows better freedom of movement than typical hard shell material, though I doubt it would keep anyone dry when wet snow is dumping (which is rare in Utah). It’s also only appropriate for resort skiing as the insulation would be far too warm and heavy for backcountry purposes.
Overall, the North Face Odyssey Jacket looks good, stays plenty warm, and is a good choice for in-bounds skiers who don’t want to carry multiple layers in a pack all day.
MSRP: $279
Purchase The North Face Odyssey Jacket here.
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