2026 Editors’ Choice Apparel Reviews

Black Diamond Equipment Dawn Patrol Shell & Pant

blackdiamondequipment.com | Jacket: $249, S-XL (M), XS-XL (W) | Pant: $249, S-XL (M), SX-SL (W)

Sometimes skinning fast is priority numero uno. According to a college student who needed
to make it back for class, the Dawn Patrol accommodates just that. “Muy fuerte! These have a comfortable texture for walking and, when riding, they seem to disappear,” he explained.

Both jacket and pant are made from a four-way stretch, double-weave softshell fabric finished with DWR. “Nice and breathable and water resistant enough to keep me dry,” said a Vermonter after ripping spring sidecountry laps. Underarm gussets add shoulder mobility in the jacket, and this year’s pant adds articulation in the knees and hips as well as removable suspenders. “These pants are for dog days; out with your friends in the backcountry, sweating, breaking trail, eating PB&Js,” said the Utah senior, who also wore them to parking lot parties.

Feature-wise, the jacket includes two hand pockets and a smaller chest pocket. “The main hand pockets are large and placed on the lower half of the jacket,” said a Vermont mom who noted her backpack often limited pocket access. The Wasatch rider praised the pant pockets, saying, “The beacon pocket on the right pocket is super practical, as well as the mini pocket above that.” Two zipped vents on the thighs kept him cool on spring days, and none of our testers missed pit zips due to the overall breathability.

Three of four testers called the fit a touch wide, while a barrel-chested man called it “functionally slim.” The Vermont mom disagreed. “A generous small,” she said. “I can easily layer it with an insulating piece underneath.” All agreed, however, that the super soft internal material was a classy touch.

“This is what I want to be touched by that isn’t an Australian supermodel,” said the superlative-laden college kid. “Can’t imagine life without these.”

“If you leave the house, you want this softshell with you. Comfortable, warm and versatile.” —Darren Padgett

Columbia Platinum Peak II W Hardshell Jacket & Pant

columbia.com | Jacket: $300, XS-XXL | Pant: $250, XXS-XXL

“At this price and with the durability, this is a kit that won’t break the bank and will last for years to come,” said a tester who rocked the Platinum Peak II kit on hut trips, resort days and ski tours across two continents.

The 100% recycled, three-layer fabric carries a 20k/20k rating, which translates to highly breathable and waterproof. Our tester backed up the waterproofing, saying, “I stayed dry in deep powder.” Additional moisture management comes from the Omni-Tech-sealed seams and a powder skirt on the jacket that integrates with the pants. During a sunny day on the skintrack, she noted some overheating and had to shed the jacket but was comfortable after opening the thigh zips. While this might not be a go-to for spring skiing, she summarized, “This is the perfect 50/50 kit. Durable and warm enough for chairlifts. Packable enough for touring.”

As for the fit, our tester said, “The fit will work with many body types. It’s both comfortable and flattering.” She wore a large and found it true to size. The jacket’s back is longer than the front, while the back of the pants is raised. Our tester is normally a bib girl, but these converted her. “The high back in the waist meant that the pants never felt like they were sagging to show any crack,” she explained. “They were tapered just enough through the knees with enough flair around the ankles for a flattering and functional fit.”

As for features, our tester dug the pockets. “Two pants pockets, two chest pockets and two normal pockets gave me enough space to stash whatever I had on hand (and offered more than the average women’s jacket),” she explained. “Add a beacon pocket and these would be a chef’s kiss.”

“Great for walking, chairlifts and the bar. This kit won’t break the bank and will last for years.” —Betsy Manero

Flylow Lab 3L Gore-Tex Jacket & Compound Pant

flylowgear.com | Jacket: $650, S-XXL | Pant: $520, S-XXL

Flylow meet Gore-Tex. The Lab 3L jacket is Flylow’s sole men’s three-layer offering in this new Gore- Tex-included lineup, while the Compound 3L pant is one of two three-layer pants. Those layers include 50D polyester ripstop, a polyester backer and Gore-Tex laminate, all of which are PFAS free.

The verdict, starting with the top half: “This is a bomber jacket that is light yet still feels durable and tough enough for skiing every day,” said a Bozeman-based tester. He found the shell fit true to size with a bit of extra length that made sitting on the lift comfy. “Good pockets and full coverage that feels protective in storms,” he noted. Pockets included a pair on the torso, one on the sleeve and two on the chest. While our tester felt the torso pockets were too far back, he called the chest pocket “well sized.” He did find the hood a bit oversized, but said, “A fuzzy lining by your chin is well received on cold, blustery days.” High praise was awarded to durability, leading him to recommend this for the resort and backcountry.

Of the bottom half, he was equally impressed: “These pants seem durable enough for the resort but are plenty light and have venting for the backcountry.” Per our tester, the Compound 3L has “the right amount of pockets,” two hip (the right of which features a beacon sleeve and attachment), one on the right thigh and one on the back. Though these pants come with removable suspenders which our tester found offer adjustment at the waist, his primary critique was fit: “Long for a medium, but the waist feels and measures identically to my seven-year-old Flylow size small pants.” He was impressed by the reinforced cuffs and appreciated the freeride cut, saying, “They’re generally baggy but not overly, so they’re easy to move in.”

“Exciting that Flylow is getting into Gore-Tex. Could do everything for someone preferring durability and waterproofness to breathability.” —Ethan Jeanette

Mountain Hardwear Mythogen Jacket & Bib

mountainhardwear.com | Jacket: $800, S-XXL (M), XS-XL (W) | Pant: $700, S-XXL (M), XS-XL (W)

Is it expensive? Yes. But is it worth the price? According to a tester who rocked this kit through a spring Teton mountaineering season, that’s also a yes. “An incredibly well thought-out, high-quality kit designed to keep you comfortable and dry on even the stormiest of days,” said that tester.

The Mythogen’s environmentally friendly Gore-Tex ePE retains the waterproofing and breathability of top-of-the-line Gore-Tex Pro but drops the harmful forever chemicals. “The new and improved Gore-Tex lived up to its reputation and kept me warm and dry even on the stormiest of days,” reported our tester. A Seattle-based tester backed the claim, saying, “Held up to PNW rain no problem.” While the Teton tester did note some sweating during springtime bootpacks, she had no problem shedding the jacket and stashing it in her bag: “I was thoroughly impressed with how relatively light and packable the new Gore-Tex is.”

Where the Mythogen really shone was in its features, starting with the 11 pockets between the jacket and bibs. With four of those on the bib’s thighs sporting an internal leash, our testers had choices on where to stash their beacons. “I can’t talk enough about how absolutely dialed the pockets on the Mythogen jacket and bibs are,” said one. “Placement, ease of access and internal organization are all so spot on.” As for the drop-seat for using the backcountry facilities, one praised easy bathroom breaks, but the other griped, “The waterproofed zipper can be a little challenging to close, especially with gloves and layers on.”

“Both the jacket and bibs feature a roomy, freeride fit,” said our female tester, adding that while she had ample range of motion and room to layer, it was also tapered in all the right places for a flattering fit and to keep crampons from catching. Her male counterpart concurred, saying, “Definitely a loose/relaxed fit. More freestyle oriented.”

“Well suited to hold their own on the biggest backcountry days, stormiest resort days and everything in between.” —Bria Gillespie

Salomon S/Lab Scrambler Gore-Tex Jacket & Bib

salomon.com | Jacket: $750, S-XXL (M), S-XL (W) | Pant: $700, S-XXL (M), S-XL (W)

Salomon hits the ground running and in high fashion with their first apparel submission in recent memory. Accolades ran high for both the 100% polyamide top and 85% polyamide/15% elastane bottom, each of which are weatherproofed with Gore-Tex. Male and female skintrack style gurus praised, what one Teton-based tester called, a “freeride fit with skimo weight.”

For the jacket, the name of the game is simplicity: Features are limited to two large chest pockets, side vents, Velcro-tightened cuffs and a helmet-compatible hood. “The vents, which stretch from side toward chest, were easier to access than armpit zips,” our female tester reported after wearing this kit in everything from PNW rain to Asian powder. Of storage, per a male tester and guide, “Two chest pockets replace the hip pockets (which I like for anytime I am wearing a harness).” He added, “I’m sold on this jacket, and it’s living in my pack next season.”

Paired with the Scrambler bibs, this kit proved a winner. “Fabric is extremely breathable while still blocking wind well,” said a second Teton-based tester of the pants. “Pockets are all in the places I want them.” Said pockets sit on the chest and leg and feature a movable tether to secure a beacon in whichever is your preferred location. “There are vents on both the inner and outer thigh, so fear not on long, hot skinners,” added our warm-blooded female tester. Both were excited by the full drop seat. “For when your late-night burrito comes knocking on a switchback,” joked our male tester.

They agreed the cuffs were wide, though found the pair of snaps above the boot cuff helped reign the sag in. Their qualms: Our female tester would’ve traded the Velcro-adjustable shoulder straps for something that didn’t catch in her hair and our male tester wished for a full-length fly.

“Love at first sight, then at first ski. This kit is super light, the jacket packs down small, and the whole thing is impressively durable.” —Greta Close

Stio Objective Pro Jacket & Bib

stio.com | Jacket: $799, S-XXL | Pant: $749, S-XXL

“Purpose-built for the backcountry tourer who values breathability and a simple, no-nonsense design,” said a tester who’s tried dozens of kits over decades of touring in the Rockies. “Aces in wet conditions without hampering mobility or breathability.”

Stio utilized Gore-Tex 3L Pro fabric for the outward, element-facing shell of both the pants and jacket, but the bib features a stretchy, softshell material above the waist for mobility and breathability. Our tester loved the combo. “The hardshell fabric lower and stretchy mesh upper moves well while skiing, protects from wet-out on the seat while sledding and breathes well when touring,” he explained. “The stretch softshell top portion of the bib (front and back) breathes well and provides impressive amounts of stretch.”

While the brand-new Objective Kit may not be feature-rich, the included features sure work. There are nine total pockets. The jacket has two chest pockets (one of which houses a goggle wipe), two hand pockets and a pass pocket, while the bib sports twin chest pockets our tester called “roomy” and two thigh pockets. He also praised the dual-slide front zipper as “a clever feature allowing you to dump heat while leaving the piece still partially zipped,” and applauded the dual-zippered pit and long thigh vents as easily adjustable. “There isn’t a powder skirt on this piece—praise Jesus, Allah and Buddha,” our tester joked, before continuing to the hood. “Just fits over a helmet but is never in your way when not donned.”

Critiques came for a Euro fit—which may deter barrel-chested skiers or those layering like onions—a lack of belt loops and a beacon pocket that forgets a lanyard. When weighed against the rest, our tester still came away with a grin. “Stio’s design is exactly what I look for in a shell—simple, svelte and not much else.”

“This is THE hardshell for those that prize breathability and lack of weight over all other factors.” —Shaggy Bailey