A North Face Gore-Tex Jacket
North Face Gear Rules
$ Worth Every Penny
www.thenorthface.com
Although we can't remember the name of this coat, after skiing in it for a month we can't forget its generous nature. Built in a host of colors (including Blue, shown here), this triple-ply Gore-Tex shell hosts a hood big enough to hide a helmet while the ample chest pockets also act as vents. Best of all (while staring into the face of a blustery tempest), the large adjustable cuffs and the tall fleece-lined collar make it easy to batten down the hatches. In terms of performance, a durable nylon outer stands up easily to the rigors of tree-skiing and route-finding. On the inside, the light mesh liner adds a slim insulating property to this jacket as it wicks moisture quickly away. In short, if we had to give this piece a name we might call it 'The Bomb"--destroying the competition while protecting anything within its borders.