Brilliant Pocket Design in a Down Jacket: Stio Turnbolt Women’s Winter Jacket Review

This was strange, wet weather for the second week of April in Crested Butte, Colo. During spring’s chaotic conditions, I was very happy to be wearing a toasty down jacket that was also very water resistant: The Stio Turnbolt women’s winter jacket.

I stepped out of the Secret Stash Pizza and was grateful for the restaurant’s awning. A torrential downpour had soaked Elk Ave while we were eating dinner. I took a seat on the bench while I waited for my date. Boom. Crack! Another drencher unleashed.

At the last minute, we left behind the umbrella before walking across town. When I got home, my jeans were drenched, but the jacket didn’t even have a spot.

The Stio Turnbolt is no rain jacket, but with capable water resistance, lots of warm down, and a stylish cut, it proved to be a versatile jacket for wintery mountain weather.

In short: With a throwback-inspired boxier cut and trustworthy warmth, the 650-fill Stio Women’s Turnbolt Down Jacket ($249) delivers a silhouette that feels contemporary and classic. The double-decker design of security pockets and hand pockets integrate seamlessly into the aesthetic and weight of the jacket, so I didn’t lose cozy protection for my fingers. And the durable fabric effectively sheds snow, as well as shorter durations of heavy rain.

See how this women’s winter jacket compares to our other favorite picks in the Best Women’s Winter Jackets.

Stio Women’s Turnbolt Down Jacket: Testing Conditions

The boxy, slightly shortened cut of the Turnbolt, alongside the soft-brushed face fabric, gave off an easygoing yet slightly utilitarian vibe. After my first time pulling on this jacket, I kept coming back to it, especially during the transitional winter weeks in Crested Butte, Colo. Here, the temperatures often sit between 0 and 32 degrees (or lower) and we tend to experience freezing wind, as well as heavy snowfall.

Whether pedaling my cruiser through snowy side streets, walking to dinner or a movie, or strolling down snowy rural roads, the Turnbolt hit a sweet spot between weather protection, style, and everyday appeal.

Though I typically lean on longer, hooded, and fully windproof and waterproof options for bitter, windy, heavy-snowfall days at the heart of winter, I was hooked on the Turnbolt’s comfortable detailing, clever storage, and compact build. The style is unique and fun, too.

Double-Decker Pocket Design

This jacket’s layout of pockets adds serious versatility and comfort. Closest to the body, two oversized hand pockets lined with velvety tricot became our default hand-warming zones.

On top of those (near the surface of the jacket) sit two more cavernous, zip-secured pockets topped with snap flaps. Those upper-story pockets are spacious enough to stash large phones without feeling weighed down, and items in the pocket are hidden by the jacket’s loft.

In my experience, it’s rare to find a pocket system this spacious and secure that doesn’t sacrifice the cozy hand space we so often need in the cold. Inside, a smaller zippered pocket near the chest easily fit a wallet or house key.

Roomy, Comfortable Western Fit

In case you’re not well-read on Western fashion, yoke is the shaped section of fabric that lays across the shoulders in the front and back. While it carries a special look, it’s also practical. The curved panel helps distribute stress across the shoulders while increasing mobility and comfort.

The jacket’s panel is a nod to Stio’s Western roots in Jackson Hole, Wyo., serving both as a style signature and a practical feature. I found that the roomy, relaxed fit let me wear midlayers or bulky against-skin layers without the jacket feeling boxy or overstuffed.

Warmth & Weatherproofness: Winter Jacket

Stuffed inside, the down insulation is responsibly sourced and certified by the Responsible Down Standard (RDS). At 650-fill power, the down is a lot, and its evenly dispersed around the jacket in large baffles. I found the design to be reliably warm.

To clarify, this jacket is not short. The jacket still reaches the hips, even though it’s described as boxy and slightly cropped. But one caveat with a slightly shorter and hood-less silhouette is that wind and precipitation have more opportunity to reach your body and clothes.

During freezing and dry conditions, I found that the quantity and quality of this down fill provided a nice amount of warmth for walking around town. If the wind picked up, I could feel the gust around the top of my neck and head without a hood to pull up.

When a heavy rainstorm hit during the shoulder season, precipitation rolled off the fabric — it didn’t wet out. After a 20-minute walk home, the fabric looked weathered but remained dry, never soaking through. The stand-up insulated collar is cozy and warm, and it closes shut with a hidden snap that’s near the top.

Weight & Fabric

The brushed exterior fabric feels relatively soft. It’s soft enough that the extension of it inside the collar feels moderately smooth against the face. The brand constructs the primary fabric from 50-denier polyester and the accent fabric from 70-denier nylon made with 50% recycled materials. Stio coats the entire surface with a PFAS-free DWR that definitely does its job blocking moisture

Inside, I love the unique interior liner: a fun paisley design printed on a silky polyester taffeta. The fabric feels smooth and is easy to enter and exit, plus it never felt staticky. Stio also treats the interior with PFAS-free DWR.

A really nice touch is inside the cuffs. There’s a seamless integration of a plush fleece liner, which adds warmth and comfort around the wrists.

As for weight, this jacket is lofty and warm, yet comes in a bit lower on the scale. That’s likely due to the length and the lack of a hood. At 681 g, the jacket is lighter than Stio’s hooded Colter, which likewise offers 650-fill but weighs 737 g.

While I wouldn’t label this a truly packable jacket, it’s easier to carry over an arm than longer down-fill jackets.

Critiques

As with any winter jacket, there are a few tradeoffs, and this excellent design is no exception. As I mentioned, the jacket stops at the hip and lacks a hood, which limits coverage in super-cold wind or wet snow.

The collar isn’t skintight, like a turtleneck, so the circumference can splay open a bit. The gap is a nice place for snowflakes or cold gusts to catch. That’s not insurmountable, especially if you have a cozy scarf and hat to wear that help enhance protection and warmth.

While the brushed outer fabric is relatively soft, Stio could level up the interior collar with an even softer textile.

Stio Women’s Turnbolt Down Jacket: Who It’s For

I live in a very wintry place, and while I’m generally a minimalist, my closet has a range of purposeful down jackets. The Turnbolt is a lovely addition as an easy-to-grab down jacket that I can hold in my lap at a theatre or easily hang over the back of a chair. The quality and quantity of down keeps me toasty.

The hand pockets, stacked with huge zippered pouches, blow me away. Yet, the jacket doesn’t look bulky or feel bogged down when I toss a huge phone or my carabiner full of keys inside.

With a style like the Turnbolt, the tradeoff is that the cold wind and snowfall that often hit here expose the back of my neck without a hood. However, with the right layers — adding a scarf and a good hat — that issue becomes manageable. Otherwise, when the wind or precipitation is in full force, I prefer a long jacket, wrist gaiters, and a hood.

For many winter days in most places, the Turnbolt is a stylish, capable, and unique cold-weather layer that nails function, durability, and comfort. And with a moderate price point, this one doesn’t break the bank.