Ultimate Storm Protection, Seamless Integration: Patagonia PowSlayer Ski and Snowboard Jacket Review

I stood at the top of the untracked couloir, waiting for a couple of riding partners to drop first. With the snowpack this season, I couldn’t tell how deep and soft or shallow and variable the snow inside the narrow gully would be. As I waited in the high alpine, slightly hazy clouds moved across the sun, but I felt comfortable in my layers, including the Patagonia PowSlayer women’s ski and snowboard jacket.

A few minutes later, it was my turn to drop. At the top of the steep line, I made a couple of sharp, narrow hop turns on my snowboard. Thankfully, the PowSlayer Jacket moved with me, twisting and turning without any tight points.

In short: Designed for the ultimate storm protection sans bulk, the lightweight, breathable Patagonia Women’s PowSlayer Jacket ($799) for snowboarding and skiing was redesigned after an 8-year stint on the shelf. This fourth-generation jacket is built with the new GORE-TEX Pro ePE, a PFAS-free material that makes this jacket 30% lighter and more malleable than former iterations.

But Patagonia didn’t leave behind other details: This ski jacket design is smartly loaded with pockets, articulated wrist cuffs with a grab tab, and the hood has integrated stretch panels to help fit smoothly over a ski helmet. The Patagonia PowSlayer reviewed here will be available in a men’s silhouette, too. Both options launch in October 2025.

See how this snowboard jacket stacks up against our other top picks in the Best Snowboard Jackets buyer’s guide. To check out other items in the PowSlayer kit, read our review on the PowSlayer Pack.

Patagonia Women’s PowSlayer Snowboard and Ski Jacket: How I Tested

While dropping that couloir, I was testing out Patagonia’s newest PowSlayer collection. The system included the Capilene Thermal Weight Bottoms and Crewneck, and a new malleable midlayer that was excellent while bootpacking and climbing to our line: the Nano-Air Ultralight Freeride Jacket.

On top, I zipped up the new PowSlayer snowboard jacket, a lightweight ski and snowboard jacket that packed down well inside my ski pack. Breathable and snow-blocking, I immediately noticed the smartly placed, roomy pockets. After strapping into my bindings, I stood and watched a couple of ride partners drop, easily pulling my hood over my helmet.

What makes the PowSlayer kit so progressive? Each piece is designed to layer and integrate seamlessly with the others.

Testing Conditions

To learn more, I spent a few days this spring with an expert group in Silverton, Colo. Our group included North American media, apparel designers, and outdoor industry athletes.

Kicking off testing, I zipped up the Women’s PowSlayer Jacket for a day of booting around Silverton Mountain. I hiked ridgelines with a snowboard strapped to my pack. It was mostly warm and sunny, so I definitely tested the underarm vents.

Other moments brought a bit of cloud coverage and lower temps. By the end of that inaugural day, I covered 2,400 vertical feet and 10 miles. With no wind, the temps ranged from 20 to 40 degrees.

Spring weather arrived in full force on the next day’s ski tour, when I wore the PowSlayer jacket while venturing 2,000 vertical feet and 3.7 miles. 

Later, I grabbed the PowSlayer Jacket for a sunset ski tour in Colorado’s Elk Mountains. I climbed 3,000 feet and covered 5.5 miles in a blustery, frigid snowstorm. So far, my cumulative field time in the PowSlayer Jacket is close to 12 hours in a range of conditions and output.

Plenty of Smartly Designed Snowboard Jacket Pockets

My favorite detail on the revised PowSlayer snowboard and ski jacket is the bellowed chest pockets. Both pockets have long zippered entrances and are super roomy with material that expands out. The idea is to have a spot to slide your skins. My splitboard skins are still too large and cumbersome for a chest pocket, but my narrower skins for my skimo skis would fit much better.

Inside the left chest pocket is a zipper that allows you to reach through to an internal chest pocket. The through-zip is too short to pass my large phone through, but this is a good option for a smaller device.

I appreciate that Patagonia didn’t leave behind two hand pockets in lieu of the two chest pockets. I like having the additional option, especially at the end of the day, if I’m hanging out and want a place to set my hands. Plus, the hand pockets are roomy enough to fit a large phone.

Inside, the stretchy chest pocket has a top zip that’s wide enough to slide a large phone through. The right side has a stretchy, large drop pocket for tossing extra gloves or a beanie. The final pouch is a pass pocket on the upper left arm.

That’s a total of seven functional pockets, which allow plenty of adaptability and places to carry stuff, whether you’re at the resort or touring.

Lightweight, Lean Material: Frequently Wash It

Made with a regular fit, the PowSlayer Jacket excels at breathability and is waterproof. The three-layer material is an 80-denier recycled nylon shell, which I found performed as well in warm, sunny conditions as it does in blizzards. A PFC-free DWR finish kept moisture at bay.

Given how lightweight this jacket feels, when the temps drop below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, I felt a bit chilled. While wearing this jacket on super-cold days, I suggest wearing a heavier base layer, whether you’re ski touring or at the resort. I also noticed that the fabric easily stains — beware!

To maintain the waterproof-breathable performance of the GORE-TEX Pro ePE material, you’ll need to frequently wash this jacket (with detergent that’s free of scent and softener). Afterward, hang dry the jacket, and then put it in the dryer for 20 minutes on medium heat.

Meticulous Details: Underarm Vents, Helmet-Compatible Hood, Articulated Cuffs

This PowSlayer Jacket is loaded with thoughtful details. My favorite element is that the helmet-compatible hood has hidden stretch panels integrated into each side. The idea is that you can pull the hood off or on over a helmet when the collar is already fully zipped up.

I wear a size small/medium helmet, and the hood was too snug to pull off my helmet with the collar zipped up. But, I felt that the stretch panels helped me more easily rotate my head while wearing my helmet and the hood, which I appreciated.

I liked the laminated visor that helped block snowfall during blizzard conditions. As someone who’s become so lackadaisical about powder skirts, I also really appreciate how minimalist this jacket’s fixed powder skirt is.

As someone who frequently needs to vent on the uptrack, even when the conditions are freezing, I like that the designers added two zippers to each underarm vent.

Lastly, the cuffs are articulated outward, so you can grab the cuff with a few fingers while tightening the Velcro strap with your other hand. The rest of the cuff is tapered, shaving off some material and weight.

Critiques

The zipper pulls on the underarm vents are so small that they’re hard to feel with gloved hands. I wish the pull were a bit more stout-feeling beneath my gloves. That way, I could more quickly unzip or zip up the vents. That said, the vents do easily open and close. 

As for stains? I realized it’s key to avoid getting oil on the light-colored jacket. Marks are tough to get out of this fabric, even with stain remover.

With the slender fabric, I could really feel the cold when the wind picked up. So, I’m hesitant to wear the PowSlayer jacket while driving or riding my snowmobile, unless I’m wearing a heavier base layer. Even so, I likely wouldn’t want to snowmobile in this jacket; I’d be concerned about rips.

Women’s PowSlayer Jacket: Who It’s For

A brand rarely releases a full collection of skiwear that’s totally integrated, even Patagonia.

Beyond the PowSlayer Jacket, every item in the namesake lineup is designed to layer and work together. That includes the base layers, midlayer, outer layers, and insulation pieces. The concept is straightforward. And throughout testing, I found that the kit excelled.

Using a microscope to study how apparel and gear work together means the details are super-specific. For instance, how the cuffs and hoods stack, as well as insulation and pockets. This jacket is also made in a Fair Trade Certified factory.

Ultimately, the PowSlayer Jacket was an ideal layer for adventures, whether I was ski touring or hiking in-bounds. When I needed to make adjustments, this jacket was adaptable to what I needed. I could put my phone in the exterior or internal chest or hand pockets, quickly vent, or pull on and tighten the hood over a helmet.

Overall, the standout variable of this jacket is how lightweight and breathable it feels. The articulated yet roomy fit is well-suited for big moves, whether bending over to strap in, tightening straps on my pack, or using my arms to make large turns in tight terrain.

The bellowed chest pockets and stretch panels in the hood are unique. Unless you’re always making turns in a blustery, below-freezing climate, this lightweight and functional PowSlayer is a solid snowboard or ski jacket for touring and resort days.