I’m 42 and commenced snowboarding once I was in kindergarten, so I’ve spent a number of time at Colorado ski resorts carrying a wide range of ski kits. In all of my years on the slopes, I’ve by no means been stopped as a lot as I’ve whereas carrying the Rossignol Rallybird Ski Jacket. And as somebody who lives and skis at Aspen Snowmass — the land of stylish vogue — that is saying so much.
Maybe it was the smooth, trim reduce of the jacket, or possibly it’s the pairing with matching pink Rossignol Girls’s Relaxed Bib Ski Pants. No matter it’s, I used to be keeping off feedback from well-meaning skiers each time I clicked into my bindings. (Private favourite: When somebody informed my husband — wearing a blue ski package — that we appeared like a being pregnant take a look at.)
Throughout a full season of arcing turns and booting Highlands Bowl, I discovered myself fairly impressed with the Rallybird’s intensive options, high-quality supplies, and durable weatherproofing. Whereas I’ve solely owned it for one season, sturdiness is trying fairly good, too.
In brief: The Rossignol Girls’s Rallybird Ski Jacket ($425) is a comfortable shell that retains nasty climate out whereas having fun with in-bounds laps at your favourite ski hill. The trim match and soft-as-butter supplies really feel pretty much as good as they give the impression of being, and skiers may have all loads of options like thumb loops, zippered pockets, and underarm vents.
Take a look at our full roundup in The Greatest Girls’s Ski Jackets purchaser’s information.
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Match
Fitted -
Insulation
None -
Shell
3-layer -
Waterproof score (mm)
20K -
Weight
197 g/m²
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Heavy cloth “feels” hotter than most non-insulated kits -
Mushy to the contact -
Burly supplies
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Trim match might not work for everybody -
Non-removable powder skirt bunches across the waist
Rossignol Girls’s Rallybird Ski Jacket Assessment
You may’t throw a snowball on a ski hill with out hitting a pair of Rossignol skis. Based in 1907, the enduring French model acquired its begin with a woodworker and skier named Abel Rossignol. He used his abilities to vogue a pair of stable wooden skis, jumpstarting the corporate. Nevertheless it wasn’t till 1937, when Emile Allais turned the triple world champion on a pair of Rossignol Olympic 41 skis, that the model actually took off.
Whereas Rossignol nonetheless has deep roots in skis — I’ve owned a minimum of 4 pairs through the years — they’ve additionally taken the subsequent logical step into attire with ski jackets just like the Rallybird. In the course of the 2023-24 ski season, I logged almost 50 days on snow, and roughly 20 of these have been carrying this jacket.
It noticed blitzing snow and wind gusts as excessive as 50 mph, in addition to bluebird sunshine on closing weekend. All through the season, the Rallybird continued to be a mainstay in my weekly ski rotation.
Excessive-High quality Cloth
Certainly one of my favourite facets of this jacket is its really feel. Because of the three-layer, 100% polyester cloth, the Rallybird is mushy to the contact and virtually looks like a softshell jacket. It’s not crinkly if you stroll round — no swish-swish sound — and doesn’t scratch your pores and skin with tough supplies.
Throughout one chilly day at Aspen Highlands Ski Resort, I forgot my neck gaiter so I spent the day burrowed into the excessive collar of the jacket. Fortunately, the mushy fleece lining saved my face, and I didn’t expertise any chafing or abrasion on my chin.
Most ski kits have a waterproofing rating of 10K or larger, and people snowboarding in moist and sloppy snow (just like the Pacific Northwest) often desire a rating of 16K or larger. Premium, bombproof ski jackets usually boast scores as excessive as 28K. Because of a PFC-free DWR therapy, the Rallybird has a weatherproof rating of 20K, so it may deal with nearly all of nasty climate that skiers are more likely to encounter.
I spent a morning snowboarding in single-digit temps with blowing snow and gusty winds, and the jacket by no means wetted out. For resort skiers who all the time have a lodge and toasty fire close by, I feel this stage of climate safety is greater than loads.
Plus, it’s stretchy. The Rallybird doesn’t have the mobility of yoga pants or perhaps a softshell, however the polyester cloth does have a little bit of give. This makes the match extremely snug, particularly if you make large actions like swinging your skis over your shoulder.
Sufficient Options to Make Most Skiers Joyful
Whereas the Rallybird isn’t full of extras, it does have fairly a number of bells and whistles that make a ski day extra pleasant.
My favourite: elastic thumb loops. This design is a lean elastic band with a slim, prolonged pull tab, each of that are hardly discernible if you pull them on. For skiers preferring under-the-cuff ski gloves, it’s tremendous straightforward to slip the loops over your thumbs and pull the gloves over prime. This retains snow out because it prevents the jacket sleeve from driving up — even if you’re wallowing round in a snow drift, as I discovered the exhausting means.
The Rallybird isn’t a minimalistic jacket with a two-way zipper and ample pockets, together with two zippered chest pockets, two zippered hand pockets, and a fifth zippered move pocket on the left forearm. The chest pockets simply swallow small snacks (like gummy bears) and automotive keys, and I managed to tuck a hand hotter bundle into one of many hand pockets. Whereas I do want the hand pockets had bigger zippers — they could be a bit tight whereas carrying mittens — they get the job accomplished.
Inside, there are two mesh drop-in pockets (open on the prime) on both sides for tossing ski goggles or an additional lens. They’re roughly the scale of a beacon.
Underarm zippers rapidly dump warmth, so skiers might technically use the Rallybird as a touring jacket if they need. However, it’s fairly heavy, so we advocate sticking to the frontside with this helmet-compatible package.
Just like the hand pockets, the pit zips have barely brief zippers which are tough to seize, and so they aren’t dual-sided. Once more, this isn’t a deal-breaker, however it’s price noting. Nonetheless, the zippers dump warmth in a rush and have been good to have whereas having fun with some spring snowboarding on closing day.
Smooth Match and Aesthetic
I’ll be trustworthy: the Rallybird simply appears good. There are tons of classy ski kits at Aspen Snowmass, but it surely’s a rarity for locals to get compliments — these are often reserved for the fashion-forward vacationers. However I misplaced depend of how many individuals requested me concerning the Rallybird. The jacket has a trim reduce, particularly by the waist and the arms, and that provides to a smooth aesthetic.
And, the color-blocking provides a pleasant design component, too. It’s not overly fashionable (particularly within the period of monochrome ski kits) but it surely does stroll that effective line between fashionable and traditional sufficient to final the lengthy haul.
Room for Enchancment
I’m often a dimension small or medium in ski jackets, however I are likely to dimension up for house to layer beneath. Nevertheless, I opted for a small because the medium was too large. Consequently, the scale mixed with the trim reduce led to a cumbersome match, particularly when laden down with a heavy midlayer.
I liked the match once I paired it with a thinner, lively midlayer, however I’d persistently attain for a special jacket if it was colder and I needed to load up with a heavier puffy beneath.
And whereas I perceive the worth behind a very good snow skirt, I tend to take away them — and that’s not an choice on the Rallybird. It’s completely sewn in place, which added a bizarre thick layer round my midline. But once more, this was not a deal-breaker, however I did discover myself unzipping the jacket from the underside to grant me somewhat wiggle room. My husband mentioned it turned my “private model,” however it will be nice to only take away the powder skirt as an alternative.
Rossignol Girls’s Rallybird Ski Jacket: Conclusion
In the event you’re a backcountry skier seeking to reduce weight or house, then the Rossignol Girls’s Rallybird Ski Jacket shouldn’t be for you. However in case you are somebody who spends a number of time on the ski resort and values a trendy package, the Rallybird is a good alternative.
I discovered the Rallybird had handy, adequately-sized pockets — for arms, on the chest, and for a ski move — purposeful underarm vents, and a helmet-compatible hood. Most of all, I liked the buttery really feel of the material, and the weatherproofness was greater than sufficient for blustery days.
Not solely does this ski and snowboard jacket have sufficient technical chops to please the overwhelming majority of skiers, however I can promise that you’ll make new associates once they ask about your jacket on the carry.
