It was a type of sleeper pow days that nobody noticed coming. My husband and I deliberate to ski at Aspen Highlands since they reported essentially the most snow, however the parking zone was full. As a substitute, we dejectedly headed to Snowmass, the one Aspen ski hill not reporting any wintry climate.
However seems, the app bought it unsuitable — it nuked all day. As soon as we bought above treeline within the ski terrain off Huge Burn, the fats flakes have been coming at us sideways. Blowing wind froze the snow to my goggles, and my wispy hairs morphed into jagged icicles. It was the form of climate that’s solely enjoyable when you’re carrying the right gear — and I used to be stoked to be sporting the Norrøna Girls’s Tamok ski jacket.
Throughout our 3-hour storm ski, I slashed by thigh-deep powder and endured iced-over goggles. However by no means as soon as did I query whether or not Mom Nature was going to interrupt by the impenetrable fortress created by my Tamok jacket. It saved me heat, dry, protected, and geared up with every part I wanted to truly get pleasure from a frigid morning snowboarding from chairlifts.
In brief: The Norrøna Girls’s Tamok GORE-TEX Efficiency Shell Jacket ($699) is a burly freeride ski piece that holds as much as the worst of winter climate. It’s extremely featured, so that you’ll need for nothing, and it’s even constructed with the brand new ePE membrane to assist take away poisonous chemical compounds from our world. Whereas it’s a bit heavier than I’d favor whereas touring, the Tamok grew to become my go-to ski jacket this season whereas carving turns at Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort.
Learn the entire Greatest Girls’s Ski Jackets purchaser’s information.
-
Match
Relaxed -
Insulation
None -
Shell
3-layer PFC-free ePE GORE-TEX -
Waterproof score (mm)
28K -
Weight
666 g
-
Longer size provides tons of protection on powder days -
Tons of zippered pockets to stash snacks and hand heaters -
Asymmetrical cuffs and wrist gaiters pair properly with numerous sorts of ski gloves -
Rugged development and design
-
Very costly -
Longer size might not fit your model desire
Norrøna Tamok GORE-TEX Efficiency Shell Jacket Evaluate
My household lives in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley, so we have now ski passes at Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort. As soon as the chairlifts begin turning, we spend as a lot time as we are able to exploring the 4 ski hills on planks. I acquired the Norrøna Tamok jacket close to the top of the season however nonetheless managed to log greater than 10 days of snowboarding whereas carrying it.
That’s as a result of it’s simple to like with its smooth design and considerate options. Its sturdy development made it a no brainer on nasty climate days after I knew I wanted full protection and safety from the wildest of winter. We even noticed a late-season blizzard that rolled in on Easter weekend when our buddy group had an on-snow egg hunt deliberate for our kiddos. I barely observed the chilly temperatures and sideways snow whereas barehanding plastic eggs.
However I suppose that’s no shock contemplating Norrøna’s Norwegian heritage. With its location within the north and its deep roots in Nordic aesthetics, I discovered the Tamok to be the right mirror of the model itself: aesthetically pleasing and completely bombproof.
Bulletproof and Eco-Pleasant Supplies
Norrøna doesn’t skimp on supplies, and that’s instantly clear with the Tamok. The jacket launched in the course of the 2023-24 ski season utilizing GORE-TEX’s comparatively new expanded polyethylene (ePE) membrane. In contrast to earlier GORE-TEX iterations, that is the primary one which doesn’t use any PFAS.
Also referred to as “endlessly chemical compounds,” per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a gaggle of long-lasting chemical compounds that have been as soon as ceaselessly utilized in a wide range of merchandise (like waterproof-breathable membranes) to withstand oil, grease, and water. However their persistence additionally means they’re exhibiting up all over the place — even in our blood — and a few sorts have been deemed a carcinogen by the Worldwide Company for Analysis on Most cancers.
However the eco-friendly ePE materials isn’t simply safer for everybody — it performs effectively, too. It has a smaller carbon footprint and weighs lower than earlier iterations of GORE-TEX, making it really feel much less cumbersome whereas carrying it. Bonus: It’s additionally quieter, abandoning that annoying crinkle sound you’d hear whereas strolling round in your ski equipment.
The Tamok is a 3-layer development with a recycled nylon face cloth and a burly 200-denier GORE-TEX reinforcing on the shoulders and elbows the place you want it. I skied with a backpack for 4-5 of my testing days, and there isn’t any seen pilling or scratches on it. Norrøna additionally makes use of a GORE-TEX C-Knit backer which makes the Tamok delightfully smooth on the within — and so extremely simple to drag over baselayers.
Unbeatable Waterproofing
Within the ski trade, a waterproofing score of 10K or above is taken into account acceptable or normal. You’ll typically see many premium and high-quality ski kits with scores round 20K, which implies they’ll simply shed the heavy snow and moist moisture present in locations just like the Pacific Northwest.
However the Tamok exceeds these scores with a water-resistant rating of 28K — the very best score in ski attire. Colorado doesn’t obtain the moist snow present in Oregon or Washington, however I spent many days in blizzarding climate and by no means as soon as did the Tamok moist out and even come shut.
Tamok Options for Days
Not solely did Norrøna construct this jacket with premium supplies, however they added each function a skier might need. My favourite was the asymmetrical cuffs mixed with the stretchy wrist gaiters. Each are an honest size, so the thumb holes on the gaiters are literally helpful even when you have longer arms. And, they simply slide beneath ski gloves, no matter whether or not you utilize under-the-cuff or gauntlet.
4 zippered pockets on the entrance of the jacket — two on the chest and two huge cargo pockets on the decrease half — make it tremendous simple to stash snacks, automotive keys, or hand heaters. Throughout one household ski day, I crammed a whole bundle of gummy bears in a cargo pocket and nonetheless had room for extra treats. A fifth zippered pocket on the higher left arm is nice positioning for a ski move, particularly when you ski at a resort with RFID scanners.
Each arms boast huge pit zips that stretch midway down the jacket. Not solely do these zippers dump warmth in a rush, however the tabs are a lot simpler to seize since they’re so beneficiant in measurement. I typically discover myself fumbling to seek out the underarm zipper in different ski coats, however I by no means had these points with the Tamok.
Whereas many ski jackets have helmet-compatible hoods, I’d argue the Tamok’s hood is definitely suitable and doesn’t flip all the scenario into an motionless neck brace. Not solely might I pull it over my helmet, however I simply zipped the jacket and nonetheless had room to maneuver my head and look across the periphery.
Distinctive Aesthetic
There isn’t a different technique to say it: the Tamok is slick. The longer hemline could be very distinct in look and totally different from most different ski jackets. I’m 5’5”, and the asymmetrical longer again hem reaches about midway down my thighs.
Whereas snowboarding, this added size supplied bombproof protection, and I by no means wanted to fret about blowing snow up my bottom (even when snowboarding in snowpants relatively than bibs). And it’s undoubtedly a dialog starter, as I had fairly a number of people in carry strains ask me “how I favored that size.”
However, it does include a caveat. Girls with wider hips might have to think about their sizing. I waffle between a small and medium ski jacket, typically choosing a medium so I can cram extra layers beneath. I even have extensive hips that grew even wider after childbirth. In a medium, I didn’t have any points with match, however a measurement small would’ve felt a bit comfortable across the hip area.
Room for Enchancment
Norrøna makes no secret of it: its gear is pricey. At $699 for simply the jacket, the Tamok is not any exception.
However, I believe the Tamok falls below a “purchase as soon as, cry as soon as” mentality. It’s fairly costly for a ski jacket, however I additionally imagine it’s arguably one of the crucial sturdy and weatherproof objects in my gear closet. And, it doesn’t have an particularly fashionable shade or model, so I do know I can put on it for a few years to return.
Moreover, merchandise utilizing GORE-TEX ePE are inclined to have a better worth level than people who don’t (particularly as manufacturers begin dumping PFAS-laden attire in preparation for the 2025 PFAS textile ban in California). Whereas I don’t assume skiers ought to run out and purchase PFAS-free tools simply to stop utilizing the unhealthy stuff (that creates extra waste points), I do assume paying additional for the textiles of the long run is a worthy worth of admission for a more healthy planet.
Norrøna Tamok GORE-TEX Efficiency Shell Jacket: Conclusion
For those who’re a skier who hits the hill a few times per season or throughout your annual, week-long spring break journey, the expense of the Tamok jacket might not be price it for you. Whereas others price much more, it hangs among the many highest-priced girls’s ski jackets in our gear closet.
However when you’re a girl who snags your season ski move as quickly because it goes on sale or logs double-digit ski days (or desires to), the Norrøna Girls’s Tamok GORE-TEX Efficiency Shell Jacket is hard to beat. I liked the articulated sleeves and hem, softer and quieter hand really feel, and number of pockets. The spacious but malleable hood was an enormous spotlight, which I might put on whereas carving downhill throughout squalls. Not all jackets have these detailed options.
With a smooth design, burly supplies, tons of options, and an eco-friendly development, there’s lots to love — and the sturdiness will preserve you content for years to return.
