Review: Outdoor Research Cloudchaser Jacket

For the last couple of years, I've been piecing together outdoor gear and trying to make the most of what I already owned for downhill and backcountry skiing. This left me either dripping with sweat or chilled to the bone within the first hour. When I finally decided to level up, I settled on the Cloudchaser Jacket from Outdoor Research—one of my longtime favorite brands.

The first thing I noticed was the stretch—this jacket moves with my body in all the right ways without ever feeling bulky or bunching up. It also does a great job of cutting the wind, and fits perfectly as an outer layer over a base layer and bibs, with plenty of room to add a mid-layer on colder days. The exterior pockets are conveniently placed, making it easy to grab snacks, keys, or my phone, and the oversized hood fits comfortably over my helmet. Best of all, the jacket isn’t just functional—it looks pretty sharp too.

Available at Outdoor Research; $385.