Outdoor Research Axcess Jacket - Men's

The little bit of insulation truly tides you over till the sun hits. Hit the first chair and keep skiing no need to shed a layer because you didn't need to put one on. Great thermoregulation stay warm then cool off with the vents. The balacalava is a great bonus, and i love the normal zipper for the front it will last.

I have been layering for years for ski touring and ski mountaineering with a 3 ply gore-tex jacket...

What I like about this jacket is I can wear less layers for the same warmth...

Great inbounds and sidecountry jacket!

At 5'9 155lbs to 160lbs I fit a medium with room for layers...

I already own more jackets than any sane human being needs... but when I saw this pop up on SaC, I decided I needed to give it a look. Gore-Tex for under $200 always catches my eye. I was also attracted by the ski-friendly features like the pass pocket. And the chest-to-hip zip seems like a no-brainer improvement over the traditional pit zip, as it both provides greater cross-ventilation as well as being easier to operate.

I'm sad to say, however, that this jacket did not quite live up to my expectations. The flaw that bugs me the most is that the main zipper is woefully designed. There is the tiniest amount of excess shell material on the inside of the jacket, just next to where the zipper is. It gets stuck in the zipper. A lot. A LOT a lot. Completely annoying, and unfortunately, this one small flaw renders the jacket almost useless. What is the point of wearing a jacket whose main zipper gets stuck literally every time you try to get it on and off? Serious design flaw. Also, as another reviewer mentioned, it would be nice if the powder skirt zipped off. Some people get their panties in a bundle over zipped-in vs. fixed hoods, but in my opinion, the powder skirt is a much bigger deal, as the inability to remove it seriously limits a jacket's off-slope function and comfort (as well as making the wearer look like a bit of a d-bag).

I also can't say I'm particularly fond of the Diablo color - I was hoping it would be a bit brighter in person, but in reality it's fairly pumpkin-ish. But that's just an issue of taste, so it's neither here nor there.

OR has got an interesting concept going with their sidecountry line. Hopefully they will address these design flaws in their next iteration.

I've been looking for a Gore-Tex or eVent ski jacket for almost a year now. Before I was all about layering with a great shell (rab latok - eVent) but got tired of snow busting up and lack of pockets/pass holder.

This jacket sealed the deal with multitude of pockets, balaclava, powder skirt, and great hood system. The insulation in the coat is superb, requiring only a t-shirt for 25+ degree days and a long sleeve layer for 25 degree and below days. The balaclava is a must for storm conditions or super cold days.

I like my clothing "athletic fit" and this coat fits "normal". It allows for room to layer but it is not baggy. I wear a size small and the small axcess is a good fit for me. It is not absurd like most snowboarding jackets. If you like super baggy go one size up, if you like tighter fit go one size down.

A couple things prevents this from being a five star coat. The main zipper at about 4/5 zipped always gets caught if you don't pull the coat straight. The vents do not have a mesh liner so if you wreck with them down expect lots of snow to cool you off. Finally the powder skirt is non-removable, but no big deal for me as this awesome jacket will be only used in snow sports!