Most plus size women shopping for winter end up asking the same thing: do I need a ski jacket, a winter coat, or both? It's a fair question when a good jacket costs well over $100 and most stores stop at a 3X anyway. Here's what separates the two, and why one jacket can often do both jobs.
What makes a plus size ski jacket different
A ski jacket is built for moving, sweating and falling in the snow. The features that matter:
- A waterproof shell with taped seams. You sit on lifts and fall in wet snow. Look for a rating of 10K or more and seams taped where water gets in first.
- A snowskirt. An elastic band inside the hem that seals around your waist so snow stays out when you go down.
- Pit zips. Underarm vents that let heat out on the climb without taking the jacket off.
- Goggle and audio pockets, and a hood that fits. Small, but you notice them by lunchtime.
- Room to reach. Deeper armholes and a longer body so the jacket stays put when you plant a pole or grab the chairlift bar.
What makes a plus size winter coat different
A winter coat is built for standing still in the cold: the bus stop, the school pickup line, the dog walk. It trades vents and snowskirts for warmth and coverage. Think longer lengths past the hip or thigh, heavier insulation, and a cut you can wear over a sweater to work.
Where a plus size ski jacket and a winter coat overlap
A well made insulated snow jacket does both. The waterproof shell that keeps you dry on the mountain also keeps you dry in sleet on the way to the car. The snowskirt that seals out powder also seals out wind. That's how we design our winter jackets: built for the slopes and for a snowy Tuesday in Minneapolis.
Which plus size winter jacket fits how you live
You ski or snowboard a few times a season, and need a coat every day. Get an insulated snow jacket. The Tempest is our warmest, with a 10K waterproof shell, pit zips, a snowskirt and a 36 inch length on a 3X. It's also our first jacket in Tall (1X to 4X Tall). The Sugar Coat II is the other pick: a 10K shell with a thermal mesh lining, great for sledding, snowmobiling and days out with the kids.
You're on the mountain most weekends. Look at the Moonlight: lighter insulation so you don't overheat on runs, ninja cuffs, a snowskirt, an inside goggle pocket and a removable insulated hood.
You don't ski, you just live somewhere cold. The Siberian is a stretch softshell with heavy quilted insulation for shoveling the driveway and frigid mornings. For the longest, warmest coat, see our plus size winter jacket guide.
Don't forget the plus size snow pants
A ski jacket only goes so far if your legs are soaked. Bibs keep snow out of your waistband when you sit or fall; pants are quicker on and off. See our plus size snow pants and ski bibs in 1X to 6X.
The short answer on plus size ski jackets
If you'll ski even once this winter, buy an insulated snow jacket with a waterproof shell and a snowskirt: it's the one coat that handles both. If you'll never see a chairlift, a long insulated winter coat keeps you warmer standing still. Either way, it should fit your body in your size, 1X to 6X, without sizing up and rolling the sleeves.
Shop plus size ski jackets · Shop all plus size winter coats