About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the jacket, which I purchased with my own money in April of 2021.

My take

The Flylow Women’s Billie Coat shell jacket is unrivaled in its quality and durability. It can withstand any weather and is meant to move with even the most expert skier.

About the piece

• Model: Flylow Billie Coat
• Size: M
• Fit: True to size

About me

• Height: 5’3.5”
• Weight: 130 lbs
• Experience: 20+ years of snowboarding/skiing

Test conditions

• When I bought this: April 2021
• Days tested: 50ish
• Where I’ve used it: Colorado and California
• Conditions I’ve used it in: Whiteout blizzards, high wind, below 0, warm May days

How it performs

What I was looking for

I needed a shell that was very waterproof yet breathable for the wide range of Colorado conditions. In addition, I wanted a shell over an insulated jacket to layer it based on the weather.

Why I chose this coat

Flylow’s fit is made for an athletic and/or curvy body type and chooses function over fashion. As someone who is tired of girly prints and colors, I was thrilled with the color options of this jacket. Flylow’s products are capable and durable, and their stuff was recommended to me by the guys at my tune shop. While GORE-TEX has name recognition across brands, I found that Flylow’s Intuitive Fabric offers the same (if not better) performance.

What I love about it

• Range of Motion: Unlike many ski clothes designed for women, this jacket is sized right in all of the joints to allow for great mobility where needed.
• Quality of Material: Flylow doesn’t make a product that isn’t high-quality in both materials and design. The colors are highly saturated and don’t fade over time. The fabric doesn’t lose its rigidity after washing as well.
• Durability: After using this for 50+ days in one season, this jacket has no sign of wear and tear.
• Waterproofing: This jacket has kept me completely dry on days when it dumps for hours.
• Breathability: This jacket lets my skin breathe on those warm spring days. It also has sizable armpit vents.
• Warmth: This jacket does a good job keeping me warm for a shell, as it offers an advanced tech fabric that manages to block high wind conditions.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Style: This jacket is styled to be baggier. Although I like the freedom of a baggier fit, I have been called “sir” while wearing it. If someone wants something figure-flattering, this isn’t it.
• Comfort: The material is a bit rigid, causing it to bunch in some areas. While it isn’t uncomfortable and doesn’t hinder performance, it can take some getting used to.

Favorite moment with this gear

This jacket got me through a day at Breckenridge, where the windchill was -30°F. However, it kept the wind out well, and the fit allowed me to add so many layers that I stayed comfortable.

Value for the money vs. other options

One may be shocked by the sticker price (especially since there is no insulation), but this jacket is worth every penny. Prior to purchasing Flylow, I had used Spyder and Roxy gear. Both brands showed fading and pilling with less than 20 days of use. My Flylow gear has no signs of use after 50+ days.

Final verdict

Overall, I wouldn’t consider any other jacket for myself. If you prefer function over fashion, this is the shell jacket for you. The Flylow Billie Coat keeps me warm and dry from opening day through the closing day every season and will easily take someone else from the first chair to the last chair every time.