Expert Review: The North Face Men's Sickline Insulated Jacket

This review is my honest opinion of the jacket, which i purchased with my own money in December 2021.

A man sitting in a lawn chair at a ski resort wearing the North Face Men's Sickline Insulated Jacket.

Chilling at a lawn chair party at Solitude. All photos courtesy of Rhett Dalton

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

My Take

The North Face Sickline Insulated Jacket is a high-quality and recognizable jacket on the mountain. This jacket featuring DryVent technology will keep you warm and dry on long days on the mountain.

Selling The North Face on Curated.com
The North Face
The North Face Men's Sickline Insulated Jacket
From $150.00
$209.97 to $300.00
Up to 50% off

About the jacket

About me

  • Height: 5’11”
  • Weight: 175
  • Experience: 23 years

Test conditions

  • When I bought this: December of 2021
  • Days tested: 25
  • Where I’ve used it: Big Sky, Salt Lake City, Bend-Oregon, Whiteface, Columbus, Ohio, Mansfield, OH
  • Conditions I’ve used it in: Powder, Cold, Winter, Spring, Resort, Backcountry

How it performs

Three people sit on a chairlift at a ski resort. It is snowing.

Back bowl at Snowbird

Breathability
4/5
Comfort
5/5
Durability
5/5
Style
4/5
Warmth
5/5
Waterproofing
4/5

What I was looking for

I needed a performance jacket offering all-day support for my on-mountain needs. I generally don’t get too cold, but I wanted something that offered warmth while keeping me dry from outside moisture and the sweat I produce.

Two people stand at the top of a mountain summit in their snow gear.

Snowbird summit

Why I chose this gear

What first caught my attention was the sick color scheme. That wasn’t the only reason I chose this jacket. It provided strong reviews on its durability and the right technology to keep me warm and dry. I compared this to Patagonia’s Powder Bowl Jacket but chose this jacket as it was more reasonably priced and provided a relaxed (vs. fitted) fit.

Front zipper and chest pocket of the North Face Sickline Insulated Jacket.

Front zipper and chest pocket

Back view of the North Face Sickline Insulated Jacket.

Overhelmet Hood

What I love about it

  • Range of Motion: The jacket is versatile and has no limits in range of motion. It runs a bit large/relaxed, which provides for great mobility.
  • Design: TNF provides another quality product that will last years through numerous conditions with its DryVent2 layer technology. It has all the bells and whistles to keep you warm and dry and allow you to carry everything you need on the mountain. The additional vents over the helmet hood and snap-away powder skirt are cherries on top.
  • Style: It will run loose but provides flexibility for layers underneath. Its style and color schemes originally caught my eye.
  • Quality of Materials: The PrimaLoft insulation is great at keeping you warm paired with the DryVent protection. The jacket has held up well through multiple tests and varying conditions.
  • Durability: This jacket has held up in the roughest outdoor conscious and multiplier wash cycles. I have not had any zipper issues or any breaches in the shell or insulation.
  • Pockets: The jacket has two standard pockets mid-stomach that are large and have a secure zip to keep contents inside. There is an additional secure-zip chest pocket, an internal media pocket with a port, and two internal stretch google pockets for ample storage. A secure zip wrist pocket is perfect for pass storage and includes a google wipe.
  • Breathability: The jacket provides underarm vents to allow for extra ventilation when charging hard.
  • Warmth: The PrimaLoft insulation provides lightweight warmth throughout the jacket. The DryVent 2-layer tech provides a good job of breaking the wind and keeping moisture out in most conditions.
  • Weight: This may be the lightest Ski jacket I have owned. Despite being insulated, the insulation is light, and the DryVent shell is as well.
Four people in ski gear stand smiling at the bottom of a ski run.

Skiing at Snow Trails in Mansfield, Ohio

Issues I’ve encountered

  • Fit: The jacket runs a bit big, which is great for days that require some extra layering. If it's a bit warmer, you may feel like you are swimming in our jacket with the amount of space you have.
  • Waterproofing: The insulation is great and can keep you warm when conditions are dry, but the DryVent 2-layer waterproof technology can let some moisture in on Spring days when conditions are warm and wet.
A group of skiers stand at the bottom of a ski run. There is a lot of snow in the background.

Back side of Big Sky

Favorite moment with this gear

It is hard to pick out a favorite memory with this Jacket. It has made it on numerous trips out west from Big Sky, Snowbird, and Winter Park. All have been memorable. It must be a Powder Day at Steamboat if I can pick one. My friends and I dropped in the Christmas Tree Bowl in near whiteout conditions with my gaiter freezing completely. It didn’t take long for all of us to lose each other. I remember skiing alone through the quietest stretch of the mountain with snow dumping on me. I remember kicking out of the bowl and skiing down to the nearest lift without seeing another skier until I got to the lift. My friends were there, and we were all completely covered in snow and smiling ear to ear.

Value for the money vs. other options

This is comparable to the Patagonia Powder Bowl Jacket, which has well-known GORE-TEX fabric and offers comparable insulation features. I could not justify an additional $50+ for the Powder Bowl. The fit and style leave something to be desired.

Final verdict

The TNF Sickline is as sick as the name suggests. It provides the needed insulation, waterproof, and windproof technology you need for an all-purpose ski jacket. The additional features like the pockets, over helmet hood, and auto port should make this a top consideration for your next ski jacket.

Selling The North Face on Curated.com
The North Face
The North Face Men's Sickline Insulated Jacket
From $150.00
$209.97 to $300.00
Up to 50% off
Meet the author
Ski Expert Rhett Dalton
5.0
Rhett Dalton
Ski Expert
Rhett here! How can I help?
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Written By
Avid skier since age 8. Love a good blue bird day. That said, prefer large storms dumping fresh powder. Groomers can be satisfying, but find me in the trees or the back bowls. Frequent traveler to Big Sky, but Snowbird still has my heart as my favorite. Apres ski expert, when I'm not on a lift or sh...

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