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.
Chilling at a lawn chair party at Solitude. All photos courtesy of Rhett Dalton
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.
About the jacket
- Model: 2021 The North Face Men's Sickline Insulated Jacket
- Size: Medium
- Fit: Runs Large
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
Back bowl at Snowbird
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
