This New Ski Jacket Gets Right What So Many Others Get Wrong

It happened every year. I’d hit a ski resort with my buddy Stone Man, and before we even made it to the lifts, I’d inevitably hear a familiar request: “Umm, could you carry my après ski hat for me, buddy?”

See, I was the guy who rode with a backpack, which turned me into a de facto pack mule for some garish pompom-ed monstrosity. 

This scenario has since ceased (Rich got his own pack), but could have been avoided entirely if a clever new ski jacket had been on the market back in the day.

It’s called the Nivis Protego Pro Shell, and with a bit of wizardry, it finds extra storage space where there seemingly is never quite enough.

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Skirting the issue

See, most modern ski shells have a predictable array of pocketry. You get one or two in the chest area, hand pockets, a little space on the arm for stashing an RFID ski pass, a“media pocket” inside the left chest and some sort of mesh pouch in the right torso area. 

While that may seem like a lot, a lot of these pockets are basically zippered slots, and storing anything bigger than slim items such as a phone or glove liners — like, say, a goofy après ski hat — is either impossible or impractical because of the unsightly bulge it creates.

One big limiting factor is the removable powder skirt, the little zippered strip of fabric with an elasticized bottom section that acts as a gaiter to prevent snow from going up your back or into your pants during epic pow days — or, more commonly, epic yard sales.

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That’s where the unique approach of Nivis (Latin for snow), a scrappy Richmond, Virginia-based boutique skiwear brand, comes in.

Deciding that you shouldn’t have to choose between roomy interior pockets and a powder skirt, they integrated spacious, sealable drop pockets into the lining of the jacket, behind (or in front of, depending on your perspective) the zippered strip where the skirt attaches.

When I read that on the product page, I asked the rep to send more photos so I could really see they meant by “revolutionary pockets,” and the images on this page are what she shared. Then I dug out my go-to snowboard jackets and inspected their insides.

Lo and behold, it’s true, these pockets are something new and different entirely — and frankly have me reconsidering if I could replace my standard jacket and backpack set-up with this shell. Eureka?

Additional features

It probably goes without saying, but in addition to those distinctive internal pockets, the Protego carries the sort of qualities we’ve come to expect from high-end ski shells.

Some of the more notable ones include 3-layer 4-way stretch MaxAliento fabric, 25k waterproofing, fully taped seams, articulated sleeves, pit zips and a storm-ready hood with a stiff, weighted brim to keep snowmelt from dripping into your goggles.

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Oh, there’s also another cool pocket-based feature. The internal “media” pocket is lined with aerogel, a NASA-developed substance with record-breakingly low thermal conductivity. Stash your phone there and preserve its battery life in frigid conditions.

That innovation comes from Helly Hansen, and was revolutionary in its own way back in the day.

Availability and pricing

The Nivis Protego Pro Shell is available now in three colorways and five sizes (including “medium large”) for $690.

Nivis Gear

Nivis Protego Pro Shell

• $690 at Nivis Gear

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