They say La Niña is back for the 2011 ski season. And that means more heavy snow in the Sierras and around the country. I definitely won’t be complaining especially given the new crop of rugged, waterproof fabrics and killer hard and softshell jackets available this season.

In past years, you were forced to choose a hardshell for the toughest and wettest conditions and reserve the softshell for milder days. Well, that’s no longer the case. Thanks to new fabrics like Polartec’s Neoshell, your next softshell will be as waterproof as your old hardshell. Similar improvements have been made on the hardshell front with waterproofing and greater breathability in innovations like DryQ from Mountain Hardwear and Gore-Tex Performance Shell.

At GearGuide, we checked out a bunch of new products while getting ready for the 2011 season. Here are four – two hardshells and two softshells – that more than make the grade:


Mountain Hardwear Drystein Jacket – One of the company’s top-of-the-line alpine jackets that employ DryQ Elite fabric, the Drystein was one of the lightest hardshells in our test. See review.
 
 

Patagonia Powder Bowl Jacket – The company bills the Powder Bowl as their most versatile hard shell. And the jacket has everything you need in a hardshell. See review.
 
 

Sierra Designs Savage Jacket – This understated softshell doesn’t scream “I’m a ski jacket.” Rather the Savage’s understated design looks as comfortable off the slopes as on. Its creative fleece insulation also made it one of the most plush we tried. See review.
 

The North Face Jammu Jacket – TNF built the Jammu from Polartec’s new Neoshell softshell fabric. The jacket is part of the company’s technical Summit Series of products and has fully taped seams, a brushed fleece lining and a helmet compatible hood. See review.
 
Every one of these jackets excelled in the area of waterproofing while boasting their own unique set of features. Depending on your preferences and ski conditions, one of these should definitely work for you in the coming season.

Thanks for reading another outdoor gear review from GearGuide. And thanks to Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, Polartec, Sierra Designs, Pale Morning Media and Backbone Media for and providing product for these reviews. Written by Matt K.