How to Layer for Ski Touring: A Women's Guide

Ski touring is a funny sport for your body. You climb for an hour and you're steaming, you stop on the ridge and the wind finds every damp spot, then you ski down and need to be warm again. One jacket can't do all of that. A good layering system can. Here's how we think about it, piece by piece. (And yes, we're biased: layering is literally what Colturi was built around.) The golden rule: dress for the climb, pack for the summit Start the skin track slightly cold. If you're cozy in the parking lot, you'll be soaked in fifteen minutes, and wet layers lose warmth fast once you stop. Wear what you need to move, and carry what you need to stop. 1. Base layer: the one you feel all day Your base layer sits on your skin, so its job is to move moisture away and stay comfortable for hours. Look for a close, tight fit (loose fabric can't wick) and a fabric that doesn't hold on to odor. Our Allure base layer is made from a wool-polypropylene blend: the wool brings natural insulation and odor resistance, the synthetic keeps it soft and quick. Flatlock seams mean no chafing under a pack strap. Pair it with the Allure pant on cold days. 2. Mid layer: where the magic happens This is the piece you'll wear on the climb most days, so it has to breathe and stretch. A technical fleece is the classic choice: For fast, high-output days: a slim quarter-zip or full-zip in a breathable fabric, like the Stella or the Oxygen fleece jacket, both made in Italian Vuelta fleece. For colder, slower days: something with more loft, like the Stella Extrafleece or the Inspire hoodie, which pair a fluffy, warm fleece with breathable side panels. For everything in between: the Ionic hoodie, our best-seller, in a mid-weight honeycomb fleece. Hybrid layers are the secret weapon here. They put insulation on your core and stretchy fleece where you sweat (under the arms, on the sides). The Oxygen hybrid jacket and the Channel vest are made exactly for moving fast in the cold. 3. Insulation: your summit and lunch-break layer This one lives in your pack until you stop. Pull it on over everything the moment you reach the top, before you start getting cold, not after. Lightest and warmest: the Levity, filled with 1000 fill-power down and packable into its own pocket. Stretchy and breathable: the Dream Flow, with synthetic padding that moves with you, so you can even keep it on for the descent. Windproof outer warmth: the Electra, in a water-repellent rip-stop with Primaloft Gold insulation. Not sure whether to go down or synthetic? We wrote a whole post about it: Down vs. synthetic insulation for skiing. 4. Shell: for wind, snow and bad decisions about weather On stormy days or windy ridges, a waterproof shell goes on top. Our Wonder Magic 20k shell has a 20,000 mm water column and fully taped seams, and it's light enough to forget it's in your pack. For the coldest, nastiest conditions, the Inspire insulated jacket combines waterproof Dermizax fabric with stretch insulation in one piece. Don't forget your legs Touring pants should stretch, breathe on the back and protect where you need it. The Electra pant has a water-repellent front and stretchy Italian Vuelta on the back, with reinforced knees and an opening for ski boots. Our go-to kit for a cold touring day Allure base layer, top and bottom Stella or Oxygen fleece for the climb Channel vest in the pack for windy sections Levity or Dream Flow for the top and the ride down A shell if the forecast is moody Every body runs differently warm or cold, so treat this as a starting point and adjust. And if you're unsure about a size or a piece, write to us in the live chat. We're skiers too, and we love talking layers.