DON'T SHRINK IT AND PINK IT. Call it what you want jacket.

[TheBestSkier]

Calling all female pow slayers. Here is your opportunity to egineer a jacket made for you. We will be building off the Antero 2 and the Antero 2 Plus. Follow the link in my signature to see the jackets. The 2 is made from Polartec Windbloc. It is a softshell with microgridded fleece insulation. The 2+ is made from Polartec Neoshell. It's a hardshell with no insulation. Both are 3 layer fabrics.

The jackets will have tall collars that aren't attached to the giant hood. This gives your face plenty of protection and you can easily cover and uncover your helmet. The hood has 3 cinch points. Pit zips that work with gloved hands while wearing a pack. The two way main zip allows you to vent while keeping your face and covered. There will be no elastic in the cuff. Two zip hip pockets, one exterior chest zip pocket and one interior. There are also interior pocket pouches. Dual hip cinches act as a pow skirt and keep the jacket close to you.

What colors would you like to see?
Pow skirt or no skirt?
Add any pockets?
Pass pocket?
Stash pocket?
Longer cut?
Where do you want it smaller or bigger than a unisex cut?
Please let me know what else would make the perfect jacket for you.

In order for this to work I'll have to collect measurements. Those can be PMed to me. I will need:
Height?
Pants inseam?
Waist?
Center of armpit to center of armpit across front? Back?
End of shoulder to end of shoulder?
End of shoulder to wrist?
Bottom of neck to top of belt?

If we can get 6 or more with similar sizing then this thing will be a go. All the jackets do not have to be the same color and we can make it with either harshell or softshell. You'll just have to agree on features. Super small batches of re-engineered garments have more costs. We will have to charge full retail unless we can get a whole lot of interest in this. So if you have a friend with a similar build it would benefit you to get them on board. Before we cut the fabric we'll need a deposit of $100 and then the balance will need to be paid before we ship.

I hope this works out. If you have any other ideas please share them here. If all data and money is collected by Dec. 31 then we could have these ready mid to late Jan.

Thanks,
Kyle

 

[RNZ]

Thanks Kyle - great topic

I've only got time for a quick response now, but to kick it off

Colour, personal preference is for something that is not pink, purple or black. Because I sometimes ski a rope tow here, white is out too.
No pow skirt
Add a pocket on the sleeve for credit card / cash / key
Depending where they are chest pockets can be "interesting" on the female form - keep it high and big enough for a smart phone.
Generally slightly smaller in the shoulders / or slightly more room in the hips - I would guess a relatively small proportion of women are smaller in the hips than shoulders - so the compromise for many to get hip room is to go big in the shoulders.
Room for layering - I live in the land of merino sheep, home of mons royale and ice breaker, so merino layers are very readily available. Layering is different combinations and weights of various merino fabrics.

 

[Philpug]

This is great. Let's promote this!

 

[crgildart]

Ooooh! Conjoint Analysis and Max Utility design study, sweet!

 

[Monique]

Large internal pockets. Like, really big. Something I can shove goggles or a water bottle into. A lot of women's jackets have pockets you can barely get a credit card into - nevermind a modern phone. What is UP with that?

 

[Tricia]

I've been wearing a Freeride System's jacket and have some feedback on how to make it friendlier for woman.
The one thing that I noticed as soon as I tried to wear it to ski is pocket placement for the cell phone is in an unfriendly place for certain female features. I'd like to see that pocket dropped a few inches, to avoid square boob.

 

[SBrown]

1. I would take a look at some Arc'teryx jackets and study how they piece them.

2. You are brave.

 

[Philpug]

1. I would take a look at some Arc'teryx jackets and study how they piece them.

2. You are brave.

I agree with @SBrown on both points. Why reinvent the wheel? Look at what works and model your product on their success. I am not saying blatently copy it but make it your own too. As far as being brave, well, maybe thick skinned. look at criticism as ways to get better not that people want to put you down. I don't think anyone here wants to see you fail but they want to help you succeed. Nothing cooler than having a feature named after them, "Yes, that pocket placement is called "The Tricia" it prevents square boob".

 

[SBrown]

I don't even mean thick skinned so much as, This is a difficult job. I could read RNZ's post and then say, Hell no, make the shoulders a little wider and don't widen the hip! It's cold if you do that!

 

[RachelV]

Echoing what's already been said with some additional details: big internal pocket that is not directly behind the outside pocket (why do any jackets put them on the same side? this drives me nuts about my current Marmot shell). And the outside pocket should not rest right on your boob, yes.

Edit: agree that fit stuff is going to be way more personal and tough to find agreement on. But I think we can all agree that the outside and inside pockets should not be on top of each other.

 

[Tricia]

Echoing what's already been said with some additional details: big internal pocket that is not directly behind the outside pocket (why do any jackets put them on the same side? this drives me nuts about my current Marmot shell). And the outside pocket should not rest right on your boob, yes.

Features I like in a jacket:

• Pass pocket in the sleeve
• Tech pocket that is low enough and with a zipper big enough to avoid square boob and easy access to the phone
• Flask pocket inside. Some people call it a goggle pocket but I like how the flask fits in it.
• One feature I saw in a Bogner jacket was a zipper at the hips to allow for a little more room for the girl with athletic hips without having to go to a bigger jacket

 

[Yo Momma]

to avoid square boob

Okay had research that one........... you should have seen the look on my staff's faces when I asked for clarification!!! LMAO Now in "Staff Doghouse"!!!!!!! Thanks alot @Tricia!!! LOL

 

[Tricia]

I like the name posted in the other thread.

Badass sheila shell?

 

[crgildart]

I like the name posted in the other thread.

Sheila sells ski shells by the ski slope??

 

[bbinder]

I brought this thread to my wife's attention -- she is in the market for that perfect jacket. I know that she usually has a problem with sleeves not being long enough.

 

[Monique]

I have opinions. I won't be in the test batch sizing, but I can still contribute!

I agree with @SBrown - it's amazing how well Arc'teryx fits and moves. I also love the way the Sentinel protects my face right up to my nose when I hunker down for windy lift rides - especially because it has an internal zipper cover that actually works and keeps my lips and nose from touching moist metal. Ugh! (I have that issue with my TNF insulated jacket, which is otherwise great.)

It's important to me to have enough room in the arms for layers, and to be long enough to cover my butt. Obviously staying warm is more important to me than looking fashionable. But the assertion that you can layer under a shell - only works if there's room!

I am indifferent to powder skirts insofar as snow is concerned, but I love the solid construction (not mesh) ones because they block wind from going up my back on lifts. On the other hand, pit zips are mandatory as far as I'm concerned. I don't wanna hear about how great the latest fabric is for breathability. Sometimes it gets HOT up in here, and I want immediate relief.

 

[Monique]

I just had a thought, and wondering if other ladies would want this or not. On really cold days, my nipples HURT. Guys may get their yuks about this, but it is painful. So I wonder if an extra layer of warmer material right in front of the boobs would be a nice feature on a women's jacket.

 

[Yo Momma]

 

[Alexzn]

Re-posting something I added to the other thread, this is input from my daughter. So here is the teenager's viewpoint:

Number one feature: cell phone pocket!!! (left chest- easy to get in/out, but not too big so it would rattle around).
Number two: pit zips for hiking.
Number three: a ski pass pocket to put it in and forget for the rest of the season.
Solid color with “maybe contrasting color zippers”.
Just a shell, without insulation or brushed lining.
Length: “right after the butt”.
“Flattering silhouette” but still slightly baggy for the range of motion and jumps. It should have room for a back protector or for a puffy.
Sleeves that are wide enough to go over gloves with velcro "that does not suck".
Collar that goes almost up to the nose when the hood is over the helmet, but is not too tight. “We use bandanas but it is still nice to hunker down on the lift”.
Hood that "does not suck".
Inside: a zipped pocket for valuables and a big pocket for goggles or gloves.
Straight main zipper (offset zippers are “weird”).
Powder skirt.



Ia m not sure I am behind the idea for copying Arcteryx. Their line right now is super-fragmented, with multiple jackets trying to address the same market point. If I fancy myself to be a bad-ass big-mountain skier, do I need Caden, Sidewinder SV, or Sabre? Their new ridiculously $$$$ "stretchy" GoreTex is overly tight, etc. The pocket configuration is almost always the same and not very innovative. The zippers on the new AlphaSV look really nice, but that's only for that jacket. The construction quality remains very high, I have to give it to them...

 

[Monique]

Ia m not sure I am behind the idea for copying Arcteryx. Their line right now is super-fragmented, with multiple jackets trying to address the same market point.

I <3 my Sentinel. You're describing men's jackets, not women's. But the real point is the multiple panel construction and how good a fit that can provide. Something that fewer pieces of fabric simply cannot.