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zipperred ski jacket for helmet hood

SSSdave

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I have a several years old expensive teal colored Salomon Fantasy ski jacket, still in great condition. It has a removable hood that is done so via a small 4 inch long zipper at the back of the neck plus 2 buttons on end tabs. Most days I remove the hood since I wear a Smith Variant helmet plus goggles. However on really cold windy and or stormy days usually zip on the hood, remove the helmet, then use a heavyweight balaclava plus goggles beneath the hood as that better seals out wind and cold. Of course most jacket hoods are head sized, as nobody has a head the size of most helmets and good hood design dictates a hood volume not be too large beyond fitting largest heads plus a bit more for some added insulation.

It is also true most hood removable ski jackets are similar, not expecting to fit a ski helmet, though indeed some are designed so. Thus there are numbers of of we skiers that on cold windy days may wish our ski jackets had a hood that could fit over our helmets. But as far as I've been able to web search, there are no such accessory clothing products. Please inform if not so. A useful product would be such a ski jacket accessory large zippered hood that could function mostly as an added wind barrier in the form of an un-insulated shell that could zipper onto a general variety of such ski jackets standard zipper sizes with some adaptability with the zipper since there are different zipper sizes and variable jacket specific zipper lengths.

As not a clothing knowledgeable person am wondering if such a product could be generally adaptable or if the ways removable hoods attach is too variable or custom integrated? Also how many of we skiers might be interested? In any case realize there are probably fair numbers of skiers that never are too chilly using their ski jacket, goggle, hood, combinations, not so much because their gear is better but rather some people are naturally more comfortable in cold conditions than others like this thin guy. And of course others don't have a pricy ski jacket with a removable hood.
 

firebanex

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I've never really had a problem with a hood not fitting over my helmet. I have a Patagonia 3in1 coat and a Patagonia ski patrol coat, no hood problems. Even one of my lightweight Black Diamond puffy has a hood big enough to go over my helmet and I have a normal sized 60cm/size large head.

I seem to remember a female Japanese Olympian with a huge over the helmet hood thing she wore while competing.. My wife wants one but I failed to ever find out what it actually is.
 

François Pugh

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My Mountain Hardware Jacket has a hood that fits over my helmet, but it's not detachable. Instead there's a zippered pouch for it in the collar (which I never use). I thought you might be able to buy a "parts" jacket and swap hoods, but it's beginning to look like you might have to sew your own.
 

Sibhusky

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My Eddie Bauer ski jackets (2) have had removable hoods that fit over my helmets just fine. But then I've never bought a jacket that wasn't designed for skiing to be used for skiing. I've certainly had rain jackets that wouldn't work, but even two other Eddie Bauer parkas with a fur ruff and non-removable hoods could fit over my helmet, and they weren't bought for skiing. I've never bought a jacket with a hood that rolled into a collar, tho. Because generally I expect to NEED the hood.
 

Jilly

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I know my Roxy jacket does fit over the helmet, but being ladies only, not something the OP is interested in. I have 2 Salomon jackets, but not accessible till the weekend. Then I can see if my helmet works. I can't say that I've ever used the hood with the helmet. Not a combination I like.
 

Sibhusky

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Come here in January. Howling wind, sub zero F. You'll want that hood.
I know my Roxy jacket does fit over the helmet, but being ladies only, not something the OP is interested in. I have 2 Salomon jackets, but not accessible till the weekend. Then I can see if my helmet works. I can't say that I've ever used the hood with the helmet. Not a combination I like.
 

James

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Just about every ski jacket these days has a hood meant to go over a helmet.
Nothing beats a hood when it's cold and blowing.

I used to take the hood off also. Then I got a Smith Variant helmet... Freezing. So a hood beacame quite essential. Plus it rains. Now I have the Smith Vantage helmet. Even colder. So a sewn in hood is just fine with me. One of these days Smith will stop hiring designers who ski in the tropical PNW. All they want it seems is venting.
 

cosmoliu

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That the hood fits well over a helmet has been one of my primary criteria for any jacket purchase in the last 15 years. That's why I for the most part buy jackets in person. The Arc'teryx jacket I bought last spring fits the best of all- no tugging at the arm pits, even with the new Marker helmet I bought this year which is significantly larger than my previous Smith Vantage. I have an old Oakley jacket with removable hood, which for me is a superfluous feature. I almost always put up the hood at some point during the day, even if only for the ride up the chair.
 

Uncle-A

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My Eddie Bauer ski jackets (2) have had removable hoods that fit over my helmets just fine. But then I've never bought a jacket that wasn't designed for skiing to be used for skiing. I've certainly had rain jackets that wouldn't work, but even two other Eddie Bauer parkas with a fur ruff and non-removable hoods could fit over my helmet, and they weren't bought for skiing. I've never bought a jacket with a hood that rolled into a collar, tho. Because generally I expect to NEED the hood.
My Eddie Bauer also fits over my helmet but I only use the draw strings to close it I do not try to snap it closed. Not sure if the front snaps would reach around my neck warmer, not an issue for me anyway because it is rare that I use the hood.
 

Sibhusky

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I just pull it up, it stays. Because of my gaiter I don't think the neck snaps would work, it's only the zipper snugging it. If I unzip it might fall open (usually on a chair ride blowing my nose) but I haven't had it fall open while skiing.

On cold days I've got it up for the chair rides up in the AM. I used to pull it off at the top, but now I've gotten used to it and it's only pulled off if I go in trees because I want to be able to hear. Seeing hasn't been an issue and there's plenty of play for turning my head back and forth.

Basically, I'm not seeing an issue here. You just make sure it's helmet compatible when you buy it, much like making sure it has pit zips. It's usually labeled as such.

And the OP mentioned zip in liners. Check. Both my last two jackets you could buy accessory liners that zip in. And since they were both Eddie Bauer, the old liner zipped into the new shell. The first jacket I bought two liners to go with it, the second time I just got one. Used one of the old liners and it fits fine.
 
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James

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I tried on a couple of very nice Strafe shell jackets recently. The really odd thing was the arms were meant for stick figures. Bizarre. Very well made coat that normal humans can't wear. Esp not with warm layers underneath. I'm hardly an Nfl player with huge biceps.
 

KingGrump

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A work around for an existing exterior shell with a hood that is too small for a helmet is a hoodie puffy. Just make sure the hood on the puffy is hlmet compatible.
 
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SSSdave

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Looking at my jacket, (same jacket as in my post pic at left) shows YKK on the zipper pulls with a number indicating the zipper gauge.

http://hub.ykknorthamerica.com/ykk-knowledge-center/zippers-101-2

Vislon plastic teeth open end #3 3mm for hood 4.8 inches long

After a lot of web searching this afternoon, actually found a few hood only products but not surprisingly none with zipper attachments. The below from Portland based Showerspass, 8008-BLCK-LXL, a waterproof breathable hood in two sizes for $29 uses Velcro and expect a YKK #3 zipper could easily sewn on. Says helmet compatible but that would be a cycling helmet that of course have less volume than ski helmets. So phoned the company talking to miss Sherry and she is shipping out a Large size in black for me to try out so will post some results later.

https://www.showerspass.com/products/rain-hood

Waterproof-Rain-Hood-Black-side-view_400x.jpg


Will be taking some images to send back to her. I like how the product has a good size chin flap in front so might be tucked down inside ski jackets that usually zip up at least to chin height. One issue with hoods if too tight against the head is they can interfere with side to side head movement so will try and evaluate how that works out. It is not a hood that extends out over one's forehead often found on rain shells and not doing so may be more practical on a skiing helmet since one would be wearing goggles and such is less likely to interfere with side vision.
 
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Jilly

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@Sibhusky - I ski Quebec.....usually -25C in January. I still don't wear the hood. In fact don't wear a Salomon jacket either...Too cold...Helmet, liner, goggles, wind stopper buff and nose covering. What I don't like about the hood is that is doesn't always move with my head. So limits vision.

I actually wear the Roxy coat as my winter coat. The hood is too big for just walking around. Need a toque under it.
 

MarkP

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A friend of mine used his wife's equestrian winter helmet cover one particularly cold, windy, snowy day. Not the one pictured below, but similar concept to the rain hood above. Consider checking out some horse riding type stores where you might be able try several styles and sizes.

s-l640.jpg
 

tball

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Looking at my jacket, (same jacket as in my post pic at left) shows YKK on the zipper pulls with a number indicating the zipper gauge.

http://hub.ykknorthamerica.com/ykk-knowledge-center/zippers-101-2

Vislon plastic teeth open end #3 3mm for hood 4.8 inches long

After a lot of web searching this afternoon, actually found a few hood only products but not surprisingly none with zipper attachments. The below from Portland based Showerspass, 8008-BLCK-LXL, a waterproof breathable hood in two sizes for $29 uses Velcro and expect a YKK #3 zipper could easily sewn on. Says helmet compatible but that would be a cycling helmet that of course have less volume than ski helmets. So phoned the company talking to miss Sherry and she is shipping out a Large size in black for me to try out so will post some results later.

https://www.showerspass.com/products/rain-hood

Waterproof-Rain-Hood-Black-side-view_400x.jpg


Will be taking some images to send back to her. I like how the product has a good size chin flap in front so might be tucked down inside ski jackets that usually zip up at least to chin height. One issue with hoods if too tight against the head is they can interfere with side to side head movement so will try and evaluate how that works out. It is not a hood that extends out over one's forehead often found on rain shells and not doing so may be more practical on a skiing helmet since one would be wearing goggles and such is less likely to interfere with side vision.

I've got one of those. Shower's Pass gear is fantastic. Mine fits UNDER my bike helmet, though. I doubt it would fit over my ski helmet.

I'd suggest finding a used Patagonia or Arcteryx jacket. Every one I've had for probably 15 years has had an attached hood that works over a helmet. I don't see the point of detachable as I use mine all the time. If I've layered correctly the hood is going on most lift rides and coming off skiing to manage my temp.
 

Jilly

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I was over to the ski shop at lunch. They are major Salomon shop. Do you try to put the hood up with the main zipper and collar done up? It won't work that way. Undo the collar and zip a ways and put the hood up. Then zip everything up.
 
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SSSdave

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Just performed checks on various ways to use my Salomon Fantasy (medium) jacket with its hood and doing so recalled how the issue is more complicated than I presented above. Bear with my explanations below. :)

With the 3 hood bunji drawstring adjustments set loosest, I am able to get my Smith Variant Brim (medium) helmet beneath the hood though the fit leaves little space. Also the curved shape of the inside of the hood poorly matches the shape of the helmet top. Because of that helmet shape, the front brim of the hood rides up high on the helmet. I then recalled how forward skiing movement causes enough resultant air friction that the hood catches air then is pushed back as the helmet provides little friction against the inside hard plastic surface for the hood to remain in place. Tightening the drawstrings doesn't help much as the leverage against the helmet just makes my whole head stiffer in place. The helmet has 4 dual sets of air louvers on each side where I could adapt the second from the front with some kind of bump to prevent the hood from easily moving back. Will get back to that below.

Another issue is I recalled how I don't like the stiff resistance to side to side and rotating head movement. Rotating my head plus helmet without the hood is far less resistive than with the hood over the helmet moving against the inside of the hood material surface as the hood stays in place while the helmet rotates inside it. That is particularly unacceptable to this quick turner and mogul skier because subtle quick movement of the head and hands tends to initiate my fast turns.

I set up the hood for just my expedition weight balaclava plus goggles (sans helmet) beneath the hood and noted that allowed much freer movement and was an additional reason beyond being warmer for preferring to do so cold storm skiing versus the hood over helmet. I also tried wearing the hood under the helmet with goggles but that is a tighter fit even more resistive to head movements though certainly warmer than my balaclava under the hood without the helmet.

Finally I installed the Salomon hood using just the front snaps with the rear neck zipper unzipped. That allowed the hood plus helmet to move with significantly less friction because the whole hood moved side to side together with the helmet versus the surface of the helmet moving against the inside surface of the hood. In other words, disconnecting the hood from its zipper allows it to move freely as the helmet moves. The rear 4.8 inch long zipper on the jacket collar is about 3.5 inches below the top of the collar. If not zipped, it tends to rest maybe a couple inches higher on the back of the collar while still providing reasonable air blockage from rear wind or falling snow. Viewed from behind my head, the base of the rear hood then moves freely side to side against the jacket collar. Thus this may be my specific solution plus adding some kind of "horn" bump atop the helmet at the louvers to keep air flow from pushing it back off the top. Or might mount a snap atop the helmet and correspondingly on the hood.

When I receive the just shipped Showerspass hood will check how that works.
 
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Eric267

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Even when the hood fits I often find it to restrictive. I found this style of hoodie at the Pittsburgh airport a few years ago and it's perfect! The whole thing is an air dry mesh that has some stretch to it and the hood wraps around my helmet and stays there while the whole time never even knowing its on. It's an awesome base layer in pretty much all conditions. I bought the newest version 2 years in a row, but a couple months ago when I went home the shop told me they are discontinued. Went online and can only find from teams I don't want. Might just have to buy a Vancouver Canucks one since I can't find a penguins or sharks one online anywhere.
image.jpeg
 
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SSSdave

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Showerpass hood arrived this afternoon then spent an initial half hour this evening checking it out and it is a winner. After a meetup group hike of 8 miles locally in the Santa Cruz Mountains with 10 women, am a bit worn so will wait till tomorrow to take some photos then post again.

It does have a larger volume than the removable Salomon hood. Was able to adjust it with its 3 Bunji cords so it won't have the problem of moving air pushing it off the helmet top into the rear like the Salomon hood. Thus a better helmet fit. And its considerable chin flap can be nicely adjusted so it covers up my lower face below the nose leaving just a small area of bare skin below my goggles that except for my nose can be taken care of with a thin nylon balaclava I wear. Most importantly wearing helmet/goggles, with the bottom areas of the Showerspass hood down inside the coat collar and the coat front zipper zipped all the way to the top at my chin, there is very little head resistant moving side to side, rotating, or chin up and down. Even less than when I use the coat with its Salomon hood without the helmet using my expedition weight balaclava/goggles.
 

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