GEMYSE Men's Mountain Fleece Lining Review

This jacket ticks all of the boxes for a ski parka and performs well across our range of testing metrics. And it does so at an incredibly low price.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The GEMYSE Men's Mountain Waterproof is warm enough for most cold days at the ski resort. The jacket uses tons of synthetic insulation to provide warmth. It also has a thick pile lining of soft, pleasant faux-fleece to create an even cozier user experience. This jacket kept us warm without mid-layers on most chilly days on the ski hill, and with a layer underneath, it is plenty warm for the full gamut of conditions you might find on the slopes.

The warmth of this jacket is enhanced by soft, elastic wrist gaiters that seal the wrist openings and prevent drafts. The drawcord around the hem can be tightened in multiple locations, allowing for a custom fit at the waist and further preventing cold spots. The hood provides great coverage and more cozy fleece lining.

Weather Resistance

Although it is hard to find specific details about the waterproof membrane used in this garment, the GEMYSE Men's Mountain kept us dry and protected from the wind in all conditions. The DWR used on the outer fabric is surprisingly durable, and the seams all appear to be sealed effectively. In our shower test, this jacket kept us dry.

Despite the jacket's apparent weather resistance, there are some weak points. First, the removable hood has a wrap-around chin strap that helps keep the face warm, but the gap created by the top of the front zipper and the bottom of the hood chin flap creates a hole that allows wind, water, and snow to enter at the level of the chin. Second, with the exception of the front chest pocket, none of the pockets are waterproof.

Comfort and Fit

The GEMYSE Men's Mountain has a surprisingly good fit. The cut isn't particularly well-tailored, but we've tested much worse-fitting jackets over the years. It isn't too boxy or drapey, but the jacket's weight and insulation feel a bit bulky.

On the upside, the faux-fleece lining adds a lot of comfort, and the stretchy wrist sleeves fit nicely against the skin, creating an air-tight seal around the sleeve openings. The fleece lining in the hood is another bonus. Overall, this jacket is fairly comfortable to wear, especially considering its weight.

Ventilation

The GEMYSE Men's Mountain is not designed with ventilation in mind. There are no underarm vents, and the thick fleece lining doesn't allow much air motion. If you are looking for a jacket that will vent easily in warm conditions for aerobic riding, look elsewhere.

The thick exterior shell fabric and synthetic insulation help keep you dry on cold and windy days, but they also reduce breathability. This is one of the more stuffy jackets on the market. If you do any uphill travel or if you like to ski aerobically, this jacket will be too warm for you. But if your priority is downhill riding in any weather conditions, you won't mind the ventilation sacrifice.

Style

The GEMYSE Men's Mountain has a decidedly “beginner” style, with a boxy fit and little form-fitting or athletic tailoring. That said, it doesn't look bad, either, and it comes in a huge variety of color choices. For the price, this jacket actually looks pretty good. We have tested a lot of budget options over the years, and this jacket looks better than most of them.

Still, this jacket doesn't compare to the refined style and athletic tailoring of more expensive options. If you want to look your best on the slopes, you'll have to pay a little more money, but you'll also get better performance in the more expensive options.

Features

With two handwarmer pockets, a chest pocket, an internal zippered pocket, and an internal stash pocket, the GEMYSE Men's Mountain is loaded with useful features. We also like the removable hood, which adds versatility to this jacket, allowing it to be used as a winter parka in a wide variety of situations.

We love jackets that have stretchy wrist gaiters, and those found on the GEMYSE perform well at sealing out the winter chill from the wrist openings. It is rare for us to find such a great set of features on such an inexpensive jacket.

Should You Buy the GEMYSE Men's Mountain Fleece Lining?

Without a doubt, the GEMYSE Mountain provides the best value on the market. It provides all of the important performance metrics that we look for in a ski jacket, and it does so at a price that is unimaginably low. We have tested inexpensive jackets before, and none have come close to being as good as this one. If you are looking for a fully functional ski jacket that also can serve as a winter parka, all for pennies on the dollar compared to the high-end options on the market, buying this jacket is a no-brainer.

What Other Ski Jackets Should You Consider?

If price is the only thing you care about, you won't find many replacements for the great value presented by the GEMYSE Men's Mountain. That said, there are other options on the market that deliver more warmth, weather protection, features, and durability. Our favorite overall ski jacket, the Helly Hansen Alpha Lifaloft, delivers more performance in every single metric but at a much higher price. If you have the money to spend, we think the Helly Hansen Jacket is worth it thanks to better materials, solid construction that is proven to last hundreds of days of use, and a better fit. The Obermeyer Foundation is another great option that doesn't cost as much as our top recommendations but still performs better than the GEMYSE. Finally, the REI Powderbound Insulated was our favorite inexpensive jacket for years and provided excellent value as well.