Obermeyer Raze Review

Where many ski jackets have relatively stiff and crinkly shell fabrics, the Obermeyer Raze has a polyester shell that simply feels softer than most. If you're tired of loud, hard, and shinier shells, the Raze might delight.

Warmth

The Obermeyer Raze packs 60gm synthetic insulation into the body to keep your core warm, but reduces the thickness to 40gm in the sleeves. A warm core usually helps keep the arms warm while skiing, but we also believe Obermeyer is trying to optimize for mobility. Interestingly, the insulation feels denser than that of some puffier jackets, but it kept us quite warm.

Two other features elevate the warmth in this jacket: An insulated collar with a soft fleece liner that protects our necks from drafts, and wrist gaiters that seal out drafts. The wrist gaiters, in particular, helped keep warmth inside the jacket when we had to take our gloves off to access phones or snacks on the chairlift.

Weather Resistance

Obermeyer reports that its HydroBlock Pro shell has a 15k water resistance rating, which means it can withstand the pressure from a 15-meter column of water before allowing moisture to seep through. This is a strong waterproof rating, regarded as highly waterproof. In comparison, many good entry-level rain jackets have 10k ratings, though many manufacturers don't report their ratings.

During our shower test, the Raze shed water with ease. The hood is removable, so there is a gap underneath it that could let some wind-driven rain get past the collar, but for precip like sleet, the protection is very good. The DWR coating was unaffected by our rub test, indicating a quality application. The fabric is a bit softer than some stiffer nylon weaves we've seen, so it might become saturated more noticeably after multiple seasons of use — but the interior waterproof membrane should still keep moisture away from the insulation.

Comfort and Fit

The Obermeyer Raze is one of the most comfortable insulated ski jackets we tested. The roomy cut, combined with a 2-way stretch fabric shell and smart paneling, provided truly outstanding range of motion. The jacket feels slightly heavy for its size, but the 5 ounces of seemingly extra weight caused no discomfort after hours of wearing it. We think the extra weight comes from the use of heavier waterproof zippers, lots of pockets, a zippered powder skirt, and insulation around the collar and hood that some lighter jackets skip.

Meanwhile, the overall fit is slightly active and trim — and just a bit big to leave room for a thick midlayer if needed. As we skied in the Raze, it was easy to forget that we were wearing an insulated jacket. It just never seemed to bind or get in the way.

Our lead tester enjoyed the full, unrestricted shoulder freedom.   Credit: Ethan Maxcer

At no point could we make the Raze bind or impede motion.   Credit: Ethan Maxcer

Even broad shouldered testers achieved a full range of motion.   Credit: Ethan Maxcer

The soft, agile fit of the Raze made it easy to forget we were wearing it.   Credit: Ethan Maxcer

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Breathability

Along with the 15k waterproofing rating, Obermeyer reports that its Raze jacket supports a 15k breathability rating. Again, this is a very good breathability rating, making the Raze a good choice for active, all-day resort skiing. However, the Raze is not a good choice for backcountry skinning and skiing that requires a lot more work and produces a lot of water vapor when skiers climb hills.

For ventilation, the Raze includes two 11.75-inch underarm vents. These are two inches shorter than those we've measured on more premium jackets. These vents are backed by mesh panels, reducing their ability to open wide and let excess heat escape quickly. In our testing, we found them to be most effective when we opened them a bit before we overheated. By the time we started to feel hot, we usually ended up dropping the front zipper to release heat.

Style

The Obermeyer Raze has a nice clean cut with a softer, matte-like fabric. The waterproof zippers elevate the look, and the collar, which is separate from the hood, produces clean lines when the jacket is fully zipped.

The overall style, cut, and materials of this jacket are simply better than what we usually see from a midrange price point. Our lead tester likes the unpretentious vibe and the vibrant color options, noting that visual appeal on the mountain is very good. The Raze simply has a cool “let's go” vibe to it.

Features

The Obermeyer Raze is loaded with ski-ready features, including a lift pass pocket on the sleeve, a powder skirt, waterproof zippers, many pockets, underarm vents, and a large interior mesh goggle stash pocket.

The Raze goes a few steps further, offering a removable hood, stretchy interior sleeve gaiter cuffs with thumbholes, and a leashed goggle wipe in a chest pocket. While some premium jackets include all these features, the Raze packs them into a jacket that costs hundreds less.

The insulated, detachable hood offers excellent coverage.   Credit: Chris Maxcer

Once you ski with a jacket that has meshy interior wrist gaiters with thumbholes, it's hard to go back to standard sleeves.   Credit: Chris Maxcer

The included microfiber goggle wipe is a handy feature on foggy wet ski days.   Credit: Chris Maxcer

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Should You Buy the Obermeyer Raze?

The Obermeyer Raze is an agile, insulated jacket that excels for active skiers who want to wear a well-fitting jacket that doesn't bind across the shoulders or arms. This is a great jacket for weekend resort skiers of all skill levels, even those who like to dive down black diamond runs or seek out untracked sections of powder in the trees. However, we recommend backcountry skiers look toward highly breathable, uninsulated shells.

What Other Ski Jackets Should You Consider?

If you're looking for an affordable option that offers good mobility, the boxier, looser-fitting REI Co-op Powderbound Insulated lacks the Raze's style but can deliver all-day performance at resorts. The premium Patagonia Storm Shift Insulated offers surprisingly good ventilation in an insulated jacket and is extremely well made, but it's not quite as soft as the Raze. If you'd like to try an uninsulated shell, the burly and rugged Trew Gear Cosmic Primo is packed with pockets and delivers a similar style vibe. If you think backcountry skiing is in your future, consider the lightweight Arc'teryx Rush, which is a leader in both weather resistance and breathability.