Tried and Tested: Outdoor Research White Room Jacket and Pants
Serious protection that’s built to last
I spend around 70 days a winter on the mountain, and I split my time between piste, park, freeride and touring, so I wanted a jacket and pant combo that would work in all those environments, and I’ve found it in the White Room jacket and pants.
From the three-layer Gore-tex shell (which is as breathable as it is waterproof) to the generous, easily-accessed venting, everything is built for performance. There’s just the right amount of warmth and comfort from the polyester flannel backer, so you can couple this with a good midlayer and know you’ll be the right temperature.
The fit is described as “relaxed”, which I’d say is fair. I found the large I tested to be just the right side of generous, with the pants feeling secure despite not having a bib (plus there’s an effective, removable powder skirt in the jacket to keep the powder out). What really impressed me was the articulation. Outdoor Research call is “Movement-mirroring stretch”, but it translates to on-hill comfort even when I’m hitting jumps or skinning up.
In the jacket, the pockets are plentiful with room for gloves, hats and other bits, and there’s even an in-pocket goggle wipe. YKK Aquaguard zippers help keep the wet out, as does the internal stormflap and cuff closures. A large stretch hood that fits over most helmets offers complete protection from the elements.
I was a little sceptical of bright yellow pants (also available in black) at first but they make me easy to spot on the mountain, which is handy. Venting on both the inner and outer thigh keeps things cool even when I’m touring. There’s a pocket for a transceiver — I still tend to stick to a harness but it’s nice to know the option is there.
30 ski days in and the durability of this get-up is obvious. Gore-Tex is well-known for being tough stuff, but both the jacket and the pants look like they’re fresh out of the shop. And when kit’s this good, you want it to last a long time.
