686 Smarty 3-in-1 Form Insulated Review
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
This Product
686 Smarty 3-in-1 Form Insulated | |||||
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Awards | Best 3-in-1 Ski Jacket | Best Bang for the Buck | Best Ski Jacket Under 100$ | ||
Price | $179.83 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $319 List $319.00 at REI | $199 List $98.83 at REI | $73 List $64.98 at Amazon | $100 List |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | A favorite 3-in-1 jacket with good protection, pockets, and slouchy style | This shell nearly matches the performance of much more expensive products | This jacket doesn't excel in any attribute, but it doesn't fall short either | This inexpensive and warm jacket ticks all the boxes for a solid ski jacket | An inexpensive jacket that doesn't perform well compared to the best products |
Rating Categories | 686 Smarty 3-in-1 F... | REI Co-op First Cha... | REI Co-op Powderbou... | GEMYSE Men's Mounta... | Moerdeng Waterproof... |
Warmth (20%) | |||||
Weather Resistance (20%) | |||||
Comfort and Fit (20%) | |||||
Ventilation (20%) | |||||
Style (10%) | |||||
Features (10%) | |||||
Specs | 686 Smarty 3-in-1 F... | REI Co-op First Cha... | REI Co-op Powderbou... | GEMYSE Men's Mounta... | Moerdeng Waterproof... |
Main Fabric | Nylon | Recycled polyester | Nylon | Unknown | 100% polyester |
Insulation | Synthetic 160g | None | 60g polyester sleeves, 80g polyester body | Synthetic and faux-fleece | Synthetic with fleece lining |
Pockets | 2 handwarmer, 2 chest, 1 internal mesh | 2 handwarmer, 2 chest flap, 2 chest zipper, 1 internal zipper, 1 intenal mesh, 1 sleeve | 2 zippered hand, 1 zippered chest, 1 sleeve, 1 internal zippered chest, 1 internal mesh | 2 handwarmer, 1 chest, 1 internal zip, 1 internal stash | 2 zippered hand, 1 zippered chest |
Weight (size large) | 3,15 lbs | 1.73 lbs | 1.81 lbs | 3.63 lbs | 2.40 lbs |
Water Resistance | infiDRY | Gore-Tex | 2-layer waterproof breathable laminate | Unknown | Unknown |
Hood | Adjustable | Adjustable | Adjustable | Removable | Adjustable and removable |
Pit-Zips | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cuff construction | Elastic strap with velcro | Velcro | Interior wide hook-and-loop adjustments and external velcro | Stretchy wrist gaiters and external velcro | Velcro |
Powder skirt | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
RECCO | No | No | No | No | No |
Our Analysis and Test Results
With great marks in nearly every category, this jacket delivers high performance at a price that is hard to beat.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
The 686 Smarty 3-in-1 delivers heat mostly through the liner jacket, which is a removable insulated zip-up layer with 160-gram synthetic insulation. This mid-layer is remarkably warm. In addition, the shell layer has a thin hanging liner that also traps some heat, but the liner jacket does most of the work. Together, they kept us warm on the coldest days of testing at the ski hill.
Three-in-one jackets traditionally deliver plenty of warmth, and this one is no exception. Its modular build allows this jacket to perform on the coldest days of winter (using both layers), the warmest days of spring (using just the shell), and even around town or during spring and fall (using just the liner). Such versatility is hard to come by in jackets that also deliver enough warmth for the coldest days of winter.
Weather Resistance
The Smarty 3-in-1 Form Insulated does a great job at keeping out snow, rain, and wind. The shell fabric feels thick, and the infiDRY membrane effectively keeps out water. We couldn't tell if all the seams are sealed, or just the critical ones, but either way, they didn't let in water during our shower test. This jacket keeps us warm, dry, and protected during the harshest winter weather.
The hood has good coverage, though there are better hoods on the market. The biggest flaw in this jacket's weather resistance is that the zippers aren't waterproof. Instead, there are small storm flaps that shield water and snow away from the zippers, but in a truly wet environment, water will soak through the zippers.
Comfort and Fit
Despite its heavy weight, the Smarty 3-in-1 Form Insulated is comfortable to wear while skiing. The jacket weighs over three pounds, which can be a burden, but on the coldest days, we needed all of this weight to keep us warm. The jacket has good tailoring with a loose but ergonomic cut.
The jacket features some nice accents like a fleece lining around the chin, which greatly enhances comfort, and the soft knit collar on the inner liner jacket. It isn't as loose-fitting as it looks and actually has great mobility, allowing us to make athletic movements with ease. Overall, this is a comfortable parka.
Ventilation
The ventilation in this jacket is not great. The 686 Smarty 3-in-1's 160g synthetically-insulated liner is warm and stuffy, which is great on cold days of downhill skiing but not great for hot bootpacks or aerobic riding. There are small underarm vents, but they don't help that much with ventilation.
The shell fabric is a thick nylon material that is less breathable than most Gore-Tex jackets. When the mid-layer jacket is removed, there is still a thin hanging lining, which traps air and prevents ventilation. The underarm vents are short and mesh-lined, and even when zipped all the way open, they don't actually open very much.
Style
This jacket has a loose, “steezy” style that isn't for everyone, but we think it looks pretty good. If you enjoy looser, baggier looks, then you'll love this jacket. That said, it also compares well against most other jackets on the market.
Style is subjective, and while we know that not everyone will like how this jacket looks, it's an added bonus that a jacket that performs so highly across the board also looks good.
Features
This metric is where the Smarty 3-in-1 really shines. This jacket has more pockets than you'll ever need, including two handwarmer pockets, two chest pockets, a headphone port, one internal stash pocket, and a sleeve pass pocket. It also has an adjustable hood and a powder skirt to keep out snow on deep days.
The “three-in-one” package is a unique feature in itself, which includes a shell jacket, an insulating liner jacket, and a zipper to combine both layers into one. This allows for tremendous versatility, giving you layer combinations for any time of year. This also inherently provides great value since you can buy your autumn, winter, and spring jackets all in the same package.
Should You Buy the 686 Smarty 3-in-1 Form Insulated?
This jacket is perfect for users on a budget who want a high-performance ski jacket and who also want to save money on their fall and spring layers by using either the liner jacket or the shell jacket in the other seasons, depending on the weather. There are better jackets to be found for either use, but when it comes to value, the three-in-one system can't be beaten. This jacket also has a unique style, so if it appeals to you, it's a great choice!
What Other Ski Jackets Should You Consider?
The North Face ThermoBall ECO Snow TriClimate is another favorite 3-in-1 jacket. It's a bit more expensive, but it also has a different style and performs well in nearly every ski context as well. If you're looking for the best-insulated ski jacket on the market, the Helly Hansen Alpha Lifaloft is a great choice at a reasonable price, and so is the Arc'teryx Macai, but that one costs a fortune. If you're looking for a good ski jacket for the lowest price possible, the GEMYSE Men's Mountain Fleece Lining provides good warmth, weather protection, and comfort at an unbeatable price.