Mammut Aenergy Air HS Hooded Review

This jacket keeps the user dry and comfortable while moving fast through the mountains, but it doesn't do much else. It is a niche piece for ski mountaineering, and it excels in that application.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Mammut Aenergy Air is a thin hardshell that does not have much insulating power. There are no lofty materials used to keep warm air trapped inside the jacket, and with a shorter hem than many other ski jackets, warm air can escape easily. This is a boon for ventilation, but in terms of warmth, this jacket doesn't supply much.

The cut of the jacket is on the tighter side, meaning there isn't as much room to layer insulating mid-layers, so it's harder to stay warm in this jacket on cold days on the ski hill. The fabric is very breathable, again a benefit to those seeking ventilation, but it also allows cold winds to penetrate the inside. If you are looking for a warm shell, they are out there, but this isn't one of them.

Weather Resistance

This jacket is built to keep the user dry. With a waterproof membrane and taped seams all over the place, this jacket is impervious to water. The hood fits perfectly over a helmet, and the wrist cuffs close tightly with large hook-and-loop straps. Two drawcords in the hem and one in the hood help seal the jacket from above and below. Waterproof zippers round out the completely waterproof design.

If we had to pick one gripe with the Aenergy's weather protection, it would be that the shell material seems to allow cold winds to penetrate relatively easily. The shell material feels thin, so it is possible that heat is convected away from the body as cold winds blow over the shell fabric. Whatever the case may be, if you are sitting on a windy chairlift ride, this jacket isn't as protective as a thick Gore-Tex jacket. But for ski mountaineering, where the user is generally moving constantly and won't hang out on windy summits for too long, this jacket provides plenty of protection.

Comfort and Fit

We love the Aenergy Air's fit. It feels perfectly contoured to athletic bodies, allowing freedom of movement without being too form-fitting. The sleeves are a good length, and the hem provides good coverage without getting in the way. The hard shell fabric is much thinner and softer than most other shells, further enhancing movement.

This jacket feels a lot more comfortable to wear while moving than thicker hardshells on the market. We felt no resistance to fast skinning and aerobic bootpacking, and while skiing, this jacket is a dream. The panels are all cut to allow freedom of movement without adding unnecessary bulk and dangling fabric. It is loose enough to fit some mid-layers underneath, but it won't accept a huge, puffy down layer. Overall, this jacket fits well and is super comfortable to wear.

Ventilation

This jacket excels when the uphill pace quickens and you need to ditch moisture fast to keep from sweating too much. The Pertex Shield membrane breathes nicely, creating a cooler internal environment for the user. The armpit vents are huge and don't have any mesh to get in the way of air movement.

Not all hard shells are the same. Pertex Shield is one of the more breathable-feeling waterproof membranes on the market, and when we plan on moving fast and don't want our own body heat to slow us down, this is the jacket we bring.

Style

The Aenergy Air has decent styling as far as colors and panels are concerned, with complementary zippered accents and clean lines. The cut is also nicely tailored, which lends a refined look to this shell. It is good-looking enough for posh après-ski bars, but it can also fit into the hard-charging off-piste crowd.

The big turn-off for our testers is the large “Mammut” band down the front zipper. Mammut has a cool logo, and there's no reason why they had to tattoo their brand name right down the middle of an otherwise good-looking jacket. Nobody likes to feel like they're in a commercial, and unfortunately, that's how our testers feel when they wear this jacket. It could have easily been omitted.

Features

The Aenergy Air is minimally featured in an effort to keep the overall weight low. You won't find tons of pockets or a powder skirt, but there is enough to make the jacket useful for fast backcountry missions. If you are looking for a fully featured hard shell to hold your belongings while you take laps at the ski resort, this jacket won't meet your expectations

This jacket's features include one huge external chest pocket, one internal zippered chest pocket, and one small internal mesh stash pocket. The outer chest pocket is big enough to fit a pair of skins inside! The inner mesh stash pocket is too small to hold anything except a headband or beanie, and it won't hold skins or a pair of gloves. The internal chest pocket is big enough to hold a phone, a ski strap, or other small tools.

Should You Buy the Mammut Aenergy Air HS?

This jacket is perfect for those who enjoy fair weather ski touring and ski mountaineering. It is the perfect companion for spring skiing at the ski resort or as a shell for the final push to the summit of a big backcountry mission. It is also an excellent choice for multi-day backcountry ski tours like the Haute Route, where you hope for good weather and want to save as much weight as possible, but you are bound to run into a little bit of wind or precipitation along the way.

What Other Ski Jackets Should You Consider?