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Arc'teryx Tiya Review

A high performance ski jacket that is stylish but comes with a high price tag
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Arc'teryx Tiya Review
Credit: Arc'teryx
Price:  $799 List
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Manufacturer:   Arc'teryx
By Jessica Haist ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Feb 23, 2018
78
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Weather Resistance - 20% 9.0
  • Comfort and Fit - 20% 8.0
  • Warmth - 20% 8.0
  • Ventilation - 20% 6.0
  • Style - 10% 9.0
  • Features - 10% 7.0

Our Verdict

This elegant, flattering jacket was the belle of the ball with our girlfriends. Whether we were wearing it at the mountain or sporting it around town, we got a lot of compliments. The Arc'teryx Tiya is a high performing piece that will keep you warm at the ski hill but comes with a hefty price tag. It has high-quality features like flexible GORE-TEX shell materials and the RECCO reflector technology and all the ski features you need like a powder skirt and helmet-compatible hood.
REASONS TO BUY
Stylish
Form fitting
Good ski features
Comfortable
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
New Colors

Arc'teryx graced this jacket with some updated colors since we last bought and tested it, but all technical aspects of the jacket remain the same.

October 2019

Our Analysis and Test Results

The ladies loved this comfortable, slim-fitting insulated jacket on and off the mountain.

Performance Comparison


arc'teryx tiya - the tiya is a high performing ski jacket with great features.
The Tiya is a high performing ski jacket with great features.
Credit: Scott Rokis

Weather Resistance


The Tiya's shell materials are tough and will withstand any moisture that is thrown at whether it is sleet, rain, or heavy powder. It has N70p 3L GORE-TEX® fabric and professionally seam-taped seams to keep it all out. We did not detect any cold drafts getting in through the zipper and the hood fit nicely over our helmet for extra protection. The shell material was nice but not quite as thick and durable as other jackets we tested.

Comfort and Fit


The supple shell material with a slight stretch makes this jacket very comfortable to wear. The Tiya does fit on the small side and is Arc'teryx's “Trim Fit” style. We've noticed that Arc'teryx products tend to fit on the smaller side. Our classic medium-sized testers felt the medium fit ok, but you couldn't put extra layers on outside of a thin mid-layer.

arc'teryx tiya - the tiya's soft and slightly stretch gore-tex materials move with us...
The Tiya's soft and slightly stretch GORE-TEX materials move with us and are quiet.
Credit: Scott Rokis

Style


If you're looking for an insulated ski jacket that is also form-fitting and flattering, this is for you! We think the Tiya has a simple style that is timeless and won't become dated. We received many compliments when wearing this jacket. We do wish that it came in a few more color options.

arc'teryx tiya - pure stylin'!
Pure stylin'!
Credit: Scott Rokis

Warmth


The Tiya has synthetic insulation meant to keep you warm even if you get it wet, which is an advantage over down insulation. Because the profile is somewhat form-fitting, there is not a huge amount of insulation in this jacket. It will keep you warm on most days, but you may want to add an extra layer on the colder days or if you're skiing in colder areas like the Northeast. We like that the Tiya's hood is also lined with warm synthetic insulation and appreciate its cozy, microfleece-lined handwarmer pockets.

arc'teryx tiya - the tiya kept us warm out on the slopes.
The Tiya kept us warm out on the slopes.
Credit: Scott Rokis

Ventilation


Although the Tiya's shell materials are supposedly breathable, we have found that GORE-TEX sometimes is not the most ventilating of fabrics. However, the Tiya does have pit zips to help with increased airflow for those days when you're working hard in the deep powder or crud. The Tiya has mesh-lined pit zips to keep the powder from getting inside your jacket if you take a tumble. We appreciate this feature but think the mesh limits airflow and prefer the gaping pit zips.

arc'teryx tiya - the tiya has mesh lined pit zips which keep snow out but also limit...
The Tiya has mesh lined pit zips which keep snow out but also limit air circulation.
Credit: Scott Rokis

Ski Features


This high performing jacket is loaded with useful ski features. It has a powder skirt to keep drafts and snow from getting up your back if you take a tumble, and the hood will fit over most ski helmets. Unfortunately, we find the hood's drawcord system very difficult to use with gloves. The pull cords to tighten the hood are located inside the collar and almost impossible to find with gloves and goggles on. We greatly prefer hoods with drawcords outside the collar.

arc'teryx tiya - the tiya has a lot of ski specific features like a powder skirt...
The Tiya has a lot of ski specific features like a powder skirt, RECCO reflector technology and a goggle pocket.
Credit: Scott Rokis

Features we love on the Tiya are all the functional pockets, including a sleeve pass pocket and interior zip and goggle drop-in pocket.

arc'teryx tiya - the handy pass pocket.
The handy pass pocket.
Credit: Scott Rokis

Value


Here is the major drawback of the Tiya - it costs a bomb! There are other products in this review that retail for less and are a better value. If you're looking for a fancy jacket, that people will know you paid a premium for because of the Arc'teryx label, this is for you.

arc'teryx tiya - we like the tiya's welded seams and cozy micro-fleece lined...
We like the Tiya's welded seams and cozy micro-fleece lined handwarmer pockets.
Credit: Scott Rokis

Conclusion


This simple and classic ski jacket is of high quality, is high performing, and comes with a high price tag. It is comfortable and warm and fits like a glove. It is not bulky and will give you a tailored silhouette, but doesn't leave much room for layering unless you size up.

Jessica Haist