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Wantdo Mountain Hooded - Women's Review

The budget-conscious skier's dream, this utilitarian jacket is a steal in a market filled with multi-hundred dollar jackets
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Wantdo Mountain Hooded - Women's Review (The Wantdo is a great option for the skier who doesn't want to break the bank so they can just focus on skiing.)
The Wantdo is a great option for the skier who doesn't want to break the bank so they can just focus on skiing.
Credit: Jacqueline Kearney
Price:  $66 List
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Manufacturer:   Wantdo
By Jacqueline Kearney ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  May 1, 2024
53
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#15 of 17
  • Warmth - 20% 8.0
  • Weather Resistance - 20% 6.0
  • Comfort and Fit - 20% 6.0
  • Ventilation - 20% 1.0
  • Style - 10% 6.0
  • Features - 10% 5.0

Our Verdict

The Wantdo Mountain Hooded jacket is the utilitarian woman's ideal jacket. For someone who is looking to find a coat that will keep them warm and dry on the ski hill and doesn't cost as much as a few days' worth of lift tickets, this is an excellent option. This jacket is beefy, lowkey, and very warm. It has ample pockets for ski passes, snacks, and sunscreen. Our testers also determined it did an impressive job of shedding moisture and blocking wind on storm days. The Wantdo Mountain jacket proves that even a bargain jacket can really get the job done. This jacket may not be the best technical hardshell or the most breathable jacket on the market, but it comes in at a price that is nearly impossible to beat in today's outerwear market. To see how this jacket compares to the competition read our review of the best women's ski jackets.
REASONS TO BUY
Impressively inexpensive
Very warm
Built sturdily
Cozy interior
Comes in tons of colors
REASONS TO AVOID
Not very breathable
Heavy
Not a technical layer

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Best Buy Award
Best Women's Ski Jacket Under $100
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Insulated Women's Ski Jacket
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for Your Buck
  
Price $66 List
$29.97 at Amazon
$359.99 at Evo
Compare at 4 sellers
$299.00 at Dick's Sporting Goods
Compare at 4 sellers
Check Price at Amazon$68 List
$43.26 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
53
78
71
62
48
Star Rating
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Bottom Line A steal of a deal in a market filled with seriously high-dollar jackets, this utilitarian option is a budget-friendly skier's dreamA top performer where it counts, this insulated jacket also comes in at a reasonable priceA high performance technical shell that performs well in or out of bounds and won't break the bankA jacket with decent ski features and a low price tag, this one has good value for a basic jacketWhen we didn't push this inexpensive jacket too hard, it was able to perform adequately at keeping us warm and dry
Rating Categories Wantdo Mountain Hoo... Patagonia Insulated... Outdoor Research Ca... Columbia Whirlibird... Wantdo Snowboarding...
Warmth (20%)
8.0
8.0
2.0
8.0
8.0
Weather Resistance (20%)
6.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
5.0
Comfort and Fit (20%)
6.0
9.0
9.0
6.0
5.0
Ventilation (20%)
1
7.0
9.0
4.0
1
Style (10%)
6.0
7.0
8.0
5.0
5.0
Features (10%)
5.0
7.0
7.0
5.0
5.0
Specs Wantdo Mountain Hoo... Patagonia Insulated... Outdoor Research Ca... Columbia Whirlibird... Wantdo Snowboarding...
Main Fabric 150D Dull Mechanical Elastic 75D postconsumer recycled polyester 100% nylon Legacy Dobby 72% nylon, 28% polyester. 150D Dull Mechanical Elastic
Insulation 240g synthetic insulation Body: 80g Thermogreen recycled polyester; sleeves: 40g Thermogreen recycled polyester None Thermarator Insulating padding
Waterproofing DWR, PU membrane 2-layer H2No waterproof membrane 3-layer Pertex Shield Omni-Tech DWR, PU membrane
Pockets 2 zippered hand, 1 internal stash, 1 internal zippered 1 zippered chest, 1 forearm 2 zippered hand, 1 zippered chest, 1 zippered internal stash, 1 internal drop-in 2 zippered chest, 2 zippered hand, 1 zippered arm, 1 internal mesh, 1 internal zippered chest Shell: 2 zippered hand, 1 zippered chest, 1 interior stash, 1 forearm, Liner: 2 zippered hand, 1 zippered chest 2 zippered hand
Weight 3.0lb 1.7 lb 1.2 lb 2.4 lb 2.5 lb
Hood Option Yes, removable Yes Yes Yes Yes, removable fur
Pit Zips No Yes Yes Yes No
Cuff construction Wrist gaiters Velcro Velcro Velcro Snap
Powder skirt Yes, snap away Yes, snap away Yes Yes Yes, snap away
RECCO No Yes No No No

Our Analysis and Test Results

With hefty synthetic insulation, a fleece liner, and a weather-resistant shell, the Wantdo Mountain jacket meets all your basic on-mountain needs. Lacking any ventilation and weighing in at three pounds, this winter basic may not stand out for its technical performance or low weight, but what it provides for its price point is impressive. Especially if you are someone who tends to run cold, doesn't want to spend their whole budget on a jacket, or only skies infrequently, we think you should strongly consider this pocket-filled option from Wantdo.

Performance Comparison


wantdo mountain hooded for women - riding lifts at telluride on a deceptively frigid and windy day...
Riding lifts at Telluride on a deceptively frigid and windy day, staying nice and warm thanks to the effective fleece and insulation of the Wantdo.
Credit: Jacqueline Kearney


Warmth


Did we mention this jacket is warm? Our testers were extremely impressed with the warmth of this jacket, even shedding mid and base layers to avoid sweating on the coldest of days. The Wantdo Mountain locked in heat and kept our skiers warm even while they were on long lift rides or standing in lines. For those who ski very aggressively or run hot, we suggest that this jacket may be even a bit too warm.


We tested this jacket on both frigid storm days and bluebird powder days alike. We think the level of warmth in this jacket is best suited to someone who prefers peaceful downhill laps and doesn't like to think about adding additional layers. We found that this jacket kept us at a great temperature until we really started charging in the off-piste terrain; then, its warmth became just a little overbearing.

wantdo mountain hooded for women - quilted synthetic insulation in the wantdo really locks heat in, and...
Quilted synthetic insulation in the Wantdo really locks heat in, and its density and PU layer keep the wind out.
Credit: Jacqueline Kearney

Weather Resistance


With DWR water-resistant treatment and an additional polyurethane (PU) membrane, this jacket was able to keep moisture from soaking through. We found that the shell fabric did have a tendency to show some wet-through with limited pressure, but thanks to the PU membrane, this did not make it all the way through the jacket. We were also impressed with the large, insulated hood and high collar. These two features certainly leveled up the protection level on frosty and stormy days.


As is common with many jackets on the lower end of the price range, this jacket did not sport all water-resistant zippers. The velcro fabric flap over the center zip and the flaps on the smaller feature pockets were not sufficient on the deepest and wettest snow days, and we noticed a bit of moisture seeping into our pockets. Additionally, the velcro had a tendency to ice up and pop open when it was snowing. Despite these small insufficiencies, we were impressed overall with how this jacket performed in inclement weather, feeling like a solid bubble of warmth.

wantdo mountain hooded for women - the tall, insulated and adjustable hood of the wantdo is an added...
The tall, insulated and adjustable hood of the Wantdo is an added level of weather resistance we were pleasantly surprised by in this bargain jacket.
Credit: Jacqueline Kearney

Comfort and Fit


We really like the softness of the lining and the light stretch incorporated into the outer shell of this jacket. The plush fleece lining in both the body and hood of this jacket is some of the softest we've tested. We love how this material feels against even very thin base layers — soft and fluffy.


We did find that overall this jacket runs on the smaller side. There was not one particular tight point in the construction, but overall, the length of both the body of the jacket and the sleeves was a little bit short. It should also be noted that our lead tester is on the longer-limbed end of the spectrum, leaving her with a bit of wrist exposure when extending their arms in this jacket. If this sounds familiar, consider sizing up.

wantdo mountain hooded for women - the lofty fleece in the wantdo not only is warm, but is extremely...
The lofty fleece in the Wantdo not only is warm, but is extremely soft and comfortable even when worn against thin baselayers.
Credit: Jacqueline Kearney

Ventilation


Often, we find that jackets at this amazingly low price point are not the most breathable. Unfortunately, this jacket met our expectations here. In other words, this jacket did not excel in this metric. It does an exceptional job of locking in heat but at the cost of also locking in moisture. This is probably largely due to the PU waterproofing layer, which is known to be less breathable than the two-layer laminated integrated waterproofing employed in more expensive jackets.


This jacket also lacks pit zips for ventilation when the going gets hot. Our testers noticed that as soon as they started working up a sweat, it was very hard to dry off without de-layering and taking a break inside. Overall, we would recommend trying a more breathable jacket in this review if you sweat a lot and need good breathability.

wantdo mountain hooded for women - the wantdo mountain does not sport any pit zips and the pu lining...
The Wantdo Mountain does not sport any pit zips and the PU lining prevents it from being very breathable.
Credit: Jacqueline Kearney

Style


The look of this jacket is fairly basic and classic. It is available in more colors than any other jacket we tested, making it versatile in its style. We like this jacket's monotone look with subtle accents on the pockets in the color we tested. There are also several bright and not-so-bright geometric patterns available if that is more your speed.


The Wantdo Mountain is more of a classic cut than some of the other jackets in this review. This means it doesn't have much taper but has more of a straight cut and a shorter length than some of the more freeride-oriented jackets. While it may not be the most stand-out jacket in terms of style, it certainly has plenty of colorways to match your wardrobe.

wantdo mountain hooded for women - the wantdo do has a classic, no-frills style that is versatile. we...
The Wantdo do has a classic, no-frills style that is versatile. We tested this simple black color, but it is available in a plethora of colors and patterns to suit pretty much anyone.
Credit: Jacqueline Kearney

Features


The Wantdo Mountain has many of the classic features we look for in a ski jacket. There's a functional powder skirt, large drop pockets, hand and chest pockets, and a dedicated wrist pass pocket. There is also an internal zip pocket that we found kept our phone batteries nice and warm as an added bonus. This pocket features a headphone port, which may be a bit dated with the proliferation of Bluetooth, but it is a nice option.


We did find that the powder skirt tended to feel a bit restrictive as its material doesn't have as much stretch as we would like. We also wish that it was removable — this is one of our favorite features of powder skirts because then we have the option to only use them on the deepest days. The hood, on the other hand, is removable, which adds versatility. The attachment zipper for the hood is also sturdy, and we never had any issues with the hood beginning to detach prematurely. This jacket also sports wrist gaiters that are smooth, spandex material that does not cut off hand circulation, and super comfy when in use. Overall, we could not ask for many more features in a ski jacket, especially at such an excellent price point.

wantdo mountain hooded for women - large internal drop pockets are just one of the classic ski features...
Large internal drop pockets are just one of the classic ski features that the Wantdo Mountain has. This jacket has all of the classics we have come to expect for keeping us organized on the hill.
Credit: Jacqueline Kearney

Should You Buy the Wantdo Mountain Hooded Jacket?


This insulated shell impressed us with its strong construction and warmth for an incredibly low price. While we did get a little too warm skiing hard or winter hiking, we love how comfortable and incredibly warm this jacket is on frigid and windy lift days. Its simple style and basic features felt like more than enough for its price point. We think this is an excellent option for a skier who tends to get cold or does not ride enough to justify a pricier jacket.

wantdo mountain hooded for women - skiing on with the peace of mind that this jacket is saving us money...
Skiing on with the peace of mind that this jacket is saving us money for future ski adventures.
Credit: Jacqueline Kearney

What Other Ski Jackets Should You Consider?


Even though this jacket is an outstandingly low-priced option, we did feel that it fell short as a technical model. If you know that you like to ski hard and hike hard, the ventilation and breathability of this jacket would be an issue. Consider a non-insulated shell such as the still modestly priced Outdoor Research Carbide or the Arc'teryx Sentinel. And, if insulated is more your speed, we do love the Patagonia Insulated Powdertown or the versatile The North Face Triclimate 3-in-1, with it's easily removable insulation layer for warmer days.

Jacqueline Kearney