How do I find the perfect cross-country jacket?

When faced with a multiple choice of cross-country ski jackets, we recommend you starting with considering your main heart rate zone while skiing. If you normally do high-intensity training, you need a ski jacket where breathability is more important than insulation. Do you prefer low-intensity training or go skiing with your kids most of the time, you probably find yourself more often in heart rate zone 1-2 and need a comfortable fit and insulation to keep you warm.

At Dæhlie, we have cross country skiing jackets for all activity levels, regardless of your needs.

All of Dæhlie’s cross-country ski jackets are made to encourage freedom of movement. The fit might vary according to the weight of the material, but overall, the jackets are made to minimize drag and will sit close to your body. Some people prefer a wider fit, whereas others want it tight. The individual preferences are easily adjusted with sizing up or down, and we recommend looking at the FitFinder on the product page to find your optimal size.

Temperature can also be a crucial factor. In minus 2 degrees Celsius, insulation is less important than if it’s minus 15. However, this becomes less important the higher your heart rate is. Temperature is best noticed once you stop. The rule of thumb indicates that you should always start out being a little bit cold, at least if you’re expecting to reach heart rate zone 3 or higher.

Think about where you spend most of your time skiing. If you are regularly in the high mountains and exposed to variable weather, you might consider a hood on your jacket. Do you rather just do laps on the stadium, a hood is less important.

If you have found your cross-country ski jacket after considering your most common heart rate zone as well as your favorite ski surroundings, you now have a jacket you can use for several occasions. You don’t need a new jacket for every activity.

Layer up or down to adjust your ski jacket for the intended use. Choose a base layer that goes with the current temperature. With temperature-regulating features, base layers made of wool will provide other benefits than synthetic base layers. If colder weather is coming in, put on a thicker base layer.

Another tip is to add a vest to your outfit. The vest provides warmth and extra protection to vital organs without preventing freedom of movement and breathability. It’s the perfect layer to put on or off according to the weather or the heart rate zone.

Most of the jackets from Dæhlie come with a wind and water-resistant front. Softshell is the most common material in our jackets because of its exceptional breathability features and its ability to transport moisture away from the body while at the same time protecting you against wind. You should consider the thickness of the material once you buy a jacket for cross-country skiing – the higher the heart rate zone you’re skiing in, the more lightweight the jacket should be.

Some of our jackets also come with technical wool combinations. Wool is a natural material that provides warmth, but what fewer people know is that wool is also naturally temperature-regulating and has an excellent ability to transport moisture away from your body. Read more about our technical wool products in our

No matter the ski jacket you end up with, the Dæhlie ski jackets come with high-quality materials and technical features made for performance. The reason some products are more expensive than others is the need to optimize several features in one jacket. The fit, the durability, the flexibility of the material, and the ventilation are all features that become more crucial the longer time you spend in the upper heart rate zones.

The research and design department at Dæhlie is constantly pushing boundaries to create the best cross-country ski jacket out there. If you want high-performance breathability as well as durability and weather protection, innovation is key to enable you to have the same excellent cross-country ski experience – again and again.