686 Athena Insulated Womens Jacket 2027

The Jacket

The Athena is the jacket you throw on for the drive up and never bother taking off once you're on the hill. It reads more streetwear than ski gear at first glance - clean lines, no overbuilt bulk - but underneath that it's got real 10k waterproofing and enough tech to handle a full day out in wet snow or slush. This is the jacket for someone who wants one piece that works for the chairlift and for grabbing coffee after, without looking like she just walked off a mountain.

What We Like

We like that 686 didn't sacrifice function to get the streamlined look. A lot of "lifestyle" ski jackets skimp on waterproofing or leave out vents to keep the silhouette clean - the Athena doesn't. It's a jacket you can actually wear five days a week through the winter, not just on ski days.

Tech That Matters

The infiDRY 10K waterproof rating means it holds up through steady snowfall and wet, heavy flakes - the kind of stuff that soaks through a lower-rated shell in an hour. It's not built for an all-day soaking rainstorm, but for winter precipitation it does the job without needing a reapplied DWR every season.

The phone heater pocket is a small detail that matters more than people expect - anyone who's had a phone die at 20% because it sat against a cold jacket for hours on the lift knows why this is worth having. And the Air-Flo vents let you dump heat on the skin track or a warm bluebird day instead of just sweating it out in silence.

Fit & Sizing

This jacket runs true to size for a slim-to-regular fit through the body, so if you like room to layer a midweight fleece underneath, we'd size up rather than squeeze into your usual number. It's cut a little closer through the waist than a boxy shell, which is part of what makes it work off the mountain too.

Why Willis

We've been fitting Pittsburgh skiers and riders since 1970, and that means we've seen a lot of jackets that look good on a hanger and fall apart on the hill. The Athena isn't one of them. Stop into our South Hills, North Hills, or Seven Springs shop and we'll help you find the right size and answer any questions about layering underneath it.

Size Chart