Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit Review: A New Standard in High-Performance Backcountry Layering, Defying the Cold and Humidity, as Experienced at Tateyama BC [Hands-On Review]

In the bitterly cold, you sweat profusely as you wade through the deep snow that piled up the night before, then climb to the top and ski down a slope covered in untouched snow. What kind of functionality is required in your layering (clothing) for backcountry skiing and snowboarding?

Of course, reliable protection that can protect you from extreme weather and tough environments is the most important thing, but that's not all. Lightweight and free movement that can accommodate the dynamic and agile movements when ascending or descending skis, as well as excellent thermoregulation that quickly eliminates sweat during intense movements, are also important. It's safe to say that layering for backcountry skiing requires high levels of all of these elements.

Powslayer series , one of the high-performance ski shells that has long met the high demands of these avid skiers, has been updated this season with much-anticipated updates.

What's particularly noteworthy about the evolution of this flagship model, which has already received such high praise that it could be said to have reached perfection, is that in addition to the renewal of the shell itself, this update has been reconstructed into the `` Powslayer Freeride Kit, '' an integrated layering system that includes the base, mid-shell, thermal, other layers, and a backpack.

So Outdoor Gearzine put this kit to the test in Mt. Tateyama, one of Japan's best backcountry areas. There, we were able to experience its true value in extreme conditions, from freezing cold blizzards to hiking up and skiing in powder snow in fine weather. Here's our review.

What is the Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit?

The perfect backcountry gear system with a complete kit

The Powslayer series, which was designed for serious backcountry use during snowy periods, including the harshest winters, and has been positioned as the flagship of Patagonia's backcountry collection, has been updated this season as the Powslayer Freeride Kit

Until now, the term Powslayer referred to a single shell jacket and pants, but the updated Powslayer Freeride that includes base layers, mid-layers, and even a backpack, centered around the Powslayer Jacket/Pants , a shell layer that offers the highest level of protection, breathability, and functionality

from a single layer an integrated snow layering system , with each layer working together effectively without interfering with the others, creating ideal performance for backcountry freeriding as a whole kit.

Below is the lineup of each layer that makes up the layering system. While I won't go into detail in this review, I used the Capilene Thermal Weight Capilene Thermal Weight Boot Length Bottoms , so I hope you'll keep that in mind when reading this article.

Layer	Base layer	Midlayer	Shell Layer	Thermal Layer	Backpack
role	Sweat management and body temperature regulation	Cold protection and sweat management	Windproof/waterproof/coldproof	Heat retention	Storage
Item 1	Capilene Thermal Weight Crew (existing model)	Nano Air Ultralight Freeride Jacket (New)	Powslayer Jacket (New)	DAS Light Hoody (existing model)	Pow Slayer Pack 38L (New)
Image 1
Item 2	Capilene Thermal Weight Boot Length Bottom (Newly designed for this kit)		Pow Slayer Pants (New)	DAS Light Shorts/Skirt (New)
Image 2

Field Review ①: Powslayer Jacket/Pants

Pow Slayer Jacket/Pants was born after roughly 10 years of meticulous fine-tuning, taking on the huge task of evolving the previous model, which was already highly refined .

New ePE Gore-Tex Pro fabric

My first experience with snowstorms was in a blizzard with visibility of 20 meters, just a door away from me at Tateyama Murodo Terminal. Everything in front of me was white, the snow blowing sideways, and occasional gusts of wind that threatened to sweep me away. On top of that, I was carrying over 20 kilograms of luggage. At this point, I had no desire to ski, and I was starting the season in the worst weather, which was disheartening.

However, on the way to Raichozawa Campsite, even when I was hit by a 20m/s gust of wind, or when I spent a long time setting up the tent, the jacket still provided the same high level of weather resistance as before, and I didn't feel scared at all despite the extremely cold and bad weather. There's no doubt that one of the reasons for this is the high level of protection provided by the Powslayer.

is the use of a new, 100% recycled ePE-based Gore-Tex Pro fabric

In the backcountry during the harsh winter months, when temperatures drop well below freezing and snowstorms persist, the high level of protection provided by GORE-TEX PRO is more than reliable. This sense of security, backed by advanced technology and rigorous testing, is unmatched.

The new GORE-TEX Pro fabric not only offers these extremely high levels of protection (windproof, water-resistant, and cold-resistant) and breathability, but also has the added benefit of a thinner, more flexible membrane that reduces the jacket's weight by 30% and eliminates the bulky feel.

Previously, jackets made with thick 80 denier nylon fabric like this model would inevitably feel stiff and resistant whenever you moved your joints, but with the new ePE membrane this has been reduced to an almost unnoticeable, supple feel, and in the field you could really feel the transformation from the armor-like Gore-Tex Pro to a jacket that feels more natural to wear.

However, it's important to remember that the new ePE membrane requires more frequent washing and drying than ever before. Washing removes oils, sunscreen, and grease, while drying restores the DWR treatment. Frequent washing is key to maintaining the performance of your new GORE-TEX waterproof shell.

Natural mobility and comfort achieved through detailed pattern revisions

The regular fit and slightly longer silhouette provided ample room even when wearing a mid-layer. I usually wear a Patagonia men's size S, which is a perfect fit, but this model was designed with protection for skiing in mind, and the S size was roomy enough to be comfortable and easy to move around in even when layered.

Some people may prefer a slimmer, sportier cut for ski touring, but I personally find the more versatile, roomy fit to be very satisfying.

Wearing size 176cm, 64kg, S.

In addition to the moderate looseness, I was also impressed by the comfortable ease of movement provided by the carefully crafted three-dimensional cut at the joints, which has been further refined from the previous model.

For example, even when performing large, complicated movements such as moving your arms up and down while working with poles, raising your thighs high while hiking uphill, bending over to take items in and out of your backpack, or changing into ski mode on a slope, you can move around stress-free without worrying about the fabric feeling tight, and combined with the lightness of the jacket itself, you can do so.

The pre-curved elbow joint allows for smooth bending and straightening of the arm.

The knee area is also cut in a three-dimensional manner to allow for flexion, so there is no tightness even when lifting your thighs.

Ventilation that provides both breathability and comfort while on the move

When you start to sweat during intense exercise, opening the pit zips under the armpits and on the sides of the thighs will help to reduce stuffiness. Personally, I was impressed by how well-placed these pit zips were.

The armpits are set back slightly to prevent any discomfort, and they do not interfere with the shoulder straps of a backpack (see photo below).

The ventilation on the sides of the pants is also positioned slightly towards the back, so that when you raise your legs, they naturally open up wide, making it easier to release heat to the maximum extent (see photo below).

Of course, while skiing (although I didn't have enough time to worry about comfort), it protected me from the wind well, didn't restrict my movement, and allowed me to concentrate on skiing and enjoy a comfortable ride.

The only thing that bothers me is that the front zipper on Powslayer jackets, including this one, has always had a simple single slider, not a double zipper. That's the only thing I don't agree with. As a high-end model designed for the harshest environments, I would have liked to see this option made available, both for ease of temperature regulation and ease of use when wearing a harness (incidentally, the alpine model "Pluma Pro," which also uses Gore-Tex Pro, has a double zipper).

Details such as the hood and cuffs are designed for comfort and practicality

The hood can be adjusted three-dimensionally to fit snugly whether you're wearing a beanie or a helmet, and it fits perfectly with either so as not to obstruct your field of vision (see photo below).

The adjustable hood is compatible with both beanies and helmets and has drawcords at the back and sides to ensure a secure fit around your head and face.

What's more, the hood now features a hidden stretch panel around the temples (see photo below), which means you can open and close the hood even with the front zipper fully closed and your helmet on. It's a small detail, but it reduces stress while you're out and about.

Stretch panels are placed on the sides of the hood, allowing you to open and close the hood even with the zipper fully closed while wearing a helmet.

The cuffs, which have an elasticated instep, can be adjusted with Velcro, allowing you to put them on and take them off while wearing gloves, and they cover the gloves securely from above (see photo below).

The snow skirt is lightweight and compact, and can be secured with snap buttons when not in use (see photo below).

The pants have belt loops at the waist, but the size can be adjusted using Velcro placed inconspicuously on the inside (see photo below).

The inside of the pants is reinforced with crampon guards (see photo below), and of course there are snow gaiters on the inside of the cuffs to keep snow out.

Convenient pockets that are reinforced without adding weight

According to Patagonia, one of the major highlights of this update is the improved pockets.

Feedback collected from many professionals revealed that while each person had their own specific usage and preferences, the one thing they all wanted in common was flexibility to accommodate a variety of styles.As such, the new model is equipped with highly flexible storage that can flexibly accommodate the diverse styles of everyone, from skiers to snowboarders.

In particular, the zipper pockets on the left and right chest have significantly increased capacity, and are now large enough to easily store fat ski climbing skins. This allows for quick mode changes without having to take off the backpack. There is also an inner pocket on the right chest for a smartphone or walkie-talkie (see photo below).

The left and right chest pockets, which are the most accessible, are large enough to hold climbing skins.

There is also an inner pocket inside the left chest pocket where you can place a smartphone or walkie-talkie.

In addition to this, the jacket has left and right hand pockets (top left in the photo below), an inner zip pocket on the left chest (bottom right in the photo below) that can hold a smartphone or mobile battery and is accessible from the outside via a pass-through, an inner mesh pocket for storing gloves (bottom left in the photo below), a lift ticket pocket (top right in the photo below), and the pants have a thigh pocket with a beacon holder, so it's equipped with just about every practical storage facility you could imagine.

What's great is that even though the overall storage capacity has been improved, the weight has not increased by thoroughly reviewing the details and eliminating unnecessary elements.

Thigh pocket with beacon holder loop.

Field Review 2: Nano Air Ultralight Freeride Jacket

The midlayer is perhaps the most important piece of clothing in the backcountry, and it needs to be able to handle a wide range of temperatures, keeping you warm on freezing mornings while also functioning to release heat when climbing or breaking through snow. Patagonia says this is the part they've put the most extensive effort into.

Patagonia already has a wide range of insulation products available, but for this kit they have made some improvements to their existing insulated jackets and developed the newly named NanoAir Ultralight Freeride Jacket .

You can wear it all day, from chilly mornings to deep snow plowing. This breathable thermal clothing provides the perfect balance for backcountry adventures.

The Nano Air Ultralight Freeride Jacket is a mid-layer designed for a variety of mountain skiing situations.

First of all, the key point is that this jacket uses the "Ultralight" volume, which is the smallest amount of padding in the Patagonia "NanoAir" series, which uses the lightweight, breathable, and stretchy FullRange insulation. In other words, it prioritizes comfort when active rather than sufficient warmth.

the NanoAir Ultralight Jacket which uses the same padding , is that the shoulders and hood (excluding the torso and arms) are not padded, and instead the Jacket is used instead (see photo below). In other words, the amount of padding alone the NanoAir Ultralight Jacket . To be honest, when I first put it on, I was so impressed by how thin it was that I wondered if it would really be okay.

However, when you actually wear it over your base layer first thing in the morning, then put on a shell layer and start hiking, you'll realize how perfectly balanced it is.

Although I was a little worried at the start of the hike, the shell effectively shut out the wind, so after just five minutes of walking, my body was warm enough even with this thin layer. When I started hiking uphill, the intense exercise made the inside of the garment steamy, but the breathable shell and padding that kept out the outside air made it easy to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the garment without overheating.

Of course, you may want to remove the shell when on steep slopes, when breaking through snow, or in windless, hot conditions, but even in those cases it will still be a great outer layer.

The windproof and water-repellent fabric on the shoulders and hood prevents cold air from chilling your body when exposed to wind and snow, allowing snow to fall off naturally, while the body keeps you warm while allowing moisture to escape, keeping the inside of the garment at just the right temperature. This shell material is also more abrasion-resistant than the body fabric, preventing wear from backpacks.

There are ample pockets, including left and right hand pockets and a chest pocket (see photo below).

The hood has stretch material around the entire edge, allowing it to fit over a beanie or hat or under a helmet, and it can be easily put on and taken off even with the zipper fully closed (see photo below).

It has a standard regular fit and my perfect size is S, but this time I chose M, considering wearing it as an outer layer underneath.

Wearing size 176cm, 64kg, size M.

The three-dimensional cut and stretch provided by the roomy side panels, shoulders, and elbows continue to provide ideal freedom of movement. Incidentally, every detail, including the size of the armholes, seams, and pocket placement, has been carefully designed to allow for smooth layering with a powslayer jacket.

The chest pocket is packable, so you can turn it inside out and roll it up for storage.

Field Review 3: Pow Slayer Pack

Also part of the kit is the newly developed PowSlayer Pack 38L , a 38-liter snow pack with a clean design, practical storage, and comfortable carrying, making it ideal for a fully equipped one-day backcountry tour.

Versatile storage for easy access to essential backcountry gear

What impressed me most about this backpack, compared to the many other backcountry backpacks available, the abundance of flexible pockets and storage options . I used this backpack with a full backcountry gear, including crampons and ice axes, on Mt. Tateyama, and was impressed by the many smart storage options that were even better than I had imagined, even when packing.

The main compartment is accessed by opening the back panel with a zipper, making it a clamshell style. This is the most convenient style for snowy mountains and backcountry adventures. The zipper is made by durable YKK and has a large tab that can be easily operated even with gloves on.

Other thoughtful touches include a hydration sleeve and a zipper pocket with a key clip on the back, and a wall at the bottom of the main compartment to prevent the contents from falling out when the pack is stood upright.

The main compartment is accessible from the back panel, allowing you to access your belongings even while wearing the bag.

There is a hydration sleeve on the back and a security zip pocket on top.

There is a large top zip pocket at the top that can easily fit snow goggles. It is large enough to store other small items besides goggles, and in my case I put a walkie-talkie in there so I can extend the microphone, which is very convenient (see photo below).

The walkie-talkie is placed in the top zip pocket for the goggles, and the speaker microphone is extended.

The pockets for storing avalanche gear such as snow shovels and probes are also spacious and easy to access, so you can safely store large shovels and other gear together (see photo below).

There is ample space to store avalanche safety gear, and this time I was able to store an ice axe as well.

The hip belt has a zippered pocket for small items and a gear loop for a carabiner (see photo below).

The external attachments, while seemingly simple, have all the essentials and are highly expandable for added security. The helmet storage, which can be secured in two ways, top and bottom, is particularly impressive (see photo below).

The ice axe holder is inserted between the front covers at the bottom and secured with a drawcord at the top.

The side compression straps secure the skis to the A-frame, and there are also loops for securely fastening them across the body. There are also hidden straps on the top and bottom of the front for attaching snowboards and snowshoes, allowing for a wide variety of options for securing your skis. Two ice axes can also be attached to the left and right sides.

By pulling out the strap hidden in the front cover, you can attach a snowboard or other item.

As you can see, I have no complaints about the storage system itself, but the fact that access to the main compartment is limited to the back panel is a bit of a concern. While it's not a common occurrence, when you want to pack a lot of stuff, you can't compress the contents from above, making it difficult to pack in and difficult to repack once you've taken it out. Since it's 38 liters, you won't actually be filling the backpack to capacity every time, so it's not that much of a problem, but if you want to store your regular gear and an SLR camera in there, as in this case, you might have trouble packing.

Lightweight and stable to carry

The body is made of lightweight yet durable 210 denier ripstop nylon with a TPU coating, making it safe to store a lot of sharp gear for use in snowy mountains.

The back, shoulders, and waist are made of a highly resilient, sturdy padding that prevents snow from adhering, reducing strain on the lower back and shoulders when climbing, providing a comfortable carrying experience. Of course, this pack also considers the overall comfort of the kit, with straps designed to ensure access to the pit zippers is not obstructed.

However, the hip belt pull tab is a lightweight and simple outward pull type. Personally, I prefer the forward pull type because it tightens firmly with less force, but this simplicity is hard to give up (see photo below).

The load lifters on the shoulders are also well positioned, allowing the backpack to fit snugly around the body with a high level of stability, allowing for stable riding without worrying about the weight on your back even when skiing with a full load (see photo below).

Evaluation Summary

Powslayer Jacket

Patagonia Powslayer Jacket

created by Rinker

¥116,600 2025/11/18

• Patagonia official online store

Pow Slayer Pants

Patagonia Powslayer Pants

created by Rinker

¥93,500 2025/11/18

• Patagonia official online store

Nano Air Ultralight Freeride Jacket

Patagonia Men's Nano Air Ultralight Freeride Jacket

created by Rinker

¥47,300 2025/11/18

• Patagonia official online store

Pow Slayer Pack

Patagonia Powslayer Pack 38L Black Medium

created by Rinker

¥35,200 2025/11/18

• Patagonia official online store

Summary: A new standard for big mountain riders

I experienced this for myself at Tateyama BC in the fall. The PowSlayer Freeride Kit provides maximum safety and comfort to uncompromising skiers and snowboarders seeking steep slopes hidden deep in the snow-covered mountains and extreme performance on fluffy powder snow.

Furthermore, the manufacturing process is designed with sustainability in mind to ensure we can continue to coexist with nature in the future, so it is no exaggeration to say that this kit is the benchmark for new high-performance backcountry gear.

The materials and cut are carefully selected to maintain comfort in all weather and situations, the smart details and storage are thought out down to the smallest detail to minimize stress while on the move, and the exquisite balance between lightweight and durable for safe, long-term use - the meticulous and sophisticated level of perfection is truly impressive, and it's gear that is highly valuable for its price, with performance and versatility that satisfies you in terms of "look, comfort, and ease of use." The fact that it was perfected through long-term testing in the lab and on the field by many players is highly convincing, and after trying it out for myself, I couldn't fault it.

Whether you're skiing down vast slopes in mild weather or taking on the more demanding journey of climbing Japan's poor quality snow and skiing steep, technical slopes, this kit will certainly make the difference.

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