[Review] The Alpspitze 3L Backcountry Kit by Jack Wolfskin

This is my first time ever trying out gear from the brand Jack Wolfskin and I have to say I’m impressed! The Alpspitze Jacket and Pants have been my go-to backcountry skiing kit this winter keeping me dry and comfortable no matter what the weather is doing. 

First of all, I was most nervous about the fit because this is a European brand. I am 6’0 tall, 195 pounds, and have a 34 in waist and 32 in inseam. For the jacket, I went with a large and it’s a perfect fit. Sometimes I find that a large can be a bit tight in European-sized pieces but this one is spot on. For the pants, I had a lot of options as they have pants listed in numerical sizes. I shot from the hip with this one, but with the help of their size chart, landed the size 52. The 52 was a pretty great fit, but I do think I could’ve gone down to a 50 and been happier overall. They are a little long and a little bit too big in the waist. There are belt loops, so not the end of the world.

Both the jacket and pants are made with Pertex ShieldAir which is a waterproof and breathable membrane. For a backcountry jacket, waterproofing is key but not if it’s not breathable. I’ve found the Pertex to work really well with both keeping me dry yet staying breathable. Especially on the skin up, I don’t want to start sweating and create moisture build-up, which will inevitably make me very cold on the ski down. 

In addition to being breathable, both the jacket and pants have awesome venting options. On the jacket, the two upper chest pockets double as vents with mesh leading to the inside of the jacket. The pit zips on the jacket are a great size and allow for a lot of airflow. 

The pants allow for ample venting as well with an entire zip that goes down the leg. You can really customize how you want your airflow to reach you and I love the full zip option. 

Overall, the one thing I will mention I think this jacket is missing is a pow skirt. Cally doesn’t like having a pow skirt in any of her jackets, so for her, this would be great. I, however, benefit from the pow skirt especially when I dive my tips into the deep pow and go for a somersault.

It’s hard to compare apples to apples, but I think for this kit the price point is pretty fair and in line with what you would expect from a waterproof, technical kit. I do think using Pertex instead of the well-known Gore-Tex, saves a bit of money in the end. 

I’m excited to continue trying gear from Jack Wolfskin. I’ve been impressed with this kit and they have a ton of gear so be sure to check them out and of course, if you know me, you know I love the bright color options they offer. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below.