Gear Review by Chris Crossen: Marmot Torre Jacket

Front-country, side-country, slack-country, resort backcountry … whatever your pleasure, the Marmot Torre jacket delivers with unprecedented, flexible, stretchy pro protection. Another great bare-bones, straightforward hardshell jacket without a lot of bells and whistles, the Torre gets the job done, keeps you dry, warm, ventilated, and wind-proof, no matter where or what.

The Torre is the only Marmot jacket that uses stretch Gore-Tex Pro Shell, which really does make a subtle difference, especially when making pole plants in deep pow, rolling down the windows more time than you’d like, battling the gondola in Chamonix, stuff like that. Versatility is the key with the Torre, and while it’s a great ski jacket, it also works well for mountaineering, climbing, backpacking, and hiking. The stretchy Gore moves nicely under a pack.

The Torre is a perfect jacket for Tahoe resort skiing, with occasional backcountry forays. Weighing in at 28 ounces, the Torre isn’t the lightest jacket out there, but it’s durable, stretchy, windproof, and provides excellent waterproof protection. Several times riding up the lifts in a typical howling Sierra slug-fest, different friends would look at the beading and shedding action and remark how dry and comfy I looked. Amen. I was. This jacket works. I typically save the Torre for the worst days, when I know I’ll need to protection and the extra weight isn’t a big deal. If you ski at an area that allows skiing out of bounds, this jacket balances the weight and protection brilliantly.
I have been skiing the Torre in-bounds most of the season, and it has performed way better than I anticipated, particularly on some wet mucky Sierra cement days where a lesser shell would have had me home much sooner. I have always loved Marmot clothing, and it’s great to see them producing some excellent jackets again.


To be sure, the Marmot Torre is a basic, no frills jacket with few pockets, designed to meet the needs of dedicated, no frills type climbers and skiers who get caught out in the nasty. If you’re looking for lots of bells and whistles, the Torre isn’t your jacket. About the only luxury item is a little slit cut into above the inner abdomen pocket so you can use your headphones. The Torre has two Napoleon style chest pockets that function fairly well, though, in general, I like the style of the chest pockets on the Troll Wall jacket better. There’s also a small shoulder pocket that keeps a pass secure, and a small inner pocket.

The Torre is a mid-weight jacket, well-suited for the warmer temps in Tahoe. If you ski at colder places, this jacket might be a little lightweight, but nothing a layer or two can’t solve. With the extra-roomy Marmot cut, it’s easy to add a down sweater or some fleece to boost your temp rating.
One of the Torre’s great features is the removable powder skirt. This skirt is a traditional style, with button closures to dial in a snug fit and a set of rubberized strips designed to keep the skirt from riding up while getting after it. No problems with readjusting the skirt after skiing awhile - this skirt stays put well - one of the best powder skirt designs out there.


The one thing that’s funky with the Torre (as with other Marmot jackets) is the sizing. The arms, hood, and neck fabric are all cut long, and the jacket doesn’t fit as cleanly as I’d like. Other aspects of the cut fit perfectly. This flaw isn’t a huge issue, but if you can, make sure you try a jacket on before you buy. The hood is huge and the neck closure stands really, really tall, which is great if you’re battening down the hatches and/or wearing a helmet, but a little uncomfortable when you’re in normal mode as there’s a lot of fabric in your face and mouth. The hood isn’t removable, which saves weight, but the strap down system to tuck it away isn’t very clean, and you end up with a bulky block on the back of your neck. The wire used to provide support in the brim also tends to get in the way when packing the hood down. Colors and design are very basic and straightforward. I don’t really mind this, but if you want your jacket to make a statement for some reason, you might be disappointed. If you want your jacket to work well, you won’t be disappointed.

Other than those small issues, I highly recommend this jacket.