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The North Face Cheakmus Triclimate Review

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the north face cheakmus triclimate ski jacket women review
Credit: The North Face
Price:  $300 List
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Manufacturer:   The North Face
By Jessica Haist ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Mar 13, 2016
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OVERALL
SCORE
  • Weather Resistance - 20% 8.0
  • Ventilation - 10% 5.0
  • Warmth - 10% 8.0
  • Features - 25% 7.0
  • Style - 15% 5.0
  • Comfort and Fit - 20% 6.0

Our Verdict

The North Face discontinued the Cheakamus Triclimate.
REASONS TO BUY
Warm
Nice inner jacket
REASONS TO AVOID
Fits small
Feels cheap
Less ski features
The North Face Cheakamus Triclimate 3-in-1 jacket did not knock our socks off. The North Face makes a plethora of 3-in-1 style jackets and we did not notice anything that makes the Cheakamus stand out from the crowd. Its materials feel cheap and the fit is small and bulky. However, the Triclimate is the warmest of the 3-in-1 style jackets in this review and its shell materials are relatively waterproof.

Our Analysis and Test Results

This warm 3-in-1 jacket was not our tester's favorite because of its small fit and low quality features.

Performance Comparison


the north face cheakmus triclimate ski jacket women review - the north face cheakamus triclimate 3-in-1 has all the necessary ski...
The North Face Cheakamus Triclimate 3-in-1 has all the necessary ski features to help you perform on stormy days, and is very warm.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Weather Resistance


The Cheakamus Triclimate uses The North Face's proprietary HyVent shell material for waterproofing. This material has proven to be relatively reliable in the past, so we think the HyVent will keep you dry when it counts. We did not notice any drafts through the zipper when traveling downhill at high speeds. Disappointingly, the Cheakamus' hood does not fit very well over a ski helmet and only provided partial coverage. We also found it difficult to zip up the collar when both jackets were zipped together.

Ventilation


As with all of the 3-in-1 type jackets we tested, the Cheakamus only has pit-zips on the outer shell, not allowing for ventilation through the insulating layer. The Cheakamus's pit-zips are shorter than other jackets like the Patagonia Untracked Jacket - Women's and do not allow for as much air flow.

Warmth


The Cheakamus is the warmest of the 3-in-1's in this review. It has a warm 100 grams of synthetic insulation whereas the Patagonia Snowbelle 3-in-1 only has 60. It kept us cozy on cold days at the resort.

the north face cheakmus triclimate ski jacket women review - two 3-in-1 jackets we tested, the patagonia snowbelle and tnf...
Two 3-in-1 jackets we tested, the Patagonia Snowbelle and TNF Cheakamus Triclimate.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Ski Features


The Cheakamus Triclimate has a handful of helpful ski features including a goggle wipe in the pass pocket, powder skirt, and goggle pocket. It does not have a media pocket with a headphone port, which is becoming standard in most resort ski jackets we have encountered, including one of our favorites, the Orage Nina. The pockets on the inner jacket are not functional as they do not have zippers to secure your belongings, and we would not trust an inner pocket that just has a Velcro tab for closure to hold anything important like a phone or wallet.

the north face cheakmus triclimate ski jacket women review - the inside of the cheakamus' shell layer where most of the ski...
The inside of the Cheakamus' shell layer where most of the ski features are found.
Credit: Jessica Haist

As with the other 3-in-1s we tested, most of the Cheakamus' ski features (like the goggle pocket and powderskirt) become inaccessible when the inner and outer jackets are zipped together. This is easily solved by treating the two layers as independent instead of zipping them to one another.

Style


We like the outer fabric's brushed appearance, but otherwise do not find the Triclimate particularly stylish. Most of the jackets in this review have long hemlines and flattering silhouettes, but the Cheakamus does not. It has a short hemline and feels bulky. This jacket comes in many different color combinations so you will probably be able to find one that you like.

the north face cheakmus triclimate ski jacket women review - the north face cheakamus triclimate 3-in-1 comes in a number of...
The North Face Cheakamus Triclimate 3-in-1 comes in a number of bright color combinations.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Comfort and Fit


As we've already mentioned, we were surprised to find how small this jacket fits. Our medium sized tester could barely fit into this jacket and found the hemline far too short. Our smaller sized tester, who would normally wear a small or extra small sized jacket, fit this perfectly, so we recommend sizing up. Because of its tight fit the Cheakamus does not feel very comfortable and is restrictive when skiing. Although if you size up it may be more comfortable.

We were surprised however, when we tried on the inner jacket and it was quite comfortable and flattering. Of the 3-in-1s we tested, it was our favorite liner jacket to wear around town on its own (although the pockets are not very functional).

Best Application


The North Face Cheakamus Triclimate is a good choice for someone who is looking for a jacket with a short hemline. It is good for resort skiing in all climates because of its adaptable 3-in-1 nature.

Value


At $300 the Cheakamus is an ok value, but still not as good a value as the comparable Columbia Whirlibird Interchange - Women's that retails for $200. The Mountain Hardwear Barnsie jacket retails for $275 and is made from higher quality materials and is much more stylish.

Conclusion


The North Face Cheakamus Triclimate jacket does not stand out from the crowd of other 3-in-1 jackets that TNF produces. It is quite warm and waterproof, but not particularly stylish. We would highly recommend sizing up in this jacket.

Other Versions


Currently The North Face offers 3 jackets in their Triclimate line, the Cheakamus, the Kira, and the Helata jackets. They make a whole line of men's Triclimate as well, including the Arrowood and Vortex jackets.

Jessica Haist