[Review] The Women’s Monarch Jacket by Orage

When I think about 3-in-1 jackets, I think about the horrible Columbia jacket my parents would make me wear to ski school when I was a kid. It was so cumbersome and at lunch I would always have to re-stuff my sleeves because they would inevitably come out when I took off my layers for lunch and my instructor would frustratingly sort the jacket out for me. The Monarch Jacket by Orage has entirely wiped away my horrible memories of 3-in-1 jackets and has reborn the amazing idea in my mind.

With the Monarch Jacket, you are getting an integrated system that includes a bomber shell and a stylish yet functional insulation layer. Wear them together, wear them each separately, but wear them because they will improve your life as a backcountry skier. It’s the perfect combination for skinning. I wear the shell on the skin track and when I get to the top, I add the insulated layer to keep me warm on the way down. The integration makes it feel like one jacket, which is a huge benefit for me.

The insulator seamlessly slips into the shell and zips together in perfection, which, if one didn’t initially know it was a separate piece, they’d have a hard time telling. With the Monarch Jacket—the shell that is made from Orage’s Prime 30 fabric and a 550 fill power down insulator—you will be covered for any kind of harsh weather climates.

The Prime 30 fabric is an amazing fabric that Orage is using because of the waterproofing capabilities, breathability and the 4-way stretch. The 4-way stretch is amazing in my opinion because it’s an incredible feeling for a shell that is totally waterproof. It moves flawlessly with you and is extremely comfortable.

I feel like the insulator, at 550 fill power of duck down, is an extremely warm layer without any major bulkiness. I love the versatility and investment standpoint of the Monarch jacket because now you have the perfect and stylish down jacket for après ski. It’s always nice when you make a purchase and can use the jacket for more than one sole purpose of skiing. I love the loud floral pattern and think it’s very unique and pretty.

As far as pockets go, Orage has you covered whether you’re wearing the shell alone or with the insulator. The two hand pockets and one outer chest pocket are perfect places to stash gear when you’re in the backcountry, although I can’t easily access them with my ABS avy pack on. Inside the shell you have another inner chest pocket and large mesh pocket, which I love to stash my mittens in so they are toasty when I get to the top. If you zip your insulator in, you do lose the large mesh pocket but not the media pocket (as the insulator has one in it).

In my opinion there are only two noteworthy features that aren’t included in the Monarch jacket, perhaps because of the 3-in-1 integration. The first is a traditional powder skirt which, for myself is not a huge deal but I have to remember that not everyone is like myself so it may be a big deal for some. I often find that a powder skirt just gets in my way and I have to pee way too often to continue to use it so that’s why it doesn’t bother me at all that there isn’t one. There is a what I would call a non-traditional “skirt” in the insulator which is basically an extra flap of material that cinches down.  It would help get snow out but I think eventually the wetness would seep through. 

Secondly, there aren’t any hand gators on the sleeves. While I don’t prefer using thumb loops, I do like to have a gator I can bring into my mitten with me helping to keep the snow from going up my sleeve. I find that with the Monarch Jacket, my wrists are usually exposed making for a bit of a chilly descent. When I’m just wearing the shell, the sleeves fall nicely over my gloves but when I put the insulator on, it pulls back my midlayers and doesn’t really mesh well with what I have going on, thus making for a bit of a wrist draft.

Overall, I love the concept of the Monarch Jacket with the 3-in-1 design. It’s a lot of bang for your buck and while it’s a very stylish piece, it’s also very functional. No matter what kind of elements you find yourself skiing in, the Monarch Jacket will keep you warm and dry. Paired with the Martha pant, this combo will keep you looking good when you’re heading up, heading down, or heading out.