Over the last couple of weeks anyone lucky enough to be near a mountain resort in Europe or North America will have heard the whir of cable cars, gondolas and ski lifts starting up for the first time, and early snowfalls show that it's looking like the start of a great year for anyone planning a ski or snowboard holiday.

Austria and Switzerland in particular have benefited from heavy October snowfall; so surely it’s time to start thinking about dusting off the ski gear and planning the next Alpine adventure? Just in case you were thinking of upgrading your current kit, we've teamed up with The North Face to bring you a few North Face jacket options that won't let you down, whether you're in resort or wrapping up warm back at home.

Men's Dubs Jacket

In eye-catching Prussian Blue, the Dubs jacket is bang on high-street trend for this winter – but behind its cool, casual exterior lies a serious piece of winter sports clothing.

"Inspired by The North Face athlete Tom Wallisch, this jacket is equally at home ripping up the park and pipe or chilling in the resort après ski. Constructed with Taslan Nylon, providing a wax cotton-like finish, this jacket is backed up with a HyVent waterproof coating and Heatseeker insulation, this jacket can go anywhere on the mountain."

- Rob, TNF Technical Rep



Women's Baker Deluxe Jacket

Bringing superb fit and elegant styling to the slopes, the Baker Deluxe is a stunning jacket for the urban winter. A floral taffeta lining and herringbone outer fabric – coupled with gold stitch detailing – lends the jacket a beautiful sophistication that stands out in the city, while beneath its à la mode exterior is a fully taped HyVent waterproof and breathable ski jacket that can deliver exceptional performance all over the mountain.

"This is just super stylish on the mountain and extremely practical around town when the weather’s cold."

- Anna, Ellis Brigham Snowboard Expert

"With its twill face fabric, removable faux fur and street styling this jacket is both robust enough to take on the winter and stylish enough to be seen anywhere."

- Rob, TNF Technical Rep

Men's Decagon Jacket

The Decagon Jacket has always stood as a superbly versatile piece of The North Face skiwear, and this year has undergone an urban facelift to make bring it right up to date. Feature-crammed and incredibly wearable, this jacket is the Swiss army knife of ski jackets, designed to look as suave around town as it does in the Alps.

"A parka inspired snow sports jacket utilising HyVent waterproofing, this jacket is a tried and tested stalwart from The North Face. With a street heritage style the Decagon is equally at home on the mountain, in resort or at home as a stylish winter jacket."

- Rob, TNF Technical Rep

Women's Heavenly Jacket

Perfectly meeting the balance of performance and style, the Women’s Heavenly Down Jacket epitomises luxury ski wear like no other. 600-fill goose down makes this one of the warmest ski jackets out there, yet its chic styling and cut makes this stand out as high-street, high-fashion wear.

"A fitted, full-featured, all-mountain down jacket with a simple, elegant and aesthetic style. Built for the coldest winter forays this jacket has all the snow sports features you would expect, yet will happily keep you warm après ski or during those cold winter commutes."

- Rob, TNF Technical Rep

Men's Amongstit Jacket

With its vintage aesthetic, the Amongstit jacket is a timeless piece of skiwear. With a longer cut and laden with military-inspired features, this ski jacket is both practical and smart without sacrificing its high-performance all-mountain credentials.

"Whether you're looking for a high-performance ski jacket or a trusty all-purpose winter jacket, you really can’t go wrong with the Amongstit. It has everything you need from a ski jacket that can go anywhere, do anything, and keep you warm and dry all day long in resort – but with the easy wearability and class of a time-honoured classic."

- Robin, Ellis Brigham Skiing Expert

Women's Cheakamus Triclimate Jacket

Stunning in both looks and versatility, the Cheakamus Triclimate offers tremendous value for money without compromising style or all-mountain performance. Featuring a removable Heatseeker insulated inner jacket that can be worn as a stand-alone piece and a fully taped outer shell, this is a jacket that can be used year-round.

"The textured outer face fabric of the Cheakamus really gives this jacket a classy edge that looks great when worn around the city, but it's probably one of the most practical ski jackets out there, with great features like goggle pockets and a snow skirt. The Heatseeker inner jacket is super-cosy and looks great by itself, while the outer can used as a waterproof any time!"

- Anna, Ellis Brigham Snowboard Expert

Thanks to Rob, Anna and Robin for these suggestions. We all agree that if you're getting ready to splash out on a new ski jacket, it makes absolute sense to buy something that will get used once the holiday's over. But if you're looking for more than just a jacket, check out the complete The North Face range.