The North Face Cheakmus Triclimate Review

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

Performance Comparison

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.

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.

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.

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 IV 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.

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