Ice Skating Jacket Guide: Which jacket to wear for ice skating
Looking for an ice skating jacket that’s comfortable, that keeps you warm and that lets you move freely? In this post, I will share all the information on what jackets to wear for ice skating based on when and where you plan to wear it, your level of skating, etc. A good ice skating jacket can enhance your ice skating experience and serve you for many years. But a jacket that’s made of poor quality material and that doesn’t work well with ice skating would be a waste of hundreds of dollars. So read this post to make the right choice.
Determining which ice skating jacket to wear requires a basic understanding of when and why you need an ice skating jacket. The best ice skating jacket to wear on an ice rink is one that keeps you warm while also letting you move freely. That’s why a lightweight form-fitting full-sleeved jacket is a must for every ice skater. But depending on the season and the temperature conditions at your rink, you can add an ice skating jacket layer as per the buying guide given below.
Read on to find out my favourite ice skating jacket as well as ones you should keep handy for summer days or extra cold days on the rink.
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What kind of jackets do ice skaters wear?
As stated earlier, ice skaters wear a form-fitted full sleeved jacket over their base layer to keep them warm and allow free movement. In addition to that, ice skaters layer up to adjust to varying temperature conditions.
For summers: a form-fitting t-shirt + a lightweight form-fitting jacket are enough
For cooler weather in Spring or Fall: a form fitting t-shirt + a lightweight fleece jacket are enough
For cold weather in winter: a form fitting t-shirt + a lightweight form-fitting jacket + a down jacket or a parka jacket to beat the cold in the initial 10-20 minutes work just well.
Thus if you can see from the above, a lightweight form fitting jacket is a must for ice skaters irrespective of where and when they skate.
Best Ice Skating Jacket 2023 – Top Overall
Lululemon Define Ice Jacket
The best ice skating jacket is the Lululemon Define Ice Jacket. It is a widely popular ice skating jacket that looks good, fits like a dream and lasts forever. It is available in multiple colors to stay trendy on the rink. I absolutely love this jacket for its look and versatility.
The fabric is very stretchy to accommodate a heavier bust as well and the fit looks flattering on every body type.
To be honest, unless it’s super cold on the rink, I only rely on this one jacket for most of the skating season. In fact, once my body warms up, I tend to take this jacket off in about 30-40 minutes.
The good thing about this jacket is that it doesn’t make you feel toasty even if you stay in it after your body has completely warmed up. It’s also very versatile and you can even wear it for non-skating occasions!
What makes Lululemon Define Ice Jacket the best ice skating jacket?
- Excellent fit – the best amongst competitors
- 4-way stretch for ease of movements
- Lots of breathability with in-built airflow vents
- Adequate warmth
In the section below, I will also share reviews of some of the other jackets that I have used and that I love for skating on outdoor rinks, recreationally, on dates or in harsh winters.
Best ice skating jackets – Top Picks 2023
As you must have seen from the section above, if I had to put all my money on a single figure skating jacket, it would be the Lululemon Define Ice Jacket.
NY2 Figure Skating Fleece Jacket – Budget-friendly jacket for recreational skaters and beginners
If you skate recreationally, you may find the Lululemon Define Ice Jacket a bit pricey.
But this NY2 Figure Skating Fleece Jacket should give you excellent value for money. It is made from high-quality fleece. It’s very stretchy and comfortable even when you sweat. The warmth is mostly enough for slightly cooler rink conditions or a casual skating session on synthetic ice.
Only when it gets too cold would you feel the need to add a thicker layer, but otherwise, this soft, warm jacket is the most ideal for those that want to skate less frequently in varying temperature conditions.
Beginner figure skaters usually take a bit longer to get warmed up than more experienced skaters as most of their initial time in class is spent learning how to balance.
To stay comfortably warm during such periods, this fleece jacket proves to be a better choice than the Lululemon jacket mentioned above. You can transition to the Lululemon once you’ve started gliding comfortably on skates.
Columbia Jacket: Best jacket for ice skating dates
If you are a regular ice skater, you should opt for a jacket that you love and that you use for your regular sessions. Wearing a jacket that you are comfortable in and used to skating in already sets the base for making you look attractive.
But if you are not a regular ice skater or are visiting an outdoor rink that’s more vibey and date-friendly, you can choose any simple versatile jacket.
A short Columbia jacket is my favourite. The quality is good, the fit is flattering and the jacket promotes excellent ease of movement. The wet-weather construction protects you when you slip and fall without compromise on the fuzzy warmth on the inside.
Other options of best ice skating jackets
ChloeNoel Figure Skating Jacket – for those serious about figure skating
The Cholenoel is a favourite brand amongst serious figure skaters. Their jackets are stylish, come with lovely figure skating prints and last a long time.
The jacket is also an excellent choice for taking along on competitions, especially in the initial stages of your figure skating career.
The sizing range is also vast and everyone from little girls to adult women can find a suitable ice skating jacket for their needs. You can also pair up your jacket with complimentary pants from the same brand to look co-ordinated on the rink.
Most jackets employ the supplex lycra fabric that is body hugging and light. It stretches freely as you skate and perform figure skating moves.
Check out the entire ChloeNoel jacket series here
Wantdo Packable Down Jacket – Excellent skating jacket for outdoors
Skating outdoors is a whole different ball game than skating on an indoor temperature regulated rink. Outdoor rinks, especially ones temporarily set up in winters around Christmas and New Year’s expose you to harsh cold winds.
To stay warm in such situations, it is best to layer up using a lovely form-fitting down jacket. I love this Wantdo Down jacket because of how lightweight it is. It lets me practice my jumps and turns effortlessly until my body warms up. Plus, it’s easily packable and folds down to a small little square that hardly takes up any space in my ice skating bag.
Its versatility means that you also get to use it when you’re not skating as a regular winter jacket.
Note: If you use Columbia jackets as your go-to winter jacket, you can also use it for ice skating. But it tends to feel a bit bulkier on the waist area than this jacket and the added puffiness can cause loss of balance due to slightly uneven movements.
Eddie Bauer Long Jacket for extreme cold rinks
To be honest, I don’t recommend wearing long jackets while ice skating because they just add a whole lot of unnecessary fabric on your body that can restrict movement, get stuck or wet if you slip and within a few minutes cause discomfort.
But sometimes, winter mornings can be harsh and getting your body warm enough to be able to skate freely can take a bit of time. For such mornings, having a beautiful body-fitting parka can prove to be handy.
The reason why I recommend this Eddie Bauer jacket is because its form adjusts effortlessly when skating. The zipper doesn’t cause the jacket to puff up around your waist. The jacket doesn’t even roll up as your movements open up. It stays fairly in place and doesn’t feel bulky at all.
Plus it’s super stylish and can be worn for most winter events not involving ice skating. (Because investing in an Eddie Bauer only for your 15 minutes of warm up on winter rink sessions would be a waste of money!)
How to choose ice skating jackets
Without getting too technical, let me explain the key factors to take into consideration are
Fit
An ice skating jacket must be form-fitted. Period.
It can’t be bulky or puffy anywhere as even a slight hindrance will result in you losing balance.
Whether you’re looking at a lightweight jacket for recreational skating or a more professional looking jacket for competitions, if the fit of your jacket is bulky, you will not be able to skate freely and your overall skating experience would get jeopardised as a result.
Fit is one of the strongest grounds on which Lululemon Define Jacket beats most other jackets by a fair margin.
Stretchiness
Skating involves stretching out your limbs as far as they can go. Stretched arms and your legs contract the core and stretch your torso even further.
Thus, a jacket that’s not stretchy enough to accommodate your moves is of no use when ice skating.
Most athleisure jackets are stretchy whether they employ fleece, nylon or a nylon blend as their primary material. But the Lululemon Define Ice Jacket which uses a 4-way stretch sets the standard pretty high (particularly, for regular ice skating sessions) For competitions, you can opt for a prettier ChloeNoel jacket
Weight/Material
A skating jacket has to be lightweight. There is no way in which you’ll be able to hold your balance on thin blades if your jacket is pulling you down with it weight. Even if you manage to hold yourself upright, you will end up losing extra energy and get tired faster.
To avoid this train of repercussions, opt for a lightweight jacket.
Like with everything else, the actual weight of the jacket is a less relevant factor. What’s more important is how lightweight the jacket feels when you wear it. Trying out options and skating in those is the only sure way of finding out which jacket is lighter in weight.
But some quick observations are that
- A nylon blend with lycra/elastane is usually the lightest (like the Lululemon Define Jacket)
- A fleece jacket tends to feel heavier than a nylon-blend. But there are many designed specifically for athletic uses that optimally combine warmth and a lightweight feel. (like the NY2 Figure Skating Fleece Jacket or the ChloeNoel Figure Skating Jacket)
- A down jacket offers the best weight to warmth ratio and is an excellent layer for ice skating on cold winter mornings. (like this Wantdo Down jacket that provides excellent fit and warmth with a lightweight construct)
What to wear as a base layer
I have a full article on what should beginners wear for ice skating that also discusses what to wear as a base layer for skating. You can read it here.
But here’s a quick gist
- it is best to wear comfortable, stretchy, form-fitting tshirt as a base layer
- It can be tank top like this one or even a long-sleeved top like this one.
What to look for in a men’s ice skating jacket?
Unfortunately, there are much fewer men’s ice skating jacket options in the market. Most men on the rink tend to use athletic wear of large brands.
Here are a few stretchy jackets that can serve ice skating well –
Best Ice Skating Jackets – Conclusion
I don’t want to review a number of different options only to leave you confused. That’s why here is a quick round-up of my favourites.
Best Ice Skating Jacket (Overall Absolute Favourite) – Lululemon Define Jacket
Best Ice Skating Jacket for competitions and for serious figure skating – ChloeNoel Figure Skating Jacket
Other good-to-have ice skating jackets for layering – NY2 Figure Skating Fleece Jacket, Wantdo Down jacket, Eddie Bauer jacket.
