Recon Stretch Ski Shell - Men's

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Just received my Recon Stretch Shell a few days ago. For reference, I am 6’3” and weigh around 215 and got an XL. The fit is great. It has plenty of room to layer but doesn’t feel baggy. The sleeves stay down over my wrists even at full arm extension, which is something I really appreciate. UPDATE: 3/25/26 After getting quite a bit of use out of the Stretch recon shell this winter I wanted to update my initial review with a few more thoughts. Overall I think this is a great do-it-all jacket, which creates some drawbacks for both backcountry and resort use. The internal dump pockets fit a pair of skins, but the hand pockets will be covered by hipbelts when wearing a pack. The fabric is very supple (and quiet) and seems pretty durable. This is at the tradeoff of slightly higher weight and less packability. The face fabric also seemed to wet out a little faster than more crinkly shells I have used, but this could also be an effect of the non-pfas DWR and a dirty jacket. I stayed totally dry, but had some wet out issues around high contact areas (which is to be expected). The pit vents are huge and dump heat well, and the double zipper on the front allows you to unzip the bottom of the jacket for additional venting while keeping the top closed up if it's snowing. The fabric itself seems to breathe well. I'm also a bib nerd, so I like that the powder skirt is removable. I walked my dog in an absolute downpour and stayed completely dry. The shell material is soft and quiet, but still tough enough to handle tree branches and being shoved in and out of a pack. The material is also a little thicker, making it warmer than other shells I’ve used. The hood clearly works best with a helmet, but it still functions well if you really cinch it down. The pocket layout makes sense, although I am not sure if they are large enough to hold a set of skins. Overall, it feels like a solid, well-built jacket that I can rely on through winter. I am looking forward to putting it through its paces in the backcountry and the resort. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a weatherproof and versatile shell. Black Diamond sent me this free product for free in exchange for my honest review.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Full disclosure: I received this jacket for free in exchange for an honest review, but I actually bought the same model four years ago on my own and have absolutely put it through the wringer. It’s been my primary resort shell with over 100 days on it across 9 states and 2 provinces. I’ve worn it in everything from thigh-deep blower pow in the Wasatch to classic rainy days in Alaska. The only times moisture really penetrated it was after being out in the rain for a while in Alaska and Whistler. Functionally, it checks all the boxes: * RECCO-equipped * Two internal stash pockets (perfect for gloves) * Removable powder skirt that actually works * Left sleeve resort pass pocket * Bilateral pit zips * Chest zip pocket * Stays dry in wet conditions Honestly, there aren’t any major downsides I’ve found, and I can’t think of anything significant I’d change. I’ve heard is from ski partners saying the earth tone can make it tough to identify me from other skiers from afar on storm days. The stretchiness of the material really adds to the comfort of the jacket. One thing I noticed is that when I forget to close my pit zips and hand pockets on powder days, my jacket ends up filling up with snow. I end up pulling out pockets full of snow and having to empty the snow skirt from the inside. Maybe there's a way to extend the fabric over the entrance of the pockets to help reduce unwanted snow. Overall, it’s been bombproof for me and continues to be the jacket I reach for when heading out to the resort.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The BD Recon Stretch Ski Shell is a great all-around jacket with a robust build quality and thoughtful features that add to its versatility. The jacket is heavier than some others, but that adds to its durability and gives me confidence that it's built to last. The boxier fit allows for a generous amount of layering. Feature-wise, I love the seam-sealed pit zips, the ski pass pocket on the forearm, and the two big drop pockets on the inside. My favorite feature is definitely the removable powder skirt, which is a big part of what makes this jacket so versatile. It zips on at the bottom and stays fairly secure in use. Initially I wanted the pockets of the jacket to be a big higher on the torso. However, I found that where they sit, they air easy to access whilst sitting down on the chair lift. Putting my phone in the jacket pocket as opposed to my bibs worked without creating an awkward bulge when leaning over. The jacket does opt for storm flaps instead of seam-sealed zippers, which I would prefer to have in order to keep my things more dry, but in my three resort days, water was never an issue. All together, the Recon Stretch Ski Shell is a feature-rich jacket with far more upside than downside, and given its build quality, thoughtful design, and versatility, it punches well above its weight—especially at a price point that undercuts many comparable options on the market. I’ve used this jacket three times this season and so far I am loving it. I did receive this product for free in exchange for my honest review.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Black Diamond Recon jacket has quickly become a go-to piece for my ski kit. Right away, I appreciated the fabric, which has a nice softshell feel without the loud crinkling of many other hardshells. The design is thoughtfully executed. The main zipper is water-resistant, double-separating (a huge plus), and backed by a stout storm flap to block harsh winds. Similarly, the hook-and-loop closures around the cuffs are supple and feature nice brand detailing. Reflective logos on the sleeve are another welcome touch for low-light visibility. Pocket layout is a major strength. The exterior pockets are ideally located and sized. Two hand pockets are large enough for a toque, snack, or my hands, even if they're under a backpack hip belt. The large chest pocket easily fits a smartphone, and the left forearm pocket is perfectly sized for a ski pass or a small backcountry tool. All feature water-resistant zippers with storm flaps. The only notable omission is a key clip. Inside, you'll find two spacious dump pockets and a feature I'm stoked about: a removable powder skirt. This allows for better adaptation to your layering system or snow conditions. Like all good ski jackets, the Recon includes large pit-zip vents with waterproof zippers. Their generous size makes them easy to access, even while wearing multiple layers, without needing help from a chairlift buddy. In terms of fit, I'm 6'2", 190lbs with an athletic build, and the Large size fits me perfectly over a base and mid-layer. I have plenty of length in the arms—which isn't always the case—and a great range of motion through the shoulders. I can't wait to spend more laps in the backcountry putting the Recon to the test.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Update 2/10/2026: Winter has been slow here in the US but that certainly hasn't stopped me from bushwhacking out to some awesome alpine skiing and ice climbing! This shell has performed wonderfully, I've stood in waterfalls for belays and stayed dry. Big vents that are easy to use, and a great hood to flip over my helmet. While I do wish I had a size medium for Ice climbing that's not exactly the intention of this shell and a large is perfect for layering up a bit underneath and even a bit of resort skiing. Overall very happy with this product! Initially out of the box this shell has a great modern ski fit (a little baggier) and I was most thrilled to find the arms to be more than long enough with high quality Velcro at the ends. I immediately packed the shell into its hood and was very surprised by how small it packs for a fully featured more durable shell. Quality wise the shell feels super durable with nice zippers and an awesome hood to pull over the helmet on stormy days. While it's not quite ski season yet here in Montana I got out in the mountains a couple times in the past week where a couple feet of snow have fallen and managed to find myself a classic two hour bushwhack up to a peak in hyalite. Looking it over I don't see any damage or scratching to the outside of the shell and when I got up higher in the wind it performed phenomenally. I did some belly sliding down snow (and rocks) on the deproach and didn't manage to get wet. Only a few things could really make this shell better for what it's meant for. The hood cinch feature is a single pull for both front closure and head size, while pretty rad in theory I would love to have the functionality of choosing which dimension I want to change. An extra chest pocket would be really nice, especially as a lefty that loves to store my phone in those pockets, but that's very minor. Also this years shell features the pass/arm pocket a little lower sort of on the forearm, previous generations had the pocket higher up near the shoulder that I really loved. and a final minor critique on design would be that the hood doesn't directly connect to the front of the jacket where it ends creating a strange collar situation that looks a little weird and I could see holding a lot of snow and funneling wind into your face. Possible improvement aside I'm really stoked to be wearing this shell for the season! It will be accompanying me on many long days on the skin track and some deep resort days where it's clearly meant to be. But also the durability and functionality will with a decently small packing size will make it a huge asset on some big mountaineering objectives and a lot of ice climbing. Aside from functionality the yellow color is pretty rad and the shell looks great. I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review.