Black Diamond Recon LT Ski Jacket Overview

You don’t normally desire a thick, heavy ski shell within the backcountry. Heavy-duty three-layer shells are nice on the resort. However they’re usually too sizzling going uphill, they usually take up an excessive amount of pack house when it’s worthwhile to shed them. In a progressive bundle, the Black Diamond Recon Stretch LT Ski Shell delivers climate safety and breathability in a minimalist design.

This light-weight shell retains every little thing easy. It packs down small whereas offering three-layer climate safety that’s mixed with most breathability. The comparatively slim tailoring avoids extra cloth, however the four-way stretch cloth means it received’t prohibit motion, both.

When you can layer beneath to make use of this ski shell year-round — even for days lapping the ski lifts — it’s a lot thinner and cooler in chilly, midwinter circumstances. This implies it’s at its greatest as a touring-specific layer and spring resort jacket.

In brief: The Black Diamond Recon Stretch LT Ski Shell ($400) is a backcountry-first shell that’s constructed to shed warmth and moisture throughout high-output climbing and ship dependable weather-resistance for the descent. As a hybrid choice, I discovered this jacket works greatest for hotter spring days on the ski resort.

Learn our full overview under or The Finest Ski Jackets Purchaser’s Information to see how the Black Diamond Recon Stretch LT Shell compares to our different favourite ski jackets.

• Match
  Slim
• Insulation
  None
• Shell
  BD.Dry 3L, 40d Nylon Stretch with PFC-Free DWR End
• Waterproof ranking (mm)
  20,000
• Breathability (g)
  20,000
• Weight
  482 g

• 
  Glorious breathability
• 
  Good spring ski choice
• 
  Tailor-made match with stretch

• 
  Minimal pockets, options
• 
  Skinny for winter resort snowboarding

Black Diamond Recon LT Ski Jacket Overview

Utah-based Black Diamond has an extended historical past in climbing, snowboarding, and mountaineering. The Recon Stretch LT displays these roots as a ski jacket that’s nominally ski-specific however might function a climbing or mountain climbing shell simply as simply.

The Recon Stretch LT follows the model’s sibling Recon Stretch Jacket design, which is almost twice as heavy at 769 g — although that’s nonetheless fairly mild on the spectrum of ski jackets.

Compared, the normal Recon Stretch is extra absolutely featured with inside stash pockets and that heavier-weight cloth gives further heat and wind-blocking. Whereas that common Recon is nearer to a standard resort snowboarding shell, the LT model is decidedly backcountry-focused.

I examined the Recon Stretch LT Shell Jacket throughout 6 days of backcountry touring and resort snowboarding round Summit County, Colo. My late-spring testing was ultimate for this lighter jacket, because it supplied sufficient safety for high-elevation summits and descents. But, the jacket was mild and breathable sufficient for resort mountain climbing and cruising slushy groomers with out overheating. On colder storm days, I used to be conscious of the skinny cloth however by no means felt outgunned by the climate.

Nice Backcountry Efficiency: Black Diamond Recon Stretch LT

I’ve examined a number of backcountry-specific shells, and lots of sacrifice weatherproofing for breathability. Whereas this ratio is usually a superb factor for mountain climbing uphill, should you want high-level waterproofing, the Recon Stretch LT doesn’t skimp. Moist storm snow rolled off the DWR-coated cloth with out concern.

Bootpacking within the intense high-elevation solar and heat late-April temperatures showcased one other energy: the Recon’s breathability. On the resort, I by no means felt like I wanted to take the Recon off, even in sweltering spring circumstances the place a T-shirt could be enough for heat.

When ski touring, the Recon was good for chilly, early begins because it minimize the coolness however didn’t immediately flip right into a sauna like heavy-duty GORE-TEX would have. In hotter temps, the shell needed to come off. However that’s true for me of virtually any ski jacket, as I run sizzling and have a tendency to uphill in only a baselayer except ambient temperatures are effectively under freezing.

I toured within the Recon a number of instances with nothing however a efficiency tee beneath. The smooth backer layer felt nice in opposition to naked pores and skin. This layer has a purposeful objective as effectively: holding moisture to be became vapor in order that it could escape the BD.dry membrane. 

Whereas mild and breathable, that is nonetheless a 3L shell. So it does get clammy, and also you’ll wish to blow open the vents or take it off as quickly as you’re feeling issues getting steamy, lest you moist out your baselayers. 

Match: Black Diamond Recon Stretch LT

I’d describe the Recon Stretch LT as someplace between a slim and common match. This isn’t an extended, saggy freeride shell by any means. But it surely’s not as tight as different touring shells I’ve examined from European skimo manufacturers, both. The hem hangs just a few inches under the waistline, fortunately, and doesn’t goofily trip up like a mountain climbing shell would.

The arms even have sufficient size to cinch excessive of your gloves, one other ski-specific tailoring contact I appreciated. Articulating my arms round might pull the cuff again away from my gloves right here and there. So generally I might’ve used maybe one other inch of size, however the arms largely felt about proper.

When carrying a ski pack, I appreciated the streamlined match, which doesn’t shirt out round straps like roomier ski shells do. Likewise, the hood is sufficiently big to accommodate a ski helmet however cinches sufficiently small to guard your cranium when carrying a cap or beanie, too.

One quirk I seen is that when the hood was down whereas I used to be descending, it might sometimes catch wind like a sail, which could be a results of the light-weight cloth.

The boys’s massive measurement match my 6’0”, 190-pound body nearly completely. I doubtless might’ve been comfy in an XL as effectively and gained some attain within the arms in change for a blousier match. Contemplating I largely view this as a touring shell, I’d keep on with the massive.

Pockets and Options

There’s frankly not a lot to speak about right here ,and that’s by design. Black Diamond stripped away all however the two chest-zippered pockets for the LT model of this jacket to attenuate bulk and weight. This leads to a jacket that packs down tight when rolled up for pack storage. In flip, the load sticks low at simply over a pound.

I recognize the minimalism and may stay with no ton of pocket storage since I usually put on pocket-rich ski bibs on the underside. Nonetheless, it’s price noting that you just don’t get a lot within the Recon on this division. The 2 chest pockets are large however not cavernous. You may simply match a folded-up pair of skins between the 2, however not a lot else.

I ski a 120mm width backcountry ski in a 190 size. Splitboard skins could also be fatter, however the lengths are shorter. So, should you desire carrying small objects in your jacket over your ski pants or bibs, preserve this limitation in thoughts.

The venting is nice with two lengthy pit zips that stretch greater than midway down every arm. That is key for dumping warmth without having to cease and shed your jacket layer. Although, generally it’s simply too sizzling for any shell, even one as breathable because the Recon LT. Oh, and there’s a left-arm cross pocket for resort days, which is sweet to have.

Black Diamond Recon Stretch LT Shell Jacket: Conclusion

The Black Diamond Recon Stretch LT Ski Shell is a minimalist and high-performance backcountry shell. Whereas this mild jacket can be an incredible outer layer for resort snowboarding within the spring season, you’ll doubtless desire a beefier midlayer or base layer (or each) to enhance this jacket should you spend a number of chilly midwinter days using the ski lifts.

However should you’re searching for a devoted year-round ski touring shell that breathes effectively and packs down simply when it’s time to take it off, the Recon Stretch LT really delivers.

To see the place the Recon Stretch LT matches into the broader panorama of ski jackets, take a look at The Finest Ski Jacket Purchaser’s Information.