By Rick Shandley
Salomon Quest Motion Fit is a technical free ski jacket shell designed to allow full freedom of movement while protecting the skier from the elements. Quest Motion Fit shell has all the standard features snow skiers would expect in a fashionable, flexible, and tough skiing jacket.
Quest Motion Fit is not insulated, but it does provide that weatherproof barrier you can count on in alpine winter weather. With adequate base layering, and correct sizing for your build, the Salomon Quest Motion Fit jacket is a solid investment for an MSRP of $450.00.
All seams are taped to seal out the weather, and the zippers are stout large-tooth mechanisms that make it easier to manage with gloved hands. Lycra thumb holes in the cuffs work great to keep the jacket sleeves from riding up your forearms, and keep snow out. With your ski gloves on the thumb holes act as a layer of insulation, and creates a unitized seal to keep snow and ice chips away from your skin.
Velcro attachments at the sleeve cuffs allow you to adjust the cuffs over large gloves. The Velcro adjustment tabs are large enough so you can comfortably snug the cuffs over gloved hands. In general, the entire design of the Quest Motion Fit jacket makes it easy to manipulate the zippers and adjustment features with gloved hands.
The hood is attached, so you don’t have to worry about it detaching in a spill. There is ample volume in the hood to accommodate most protective head gear. A RICCO Advanced Rescue Reflector is embedded in the rear center of the Quest hood. In the event you are swept up in an avalanche, the RICCO reflector will aid your rescuers to locate your position.
During our test period, we had several opportunities to wear the Quest Motion Fit jacket in heavy, cold wind, rain, and snow. Long as
the body is in motion and you have adequate layering for warmth, the jacket worked extremely well. We have no glaring downsides to report. The jacket is well built.
Snap in ski pant connectors allow you to wear jacket and pants as a unit. You can remove the stretchable powder skirt/pant connection panel if you are wearing ski pants and suspenders or bib overall type ski pants. Waist adjustment is at the bottom right rear of the Quest, so you can make the adjustment with the jacket on.
If you know you will be skiing in bitter cold conditions, we suggest you go a size up so you can layer accordingly. Our test Quest was a size XL and it would have better accommodated the base layers if it were an XXL. It’s not a problem to take off layers of insulation, but it is a problem if you don’t have enough room to put them on in the first place.
Quest Motion Fit is designed for high physical activity on run after run down the ski slopes, allowing you unobstructed freedom of movement all day. Regulating your body warmth and comfort throughout the day is facilitated by large volume ventilation zones under the arms. These ventilation zones run from the elbow to about the middle of the ribcage, using two-way zippers that allow you to adjust how much ventilation you need. When these ventilation zippers are open, there is no mesh to keep powder snow from getting inside the jacket. If there is one recommendation we have, it is to include some barrier to limit snow/debris from getting inside the jacket when the ventilation zones are opened up.
Overall, our take is that the Salomon Motion Fit free ski parka shell has all the features and benefits you can ask for in a high-end ski jacket. The waterproof fabric is strong but light, and is less vulnerable to tearing, ripping, or jacket killing abrasion. We appreciate how Salomon has seen to all the little details like offering plenty of useful, zippered, storage pockets, lift ticket pocket, and goggle storage pocket and scratch resistant cleaning cloth. Your two color options are Black with orange piping trim and Spectrum Blue with neon green piping.
