[Mike-337]

I have a Klim Klimate and Klim base layers just to keep warm, with an ultra high windshield!
MY Tomahawk WITH my Klim base layers doesn't work on my bike below 60*.
People all have different '' issues" and tolerances, unfortunately mine seem to be on the low side.....

 

[Gogebic Sledder]

I wear my Arc’teryx ski coat shell. It’s all GORE-TEX with no insulation. I dress in layers and I’m never cold.

 

[budko]

I received my Klim Valdez, and measured it against my MCode shell. They look to be the same size, if anything the Klim is a tad smaller. The Klim is so well made. I'm so impressed with all of their stitching. Yes the Valdez is a much stiffer jacket than the MCode, but I think it will keep me much warmer because it will certainly block the wind more.

I'll post more after I try on the jacket with my ski-doo gear. I really hope this jacket fits. The colours pop, and it's got so many more features than ANY women's jacket I could find, and I've been looking for several years for a new jacket!

 

[BRP SKI DOG]

I have the Valdez jacket for a couple years now and its great , warm and cuts wind ,breathable good quality. use good base and mid layers and u can't beat it. and quite visible..

 

[budko]

I would like to thank everyone who posted on my thread. All of your feedback was very appreciated. I was really happy to read that so many riders are now wearing tek vests. My husband and I started riding touring sleds at slow speeds with our kids when they were young. We rode with them as passengers on the trails from 2005 to 2012. It was a really fun family outing. We kept rides short, and would find good destinations to stop at where they could get hot chocolate and a warm lunch. We would study maps at the stops, and riding together really bonded the family. Every weekend we'd ski Saturdays and ride Sundays. When the kids got old enough we had "drivers ed" on the lake and we taught the kids how to ride. Now they are all young adults and are busy with doing their own thing. We always kept our MXZ TNT 600 Ace for them to ride, but could see the writing on the wall that their personal lives were more important to them than going ski-dooing with Mom and Dad.As I was finalizing the paperwork with my dealer for accessories to install on my 2020 MXZ X 850, I asked what they would give me if I traded in my 600 Ace. They offered a really fair price, and I was able to benefit from trading in my 2018 MXZ X 850 and the Ace making my 2020 the least out of pocket $ for any sled yet. This made me super happy! At this point, if the kids decide to ride, they can buy their own sled or ride one of ours.

I figured that I'd put some of that extra cash into an exciting purchase. I find it really hard to find quality women's ski-doo suits with the same features as the men's line, and being a petite gal, I was really unsure how the Men's Klim Valdez would fit. With nowhere to try one on locally because no dealers near me carry the full Klim line, I had to order the jacket online. With a great refund policy and a $7.00 shipping fee to return the jacket if it didn't fit, I gave it a try, and ordered it.

It arrived this week, and I was able to "suit up" with cold weather layers, my tek vest and my new Valdez. I removed the jacket's shoulder pads because I thought that they were making me look too broad shouldered but it was actually the tek vest that gave me the shoulders. I dressed in good breathable layers - also Klim that I just bought online- base layer Solstice 2 and mid layer Sundance as well as another warm layer a skidoo mid layer with a zipper as well. My tek vest over that and then the Valdez. I wanted to do a real test, so I also put on my Klim Alpine Bibs with base and mid layer and my Klim Boa boots, and topped it all off with my helmet.

I found that the Men's small fit great, and even with all those layers I was able to get the ski-doo removable liner from my MCode jacket on underneath the Valdez. I doubt I would ever need so many layers, but wanted to see all the combos I could fit in comfortably just in casewe're On a trip and the weather gets really cold. About 5 years ago I went on a trip with my husband and 3 other guys to the Chaudiere Appalache region, and the warmest day was -35C. Our sleds were so cold our dashes froze over. Every sled started every morning, but it was so cold, we couldn't even lift our visors to take pictures, and I had to keep the camera battery inside my glove's zipper inside my muffs to have enough charge for a few pictures. Aside from that trip, I've never worn more than two layers.

So, all stories told here's the final result of my gear test with full layers.
I love the jacket's colours and features. I love determining how warm I want to be by layering under a shell. I'm not sure how warm the tek vest will keep me but I'll figure it out after a couple of rides. The sizing of the Men's small with all the layers I listed is AMAZING!! I love love love the jacket, and it even looks more contoured and "feminine" than my MCode shell which looks sloppy on me by comparison.

I am so psyched with my new riding gear, and can't wait to hit the trails!

 

[XP123]

Looks great Carole! I have all Klim gear head to toe and I'm very pleased with it.

Very warm and like you mentioned the quality seems to be a step above the others.

My wife has Doo outerwear but Klim second layer stuff and Klim boots. She is pretty happy with her stuff also but like you she has always felt that the women's clothing was lacking compared to what was offered for men.

 

[budko]

Looks great Carole! I have all Klim gear head to toe and I'm very pleased with it.
Very warm and like you mentioned the quality seems to be a step above the others.
My wife has Doo outerwear but Klim second layer stuff and Klim boots. She is pretty happy with her stuff also but like you she has always felt that the women's clothing was lacking compared to what was offered for men.

Thanks Joe! Hope to meet up with you guys on the trails this year!

 

[culater]

I just started last year with the Klim Inversion jacket. Full gor-tex with what they call windstopper. And it works great with my Tec vest. I did go up a size though to accommodate my Tec vest. If really cold I just put 2 layers with one being fleece. It took me a little while to learn what to wear and not to wear. I also wear skidoo pants also. Not bibs but the insulated pants with suspenders. They are probably 8 years old. I doubt I would go back to the insulated jackets after wearing this type of set up. So easy to move around in>>>>>

FYI the Klim Inversion Jacket does not have the Gore-tex waterproof membrane. Gore-tex "windstopper" material is only windproof and will not keep you dry.

 

[rockclimbr77]

FYI the Klim Inversion Jacket does not have the Gore-tex waterproof membrane. Gore-tex "windstopper" material is only windproof and will not keep you dry.

Very true. The inversion pro glove suffers from the same omission.

 

[6100D]

FYI the Klim Inversion Jacket does not have the Gore-tex waterproof membrane. Gore-tex "windstopper" material is only windproof and will not keep you dry.

Yup knew that already and it also explains this on the Klim web sight but so far has worked fine for me. My next move will probably be the Valdez>>>>

 

[NHRoadking]

I found the Valdez to be heavy, stiff and too short. I prefer the Klim Storm a lot more.

 

[budko]

I found the Valdez to be heavy, stiff and too short. I prefer the Klim Storm a lot more.

Hey NHRoadking,

If you had read my posts in this topic you would have seen that I was looking for a jacket that is more on the small side because I'm a small but passionate female trail rider looking for a new snowmobile jacket with all the features that men's jackets offer, but that will fit me properly wearing a tek vest.

I am delighted that the Valdez is cut small because the Men's small in the Valdez fits me as well as a Women's small Ski-Doo MCode, better in fact, plus it has way more vents, and features than the MCode in addition to being windproof and waterproof. While the jacket is stiff to start, once broken in, it will become more contoured to my body. I am so pleased with how the jacket fits, and will make good use of all if the vents. This will be my first uninsulated shell, and I can't wait to test it out on the trails. It will be much easier for me to adjust my layers and the jacket vents wearing the Valdez as compared to another jacket with less venting. Plus the colours are amazing! If you scroll up you'll see my latest picture of me in my full gear. The colours of the jacket will go great with my 2020 MXZ X 850! I can't wait to hit the trails!

 

[culater]

Very true. The inversion pro glove suffers from the same omission.

Check out the new Inversion GTX waterproof Glove. Thin lightweight and water-proof. I have them in stock and ready to ship.

 

[culater]

Klim designed the Valdez, Towotee bib and Lochsa Mono for riders that ride through trees who wanted a bomb-proof piece. I got stuck in the bicep from a branch hanging off a dead pine tree and it left me with a pretty good contusion, but my Valdez was unharmed. I have used all of the Klim gear and even though the Valdez feels stiffer when first put on I do not notice it while I'm actually riding. The current model Valdez also offers more mobility in the arms compared to the previous model Valdez.

 

[rockclimbr77]

Check out the new Inversion GTX waterproof Glove. Thin lightweight and water-proof. I have them in stock and ready to ship.

I got a pair of the spool when I saw them last month.
It's not the same but close. We shall see!

The inversion pro would be a home run if waterproof. I can wear it most days without issues. But if it's snowing and I have to wipe my lens repeatedly, they become wet.

 

[DOOBEE]

I bought a Valdez and Togwotee bib this year to replace a worn out Klimate suit I bought almost 10 years ago. I like the ease of a simple base layer and suit so at first I planned to move to the Keweenaw but the fit of the jacket wasn't right for me. Too small in a medium and swimming in the large. I also didnt like that they eliminated many of the pockets, the liner vest, the angled panels, or the FXR like graphics they are now using. At least there is a Heritage model. I also thought the split bibs weren't very comfortable when seated on the sled due to lots of bunching and just generally an extra pita to put on. I tried some other brands but nothing really appealed to me due to either styling or fitment. I also took advantage of that $7 return option, great company to deal with!

I had seen a Valdez and was really impressed with the material and features but uninsulated gear seemed impractical for trail use until I really looked at the construction of some of my other insulated jackets. Surprisingly there wasn't much to them. The insulation layers were thinner than I had thought, some even had zip in additional liners which rarely got used or I would overheat. One of my ski jackets is nothing more than a thin gore text shell with a down puffy liner and it's very warm. So I was convinced I could replicate the same insulation layer and get an outer shell I liked and maybe even more flexibility.

The key to making this work will be the right layering which has been a shopping adventure. I dont want to feel like the Michelin man so I've been looking for the best tech that provides the lightest and thinnest coverage. This has caused some anxiety finding the right combination that only the first few rides and a bag full of options will solve. Two great pieces that are entirely new to me but I have very high expectations for are the arcteryx axino bottoms and the atom lt jacket. This might be the most comfortable stuff I've put on in years and I'm rapidly adding other items from them to give me some options. The pants are 3/4 length so I don't have to tuck them in my boots and the cut of the body and length of the jacket is a perfect match to the Valdez. With some heavier base layers and a tekvest over top (another new unknown), I expect these to be all I need under the klim shells. If the Atom LT isn't enough I'll switch to the AR version.

Good luck with yours!

 

[budko]

That's exactly what I'm doing layering under the Valdez and Alpine bibs. I think it will work beautifully! I'll post again after I get a few rides in. Please post as well!
Thanks
Carole

 

[budko]

I looked around and found that “arm warmers” actually exist. They are used for many sports. There are thermal arm warmers for winter. If I find my arms are cold I may try to get that extra layer on my arms with the arm warmers if needed. It’s nice to know that the option is there.

 

[Bedlam Bikes]

I also like the Klim Storm the most out of all their un-insulated pieces.
It's definitely a little more of a relaxed fit and not as rigid thru the arms and shoulders as the Valdez. SUPER comfortable jacket.
Can't wait to start riding in it this winter!

 

[6100D]

Well in a earlier post I said I was going to upgrade to the Valdez>>>>> Well went with the Kompound Jacket>>> Nice to take the inside out and just wear seperate or on real cold days leave it in. Works great with my tec vest on also>>> A little snug with the innner jacket with the tec vest but figire most of the time I will be layering>>>And once broke in evreything should fit great>>>But for the most part is not real stiff.