Ski Reviews
2024 Flylow Quantum Pro Jacket and Baker Bibs Kit Review
Continuing our new outerwear review series, I’m excited to share my experience in this 2024 Flylow Quantum Pro Jacket and Baker Bibs! A tidbit of information you may or may not find interesting, this was personally my first experience wearing Flylow, at least for any extended duration. Thinking back, it’s surprising I made it this far without wearing it, as I’ve worked for a multitude of different shops and organizations that sell it. For whatever reason, it just never felt like it was designed for me. Having now spent around 30 days wearing the gear, it certainly feels like I made a mistake not adopting the brand earlier. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been quite pleased with the Strafe stuff I’ve been wearing this season, was impressed with the value in the Armada kit I reviewed, and my years as an Orage Athlete/Ambassador were fulfilling, but this Flylow stuff is pretty sweet.
Before we dive into the fit, fabric, and features portion of the review, let’s take a moment to look at where the jacket and bib pants fall in Flylow’s collection, some pricing, and other general information. The Quantum Pro Jacket and Baker Bib are longtime staples in Flylow’s product offerings. As Flylow puts it, the Quantum Pro is a workhorse of a jacket, and you could say the same about the pants. It’s non-insulated shell outerwear, which is basically all I wear these days unless it’s -20 degrees or something crazy like that. It’s comparable to other technical outerwear on the market, and lines up nicely with the Strafe Nomad Kit I reviewed earlier this season. You could wear it touring in the backcountry, you could wear it on a cold resort day in Vermont, you could wear it on a warm spring day in California, and the more I think about it, the harder it is to come up with a situation where it wouldn’t be appropriate. So, workhorse feels appropriate to me. Pricing is nice, too. When it hits the market, the jacket will be $430 and the pants are exactly the same, bringing the whole kit to $860. While that’s not necessarily cheap, I think we’ve reached a point where if you can provide high-end, technical outerwear at less than $1000, you’ve done a good job. If someone had asked me to guess the price, I would’ve guessed closer to that mark, maybe closer to $600 for the jacket and $450 for the pants. There’s some value here for sure.
Starting with fit, the Quantum Pro Jacket and Baker Bib fit a little differently than expected. I’m 5’10” and around 160 lbs and have been wearing size large in both the jacket and pants. The fit is basically exactly what I like these days. As I mentioned in the Strafe review, I still prefer a slightly baggier fit than most skiers, but I’ve also gone a little more conservative in recent years. The large provides a loose fit, while also looking a little bit more reserved than some other brands. The Strafe Nomad kit is a good example. I find the Strafe gear fits a little bigger, leaning more into the freeride/freestyle/park world. This Flylow kit, however, still satisfies my personal desire to still look like a park skier, it’s just not quite as loose. I would venture a guess that most skiers my size would probably prefer medium, especially if you don’t want the baggy look at all. I could wear a medium without it feeling too small, but it wouldn’t have that freeride look I prefer. I also personally think there’s a performance benefit to looser fitting outerwear. It allows for more freedom and a natural range of motion.
Moving on to fabric, both the jacket and pants use a Surface 3-Layer hardshell fabric that’s 100% polyester. The stats are 20k/20k waterproofing/breathability, which is basically the standard for high end outerwear these days. All the seams are taped and the whole thing is put together with great attention to detail. It just screams quality when you’re looking through the inside of the jacket at all the taping. The exterior of the fabric, although Flylow specifically calls it hard shell, almost feels like a soft shell fabric to me. It has a really nice touch that’s softer than you might expect. Definitely softer than a lot of shell outerwear I’ve worn over the years. It makes it a little more comfortable, mostly noticeable when I’m traveling to and from the mountain. Not harsh or abrasive, it’s softer and pretty comfy. In comparison to the Strafe Nomad Kit, this fabric feels a touch heavier to me, but it also feels more durable. While I haven’t ripped or torn the Strafe stuff, which is impressive to me, the feel of the Flylow fabric gives me more confidence skiing in the woods, park, etc. Tree branches, ski edges, rails, nothing seems like it’s going to damage this stuff. Also in comparison to my Strafe review, I’ve found the Nomad Kit fabric breathed a little better than this, while the Quantum Pro/Baker Bib fabric feels slightly more waterproof and durable, which unsurprisingly also feels a little heavier. Certainly not too heavy, just something I’ve noticed. I certainly wouldn’t worry about a lack of breathability if you’re planning on doing a lot of touring (partly thanks to robust vents), but figured I’d include that anecdote.
To wrap things up, I’m going to split the features section into jacket features and then pants. To start, I like the utilitarian, somewhat minimalist approach here. While there are a lot of features, yes, nothing feels excessive, out of place, or pointless, which certainly isn’t always the case with outerwear. The jacket has a function-forward approach. Call me crazy, but I really appreciate when a brand just puts normal pockets on jackets and pants. There are two zippered chest pockets that are great for phones and other valuables, then two zippered side pockets where you’d intuitively put your hands. You know, like normal pockets. They’re not huge, but they’re big enough. That’s where my keys generally spend their time, and you can fit a GoPro on a short stick too. You get a pass pocket on the left sleeve, which has basically become standard these days with everyone using RFID chips. On the inside of the jacket, there are two lower zippered pockets that are quite big. Not huge, but big enough that you could throw some skins in there, or at least a bunch of snacks and whatever else you want to have quickly accessible. There’s also a zippered chest area pocket on the inside, which admittedly I have never used. I suppose a phone could go there too.
In addition to all the pockets, we get a powder skirt that can snap into the pants for the ultimate in powder security. You can synch the waist nicely, which I always appreciate, and I like the hood and collar situation. It’s not as protective as the oversized Strafe hood and collar, which I do prefer, but it’s big enough that you can get right in there on super cold lift rides and give yourself a break. Plenty of movement when the hood it up too, even with my XL/XXL helmet. I can comfortably ski switch with the hood up, which always feels like a great test of whether it’s going to restrict movement or vision. One thing that’s worth point out is there aren’t any wrist gaiters. I like wrist gaiters, but it’s not a make or break thing for me, and I’ve started to appreciate the fact that they’re not there. I just use the gaiters/thumb holes on my mid-layer jacket, which actually is kinda nice as it lets you take the jacket off super quickly, rather than having to take mittens off first, then take off the wrist gaiters, and then take off the jacket. So, while I like the connection gaiters provide, I also appreciate the functionality of not having them. Last thing I’ll point out is that we also get a nice big vents, which certainly come in handy when you need to expel some heat during touring or hiking.
Pants are fairly straight-forward for features, and again I like the normal pocket placement choices. On the front, you get two side zippered pockets in the same spot you’d find front pockets on your favorite jeans, and because of the placement, I find myself using them similarity to how I use those jeans pockets. I found $.50 cents in there when we were filming. Who knew? There’s another zippered pocket above the knee, which I don’t think is necessary, but whatever. I just don’t like putting things in those pockets and having it hit my knee cap, but I also have sensitive knees from at least one too many surgeries. I love the zippered back pocket. Again, just feels normal. I put my wallet in there, which I really like. A lot of ski pants don’t have back pockets, and I just don’t get it. There are also three (yes 3!) pockets on the bib. Two zippered, one side entry, one top entry, then a little black pocket with a snap closure, which would be cool for a radio or something like that.
In traditional Flylow style, you get zippered vents on both sides of both legs, and there’s no mesh in any of the venting. This is a nod to the company’s telemark heritage, and continues to be as functional and useful as the first time I saw a pair of Flylow pants. Not only can you really open up the pant leg for venting, it also lets you quickly access knee pads, a knee brace, fiddle with your layers, or whatever else you might need to do. It’s pretty awesome. Two thumbs up for leg venting. Then we also get the articulated knee pads that Flylow is famous for. Equal parts function and fashion, if you ask me. I love the added durability, I love the ergonomic feel from being articulated, but somewhat superficially, I think I like the look more than anything else. I get way more comments on the knee patches/pads than I would’ve expected. Gives it a bit of a mogul vibe too, which I always appreciate. In the 90s, all I wanted were ski pants with knee patches. Now I have them. Made it.
I’m sure there are things I’m glossing over or missing here, but that’s my general take on the 2024 Flylow Quantum Pro Jacket and Baker Bib. If you’re looking for technical outerwear that will last a long time and won’t break the bank, this stuff deserves you’re consideration. Also, the color is sweet. I’ve been wearing the Galaxy colorway, which is this really cool purple that almost changes color in different light. Sometimes people tell me it looks brown, sometimes it almost looks bright purple, and sometimes it’s just a dark muted purple. Super interesting. Not sure why that happens, but I like it.
Thanks. That is the exact jacket and color I have been looking for. Wish it was available now.