The Skhoop Sandy Short Skirt is a synthetic insulated skirt designed to quickly and easily add warmth over your existing cold-weather clothing layers. It’s a handy layering piece for times when you need extra warmth and wind protection during part of a hike.

• Runs true to size when using the size chart
• Full-length side zip for easy on and off
• 2-way YKK zipper on the right side
• 1-way YKK zipper on the bottom left
• Waistline belt loops
• Small outside pocket with YKK zipper, ideal for credit card or key
• Rear waistline elastic for a perfect fit
• Shell: 100% Polyester
• 80 g insulation, 100% Polyester
• Weight (size M): 247 g
• Length (size M, front/back): 18”/19”

Fit and styling

The size I chose based on the size chart fits well.  Be sure to account for wearing it over winter softshell pants. The skirt has a flattering shape and doesn’t look bulky or create a “puffy” silhouette. On me (I’m 5’2″), it falls a few inches above the knee, which was exactly the length I was looking for.

Materials and construction

The Sandy is a lightweight skirt with thin synthetic insulation. I wanted something that would pack down small, block wind, and keep my glutes, hamstrings, and quads warm. Skhoop also offers the Short Down Skirt in a similar length for $70 more, but I chose the synthetic version because I thought it might perform better in damp conditions and because I liked the price.

There is one front zippered pocket large enough for small items. A full-length zipper on the right side makes the skirt easy to put on and take off, even while wearing snowshoes. There is also a short zipper near the bottom on the left side. Together, these zippers let you adjust for stride length and ventilation, giving you freedom of movement while still blocking wind. They’re also easy to fine-tune on the fly.

Performance

I’ve been using the Sandy Skirt as a technical layering piece. It allows me to skip a bottom base layer during climbs so I don’t overheat, then quickly add warmth and wind protection when needed.  I already owned a couple of shorter skirts but wanted more coverage, so I was glad to find this option from Skhoop.

I can also see this skirt working well as a casual piece over leggings. Skhoop offers a wide range of skirt lengths, from mini to boot-top, so it’s easy to find a style that suits both outdoor and everyday use.

Bottom line

The Skhoop Sandy Skirt is an excellent outer layer for winter hikers who want quick, adjustable warmth and wind resistance. It’s much easier to throw on than full-zip rain pants, and because it leaves only a small section of leg exposed between the skirt and gaiters, it blocks most of the wind. On a recent cold hike (low single digits), my toes wouldn’t warm up despite being very warm from the waist up.  I added the skirt and within a short amount of time, my toes had warmed.  I’ve found it adds a surprising amount of warmth and is especially useful when I’ve underestimated the cold or wrongly skipped a base layer.

About Wanda Rice

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