outdoor research skytour bib review

Review Time with the OR Skytour AscentShell Bib and Jacket

Enjoying powder at Fairy Meadows wearing the Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell bib and jacket.

When I moved to Seattle almost ten years ago, I didn’t know what hard shells or non-insulated jackets were. In college, I was channeling the image of “park-rat.” I came from the world of tall tees and impractical extra large insulated layers. I didn’t understand why people would want to wear nothing but a shell, especially after looking at the cost. Over the years and dozens of rainy PNW backcountry days, my attitude towards hard shells had evolved, and I became a strict hard shell lover.

Last year I got the chance to review the Outdoor Research Carbide kit ; this year, I focused on a backcountry-specific jacket and bib combo: the Skytour AscentShell kit. I have to say, after having used the kit this season, I may never go back to Gore-Tex while backcountry skiing.

The jacket and pant offer no insulation; they are constructed of shell material. The best part about the set-up is its breathability – I found I didn’t get nearly as sweaty compared to my usual Gore-Tex suit. The other part I love is the stretchy, soft, and quiet fabric. I am more used to this feel on softshell materials, but OR has also mastered their hard shell chops to achieve this.

So if this is not Gore-Tex , what is keeping me dry? Outdoor Research uses its proprietary waterproof-breathable membrane called AscentShell in both pieces. Think of this as OR’s version of Gore-Tex, but more tailored to the PNW crowd, allowing more breathability than some Gore-Tex fabrics for being active in wet weather.

I was skeptical about staying dry, so I made sure to put the technology to the test. I was impressed with how waterproof AscentShell is. It survived the Alpental wintery mix, the Hyak downpouring rain, and a few long rainy approaches. In its first year of life, it feels on par with my Gore-Tex . And like many Gore-Tex products, it is a three-layer fabric with fully taped seams.

I have only used the kit for one season, so far, the durability is up to the mark. So far, the pieces receive high marks for the typical wear and tear I look for: no holes from rubbing on the inside seam, zippers breaking, seams starting to lose waterproofness, and fabric separating from the waterproofing material.

Below I’ll cover my favorite features of the jacket and bib separately.

Dawn patrol with our dog Leif and the OR Skytour AscentShell kit.

OR Skytour AscentShell Jacket

The Skytour jacket allowed me to stay less sweaty on the uphill, and I definitely noticed this compared to our all-time PNW favorite Gore-Tex . With that said, I did sweat some in it; after all, it is a shell meant to keep me dry first and foremost. Yet, this is the most breathable waterproof hardshell I have experienced. It features large pit zips, but I am yet to use them.

The jacket offers lots of pockets: one on each side of the chest, an inner chest pocket, an inner mesh side pocket, and a sleeve pocket round out the storage options. All the pockets are a practical size which makes them versatile.

The jacket’s length is perfect for me; it fits longer than many of the other hard shells I have tried. I prefer for my bottom to be covered as it keeps me warmer and dryer.

Side profile of the jacket: length is longer in the torso and sleeves, but I personally like that kind fit for a bit more protection.

OR Skytour AscentShell Bib

The pants have two pockets on each side that are stitched on the outside (see photo), which I love since this offers more movement. When pant pockets are sewn on the inside, I find this constricting, making the pocket smaller.

I love the front bib pocket. This easy access pocket has replaced my beacon harness (I hate the “third boob” harness with a passion). The pocket is roomy and has an interior clip to secure the beacon. Plus, OR constructs the pocket entirely of mesh, so there is no compromise on the breathability.

Pant chest pocket: so grateful for this pocket vs using a beacon harness. Note the backside, or internal fabric is mesh for better breathability.

Difference between a pocket that is “built-into” the pant (left bib) vs. one that is sewn on the outside of the pant like that on the OR AscentShell. This is my favorite pant feature.

The leg opening was just the right size, not giving me any problems with removing the pant on/off, adjusting boot buckles, switching between ski/walk mode, etc. There is a snap at the bottom of the pant cuff to make the opening smaller, which I have not used.

My favorite feature is the full drop seat. I wish I had this last year while testing the Carbide bib . The drop seat is composed of two zippers on each side of the leg with a button right below your armpit: undo the button and slide both zippers down to let the back part of the pants fall down. I have found that with other bibs, these zippers are hard to manage as they get stuck, especially when zipping them back up after answering nature’s call – I haven’t run into this issue with the Skytour bib .

Possible Improvements

In the future, it would be rad if one of the pant side pockets also offered a clip as another option for beacon carry.

Call me silly, but it took me way too long to figure out these hood adjustments. In case you run into the same issue , let this photo be your guide to tighten and loosen the hood opening.

I found that the suspenders wouldn’t stay in place, and the metal strap adjustment pieces felt a bit bulky under my pack straps, but this could just be how they adjust on me.

I found the adjustment of the hood mechanism challenging to figure out – specifically to make the hood smaller to stay on my head when not wearing a helmet. I failed to do this while touring, but after experimenting with it at home, I could figure it out; simple markings on the hood or arrows pointing toward the hood adjustments would have helped.

OR has made admirable efforts to develop plus sizes in their clothing lines; it would be cool if OR made bigger sizes (beyond xl) in these.

Fit and Cost

I found the fit to be similar to the Carbide OR kit. I chose a size large for both the jacket and bib . The pant is definitely baggy on me, but as I have mentioned before, I like the looser fit since it allows for more layering and movement.

I went back and forth between sizing down for the jacket and going with a medium instead of the large, but settled on the baggier fit. I like the option of being able to put a big puffy under my shell and with a smaller size that ends up not being comfortable.

Compared to full Gore-Tex , the Skytour kit is a lot more affordable. The cost for the bib is $349.00, the jacket also retails for $349.00. Both items can be found on sale. OR also offers the Skytour AscentShell jacket and bib in a men’s version.

Is the AscentShell fabric as waterproof as a brand new Gore-Tex jacket – maybe not, but I am here to say that it is at least 90% of that. Given all the other features I have highlighted in this review, I am retiring my Gore-Tex bibs and jacket except for resort days. I recently gifted my mom this same ski outfit for her birthday. She loves it!

WildSnow Girl, Julia Dubinina, is a weekend warrior chasing snow in winter and sun in summer. A lover of long tours and steep skin tracks, she explores the Pacific Northwest and beyond. When she is not out adventuring, she is working away at her corporate desk job for a software company to make her next adventure happen.

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Official Review: Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Jacket and Bibs

Dressing for splitboarding is traditionally about compromise. You’re spending most of your time skinning uphill, generating a lot of heat and all the sweat that comes with it. Then when it’s time to turn around you want to keep the wind off you while getting at least as much waterproof protection as you need on a resort day. And if you’re doing New English backountry it needs to be able to shrug off branches without getting snagged or shredded. Oh and the jacket needs to be able to pack down small enough to easily fit in your backpack on the uphill. But it still needs to be warm enough in case weather, injury, or incompetence has you stuck outside for a while.

That’s a lot to ask, and yet the Outdoor Reasearch Skytour Ascentshell Jacket and Bibs manage to answer it all while looking and feeling surprisingly “normal” for high-performance technical apparel.

The OR Skytour AscentShell Bibs fit differently than a lot of other bibs, in that they don’t leave a lot of room for layering. At first that seems like an indication that they’re too small (or that I hadn’t lost as much of the pandemic weight as I’d hoped), but a few minutes of touring showed that Outdoor Research actually knew what they were doing. Unlike most resort-focused bibs these are designed to be worn under your midlayer, allowing you to more quickly adjust what you’re wearing depending on conditions, effort level, and personal preference. It’s a small thing, but it simplifies the transition process whether you’re suiting up for the dowhill or just adjusting your warmth on the uphill.

The bibs also feature smart pocket arrangement, especially that large stash pocket on the front. Not only is it placed to avoid conflict with a beacon harness, but it’s secured with just a small piece of velcro. That may seem like a problem at first, but it keeps this pocket free of “important” contents allowing it to be used to hold sunglasses, gloves, hats, or any of the other small items that come on and off multiple times on a tour. For more important cargo there is a secure zip pocket on the other side, featuring a suspiciously durable key clip. Outdoor Research pulls up short of calling it a beacon pocket, presumably in order to stay above the fray that comes up any time someone suggests that it’s okay to carry a beacon in your pocket. But if you were going to design a pocket specifically to carry a beacon, it would probably look a lot like the zippered chest pocket on the OR Skytour AscentShell Bibs.

The Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Jacket shows a similar level of focus on splitboard-specific design. Like the bibs it’s a trimmer fit than most outerwear, reducing bulk for wear under a pack or carrying it in your pack. But unlike the bibs it still leaves room for layering, keeping it a viable option for the coldest days and even some resort usage. And like the bibs it’s made from OR’s AscentShell material, which feels (and moves) like soft shell but protects like a hard shell. That means you get the stretch and breathability associated with non-waterproof apparel, allowing you to really extend your strides uphill while air permeability helps you control your internal climate. But you also get fully-seam sealed protection should the weather turn bad, or if you’re just trying to grab some take-out on a wintry mix night in town.

Taken together the Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Jacket and Bibs might be some of the best-designed and best-executed touring-specific outerwear we’ve ever tested. They beat any of the GoreTex competition in comfort and packability, while still delivering the essential protection for long approaches and powdery descents.

Special thanks to Magic Mountain and DHASH for their uphill opportunities this season, and Sasha Wagner for the photo assistance.

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Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Kit Review

Jason nelson | january 2022 | backcountry , gear review , product review , skiing , snow , snowboard , snowshoeing , winter , winter sports.

Outdoor Research sent our team their Skytour AscentShell Bib and Jacket to test. It was perfect timing because ski season had just started.

The Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Kit uses a proprietary waterproof/breathable membrane to provide top-of-the-line weather resistance. The Bib and Jacket combo is the most breathable water-resistant hardshell we have tested. It is comfortable to wear and stretchy. It has a lot of features, making it a great choice for backcountry skiers.

Breathability

The Skytour AscentShell Bib and Jacket provides little warmth. The shell is thin and allows air to pass through the fabric, so that as you’re moving up through the backcountry and working up a decent sweat, warm air can escape easily. This kit needs to be paired with insulating mid- and base-layers (such as the recently reviewed Ibex Baselayers ). The warmth of this bib and jacket is comparable to a pair of hiking pants or a heavy rain jacket. But this lack of warmth is ideal for anyone that is wanting to ski hard and elevate their heart rate.

It also has several vents that were easy to unzip and zip with gloves on. This provided additional breathability and didn’t compromise the waterproofness.

Waterproofing

When we tested how waterproof this product was, it held up over our half-day excursion in the backcountry. Outdoor Research’s proprietary waterproof/breathable membrane is called “AscentShell” and is built in the bib and jacket. Both products are fully seam-sealed and the zippers are waterproof. The hood on the jacket provides good coverage, but it didn’t fully cover my ski helmet. Additionally, the bib’s legs are wide enough to fully cover my ski boots while providing enough coverage so snow didn’t pack inside the leg openings.

Many of the hardshell jacket and bibs we tested were stiff and didn’t allow for a lot of movement. During testing, we found that the Skytour AscentShell Kit didn’t have that problem. The material is soft and stretchy and the brushed interior fabric is light on the skin. On the jacket, there is a fleece-lined chin guard, which provided an extra layer of comfort.

The fit is straight-cut which was perfect for my body-size and accommodated my mid- and base-layers.

I also found that the jacket and bib weren’t noisy. When I’m out in the backcountry, I enjoy the stillness the snow brings, and crinkly and noising hardshells can easily ruin that serenity.

Skytour AscentShell Kit comes with a lot of pickets that were easy to access and use. On the jacket, the two hand pockets and two external chest pockets provided tons of storage. The jacket’s left sleeve pass pocket was useful for accessing RFID turnstiles without stalling. On the inside, it has a mesh stash pocket and another zippered chest pocket. I was able to easily store and access snacks and my iPhone.

If you’re looking for hardshell jacket or bib or both, the Skytour AscentShell Kit is a great value. It provides terrific weather and water resistance at a much lower price. Plus, it has some amazing features and storage. If you’re heading into the backcountry, this jacket and bib will be the perfect companion for you.

The Skytour AscentShell Kit is available in Men’s and Women’s sizes. I am 5’11” and 185 pounds and I wore a large in both the bib and jacket comfortably.

Jason Nelson

Jason knows how to get s*** done. He’s been on the agency side for the past 10 years managing marketing initiatives for various industries. His skills cover a number of areas including project management, media management, and strategic insights.

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Outdoor Research Hemispheres Bib Review

Or’s premium bib checks all the boxes for rough and rowdy backcountry use, including excellent protection, mobility, and comfort for long days in the mountains.

Brian McCurdy Photography

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Outdoor Research Hemispheres Bib

Price: $599 Weight: 1 lb. 5 oz. (men’s large) Insulated: No What we like: Excellent protection, mobility, and comfort for backcountry touring. What we don’t: Pricey and low on storage. See the Men's OR Hemispheres Bib    See the Women's OR Hemispheres Bib

Outdoor Research Hemispheres’ kit garnered a lot of attention at its release in 2018 due to its claimed balance of weather protection and freedom of movement. To put it to the test, we hit the skin track and resort with the Hemispheres Bib, where it encountered everything from fresh powder to heavy, wet snow typical of the Pacific Northwest. In the end, it proved just as capable in the backcountry as it was on lift-assisted terrain and impressed us with its comfort, weatherproofing ability, and stretchiness. Below we outline our experiences with the Hemispheres Bib. To see how it stacks up, see our articles on the best ski pants  and best ski bibs . To complete your kit, we've also tested and reviewed the OR Hemispheres Jacket .  

Table of Contents

• Weather Protection

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Build quality and durability, key features.

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Outdoor Research Men’s Skytour AscentShell Bibs – Waterproof & Wind Resistant Outdoor Bib, Movement Mirroring Stretch, Durable Skiing Bib

Product details, about this item.

• OUTDOOR SKIING APPAREL: Designed especially for backcountry skiers and snowboarders, the Skytour AscentShell Men's Bibs is technical apparel that supports faster and action-packed cold weather adventures from snowboarding, camping, downhill skiing, and other snow sports.
• FABRIC PERFORMANCE: Manufactured using an award-winning AscentShell technology, this snow bib is breathable, waterproof, and keeps you utterly comfortable with its 3L membrane stretch. All these features make it an ideal choice for adventures that require fast movement.
• WEATHERPROOF & LIGHT: This bib for skiing protects you in a lightweight and low bulk way. It has a more streamlined structure than Skytour jacket and pants and is tested by Outdoor Research ambassadors. It is trusted widely for its weatherproof capability and function-first design.
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: This skiing bib has a left zippered pocket with a secure avalanche beacon clip, so you can stay safe and connected during the trip. It has a swing hatch to conveniently relieve yourself whenever you want. It has gusseted crotch and adjustable suspenders.
• OUTDOOR RESEARCH: We built a company from a feeling: the urge to get out. It's what drives us. Our tribe is devoted to exploring our outdoor passions and challenging ourselves in the mountains, water, and deserts of the planet we love so much.

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Product Description

Our Story Starts with Ron Gregg

Outdoor Research founder Ron Gregg was a nuclear physicist who spent as much time as possible exploring the edges of the map. He referred to the outdoors as The Big Office, taking his work and research into the backcountry as often as possible.

In 1980, Ron watched his frostbitten partner get airlifted off a glacier on Denali. He’d spent months planning a new route in the purest style, skiing 100 miles from the road to the base of the climb. Halfway to the summit, their trip ended with the failure of a simple pair of gaiters. Stubborn to the end, Ron refused a seat on the helicopter and descended alone for two weeks, pondering what had happened.

Outdoor Research was born from Ron’s research-led approach to problem solving. He believed that the Research Method could be applied to solve the outdoor’s biggest challenges. Today, we carry that ethos forward.

Men's Skytour AscentShell Bibs

Fabric Performance

• Wind Resistant
• Electrospun Membrane
• Movement-Mirroring Stretch

Breathable Comfort

Skytour kit collection.

This is the lightest, most breathable waterproof ski and snowboard kit for human-powered adventure. Try on award-winning electrospun AscentShell technology with 3L stretch membrane for the best balance of protection and comfort.

• Best For: Light and fast adventures in the backcountry.
• Technologies: AscentShell3-layer breathable waterproof comfort.
• Hidden Features: Function-first design details for splitboarding and ski touring like an avalanche beacon clip, zippered outer thigh vents, swing hatch for answering nature’s call
• What else? Backpacker Magazine Editors' Choice Gold Award winner! Hailed as "A Shell for the Ages"

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Looking for specific info?

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10 x 3 x 8 inches; 1.75 Pounds
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ 283193
• Department ‏ : ‎ mens
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ July 28, 2021
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09BDGVC7L
• #350 in Men's Skiing Bibs

Customer reviews

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To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

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Outdoor Research Carbide Bib Review

• Weather Resistance - 25% 9.0
• Fit and Comfort - 25% 7.0
• Ventilation - 20% 7.0
• Warmth - 10% 5.0
• Features - 10% 6.0
• Style - 10% 5.0

Our Verdict

Compare to similar products, our analysis and test results.

These bibs perform well in the weather resistance and ventilation departments, but they separate themselves from other bibs in the Fit and Comfort metric. Where other bibs come up short, the Carbide pulls off a feat of garment engineering in terms of comfort and tailoring.

Performance Comparison

Weather Resistance

Weather resistance is the most important metric in ski pants generally, and it is also the primary reason why bibs were developed in the first place. The Carbide performs well in this category compared to most other ski pants on the market. These bibs use Pertex Shield as the hardshell material. In our experience, this fabric is almost as waterproof and breathable as the more commonly-known Gore-Tex, while enabling a garment to be sold at a much more reasonable price. In our testing, water never penetrated the pants through the shell fabric. The pocket zippers are not waterproof, which is disappointing, but they are covered by effective storm flaps. In our 5-minute shower test, water eventually started to seep into the pockets through these zippers, but since the pockets are made of Pertex Shield as well, water never made it into the leg compartments.

Fit and Comfort

We are blown away by the comfortable and sharp fit the Carbide brings to the table. These bibs fit through the leg like nicely tailored pants do, and only open up above the waist, making the legs feel sleek and contoured, while the torso feels comfortably loose, to the point where we forget that we are even wearing bibs. The shell fabric is not as crinkly and stiff as Gore-Tex or other heavy-duty proprietary hard shells, feeling soft on the skin of the user's' legs or through lower body base layers. If you are in the market for hardshell ski pants and haven't considered bibs, put these on your list. You will barely notice that they are more than just ski pants regarding comfort.

Ventilation

Most ventilation is accomplished with zippered vents that open the pant to the outside environment and through breathable shell materials that allow airflow through the fabric itself. The Carbide Bib features long external thigh zippered leg vents. These vents are very effective at promoting airflow and venting out warm air from the interior of the pants. Since bibs cover the user's torso, which is one of the warmest areas of the body, it is extra important that bibs have good ventilation to provide comfort on warm days and during high-output activities. The Pertex Shield fabric feels relatively breathable compared to other technical hardshell materials that we've tested.

The Carbide's Pertex Shield fabric is soft and thin, especially when compared to Gore-Tex and proprietary membranes found in other bibs. It makes these pants feel less warm because there is less of a physical barrier preventing the conduction of heat away from the skin on, say, cold chairlift seats. The phenomenon also makes the fabric feel more breathable, although the cooler temperatures could very well be due to more heat being conducted away from the body and less due to the fabric being ultra-breathable. Either way, these pants don't retain much warmth, which could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you layer underneath.

The Carbide is on the minimalist side for a bib pant. This helps keep the weight down for backcountry versatility, but it also means that these bibs come up short compared to the competition for inbounds bibs. It has two large hand pockets that are very deep, and one has an internal mesh sleeve and clip for an avalanche transceiver. There is also a chest pocket on the torso panel, which is less useful because this pocket is often buried beneath upper body layers. The pants have belt loops and one side zip that extends from the top of the bib near the armpit down to near the knee for easy entry. The suspenders release with a click, and the bibs also have a front crotch zipper for making bathroom breaks more convenient. The cuffs have large scuff patches to aid in longevity, and the elastic powder cuffs have small slots so that power straps can be adjusted without pulling up and down on the powder cuffs. This also adds to the durability of the pants, as the powder cuffs are often the first thing to be destroyed through normal wear and tear.

The Carbide is less baggy and loose than other bibs that we have tested in the past, which is a good thing. Still, they don't quite look as "cool" as we wish they did. The fit of the Carbide is the most notable attribute to their style, which is relatively slim and athletic in appearance. The legs are gently tapered from the hips to the knees without producing too much of a curvy appearance. There isn't too much extra material throughout the thighs, knees, and boot cuffs, preventing a baggy and loose look. We wish the color schemes were more intriguing, as the pants are only offered in navy/purplish-blue, burnt red, and black.

For the performance, these bibs are a great value. They combine excellent weather resistance, a comfortable and athletic fit, and decent style and features into an affordable package that swings well above its weight in terms of price. After testing these bibs, we expected the price tag to be significantly higher. If you are looking for a more stylish pant, you'll have to spend more money.

The OR Carbide Bib is weather-resistant and a comfortable option for both resort and backcountry skiers. It also scores highly for ventilation and has enough features and style to get by on the hill. And despite this high performance, it also comes at an affordable price. If you are looking for protective pair of ski pants for regular use on the hill, even if you don't think you want a bib, consider the Carbide.

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St Petersburg & Moscow in Style - Winter

• Explore the majestic St Petersburg & Moscow on private city tours
• Admire the rich Russian history, art and architecture
• Travel to Moscow on a highspeed train
• Enjoy the local cuisine in stylish restaurants

Lower Volga Voyage

• Visit magnificent Red Square and Kremlin and examine the collection at theKremlin’s State Armory.
• Experience Russia’s diverse musical traditions at lively folk music performances
• Explore Volgograd, the site of the decisive battle of World War II’s eastern front

Volga Dream Russian River Cruise

St Petersburg & Moscow in Style - Summer

White Russian - 7 days

• Discover Moscow's UNESCO-listed Red Square, home to spectacular St Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin's Mausoleum and the historic GUM Department store
• Explore the grounds of Moscow's mighty Kremlin, with its numerous governmentbuildings, gold-domed cathedrals and the giant tsar bell
• Celebrate New Year's Eve in Moscow!
• Take in the highlights of St Petersburg including a guided tour of the exquisite Church on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress and Cathedral
• Take a guided tour of the remarkable Hermitage Museum at the Winter Palace

Vodka Shot - 6 days

• Explore the beautiful city of St Petersburg, including the exquisite Church on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress and Nevsky Prospekt
• Marvel at the dazzling array of art and exhibits in the world-famous Hermitage Museum, at the Winter Palace in St Petersburg
• Discover a lavish residence of the tsars on a day trip to Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo (winter: mid-October to April) or Peterhof Palace and gardens (summer: May to mid-October)
• Take in the highlights of the capital on a walking tour, visiting Moscow's famous Red Square, home to the historic GUM Department Store, Lenin’s Mausoleum and spectacular St Basil’s Cathedral
• Take a guided tour of the Moscow Kremlin, Russia’s political power house. Stroll around the grounds of this fortified complex, visit the Kremlin's cathedrals and see the mighty Tsar Bell

Route of the Romanovs - 10 days

• Learn about the last days of the Romanovs in Yekaterinburg, visiting the sites where Tsar Nicolas II and his family were assassinated and buried
• Straddle two continents at the famous obelisk Europe/Asia border marker in Yekaterinburg
• Experience the Trans-Siberian railway on an overnight train journey from Moscow to Yekaterinburg

New Year's in Moscow - 9 days

• Visit Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo on Christmas Day and marvel at the incredible Amber Room
• Spend a night in Novgorod, an ancient city by the Volkhov River - explore the kremlin, cathedral and other sights and enjoy a traditional Russian banya (sauna)

All Moscow , expedition cruises, self guided adventures and vacation packages. Find the best guided and expert planned vacation and holiday packages. Read more about Moscow

Small Group Moscow Tours

Back in the USSR - 7 days

Russian Revolution - 9 days

• Visit historic Novgorod, an ancient city which straddles the Volkhov River. Explore the attractive riverside kremlin and experience a traditional Russian banya (sauna)

The Snowball - 6 days

• Visit Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo and marvel at the incredible Amber Room

Mood for Moscow - 4 days

• Head underground to visit a Stalinist-era Soviet Bunker on an optional excursion
• Stroll to the vibrant Izmailovo Market, which lies behind the walls of an ancient Kremlin, and shop for an array of souvenirs

Best Moscow Tours by Duration

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Moscow reviews & ratings, capitals of the north.

some hotels could have been better

It was jam packed with every place I wanted to go and see. I especially love my photo of us setting out on the night time river cruise in St Petersburg and the Peter...

I really did not buy much and what I did buy was small gifts for others .

Johanna-Marie

Good hotels, some better than others. Interesting itinerary

Too rushed. Optional tour rather too short

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The 50 best parks and gardens in Moscow

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1 Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

2 Kolomenskoye

3 Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve

4 all-russian exhibition center, 5 sokolniki park.

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6 Zaryadye Park

7 moscow zoo, 8 izmailovsky park, 9 muzeon park of arts, 10 neskuchny garden, 11 bauman garden, 12 park krasnaya presnya, 13 moscow state university, 14 vorobyovy gory, 15 family park skazka..

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16 Nebo Trampoline park

17 happylon, 18 the rink, 19 fishpoint, 20 vorob'yevy gory, 21 moscow-850, park attraktsionov i razvlecheniy, 22 gulliver, 23 le parterre, 24 vorob'yevy gory, 25 apothecary garden.

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26 Alexander Garden

27 kuskovo estate museum, 28 patriarch's ponds, 29 hermitage garden, 30 main botanical garden of the russian academy of sciences, 31 nudistskiy plyazh v serebryanom boru, 32 yekaterininskiy park, 33 city farm, 34 pokrovskoye-streshnevo park, 35 park ostankino.

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46 Mitino landscape park

47 park druzhby, 48 lefortovo park, 49 trubetskoy estate, 50 park sadovniki, top searches in moscow, popular road trips from moscow, what's the weather like in moscow.

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Moscow for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

• Weather in Moscow in January
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All road trips from Moscow

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Explore nearby places

• Likino-Dulevo
• Ivanteyevka
• Orekhovo-Zuevo
• Semyonovskoye
• Ivanovskoye
• Rumyantsevo
• Dzerzhinsky
• Sovkhoz Imeni Lenina
• Dolgoprudny

All related maps of Moscow

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• Map of Marfino
• Map of Govorovo
• Map of Nagornoye
• Map of Mosrentgen
• Map of Bratsevo
• Map of Rumyantsevo
• Map of Mytishchi
• Map of Putilkovo
• Map of Razvilka
• Map of Khimki
• Map of Dzerzhinsky
• Map of Sovkhoz Imeni Lenina
• Map of Dolgoprudny

Moscow throughout the year

• Moscow in January
• Moscow in February
• Moscow in March
• Moscow in April
• Moscow in May
• Moscow in June
• Moscow in July
• Moscow in August
• Moscow in September
• Moscow in October
• Moscow in November
• Moscow in December

Looking for day-by-day itineraries in Moscow?

Get inspired for your trip to Moscow with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Check them out here:

• 1-Day Moscow Itinerary
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Best attractions in nearby cities

• Top things to do and attractions in Khimki

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• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Mytishchi
• Where to eat: the best restaurants in Khimki

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A Magazine for Those With a Passion to Travel in Style

Moscow: An Honest Review of this Amazing City

“ You’re going to Russia?!?! Why? ” I heard these words pretty much every time I announced my upcoming trip to the east.

This reaction is understandable. Most people in Europe and the United States have a Putin-provoked distaste of the Russian Federation, which is growing by the day. Politicians claim that Russia’s sole mission is to diminish and undermine western powers to strengthen its own. After all, the name Vladimir comes from two old Slavic words, which together mean “great ruler of the world.” Make of that what you will…

Even the non-political vision of Russia is unfavorable. Most think of a cold, grey, backward place with Soviet architecture or battle-hardened, weather-beaten people. However, arriving at the sleek Moscow Domodedovo airport, I was impressed. I had been right to rebut popular notions of an unwelcoming and stony place.

However, almost immediately after leaving the airport, the ground for my righteous vindication became shaky. Driving into the outskirts of Moscow, my mind drew comparisons to television images of North Korean suburbs. Miles of uniform houses and bleak tower blocks lined the roads.

At the Izmailovov Delta Hotel next to the famous market of the same name, things were not looking much better. Truly peculiar decorations and violently colored walls competed for one’s gaze in the hotel lobby. Luckily, the rooms themselves were perfectly comfortable, though not particularly noteworthy. I’d stay central next time.

After dropping bags, I ventured toward the Izmailovov market for a look at how the locals live. From a distance, the buildings that encase the market are vivid, intricate and quite something to behold. As it was late in the day, the market was empty. Shop shutters were closed and stalls were folded up. I got the same uneasy feeling I get when walking through Disney Land – as if this was what remained after the recent collapse of a utopian society.

While nearly all the vendors had packed up and gone home, a few stalls remained opened for business. All that was left was an abundance of satirical matryoshka dolls containing various countries’ political leaders in historical order.

A tattooed burly salesman came over to me as I withdrew François Mitterrand from the wooden bowels of Valéry Giscard d’Estaing.

“ Where are you from, friend? ” He asked.

Ignoring my response, he launched into a speech about his armed forces days and the political situation in Russia.

“ You really ought not to trust the government, ok? Putin is a dangerous man, you see. Someone’s always watching in this city. ”

The whiff of Glühwein that carried with each sentence made me doubt the erudition of his analysis. Then again… this is what we hear in the news. I was not sure what to believe. After thanking the man and hastily filling Charles de Gaulle with the rest of the presidents of the Fifth Republic, I made my way back to the hotel.

Emerging from the underground we rounded the corner and immediately found ourselves in Red Square. The sight demands you stop and stare.

The insurmountable walls of the Kremlin line the length of one side; halfway along lies Lenin’s tomb and opposite is the lavish exterior of the Gosudarstvennyi Universalnyi Magazin shopping center (or GUM, as it’s referred to, thank God). The architectural marvel of Saint Basil’s Cathedral stands at the south end, with the State History Museum at the other. Even though the foreboding structures radiate a rouge pastel hue into every corner of the square, there is a sense of openness. No-doubt there was a somewhat different atmosphere when thousands of Soviet soldiers goose-stepped through the square. Interestingly, the Russian army still marches like this today.

Walking around central Moscow, history oozes from every spire and pillar. Buildings seem to lean over as you walk past, as if peering down on whoever dares to enter these austere places. For every moment or event in Russian history, there is a dedicated museum.

The quality of each museum is notably high. In particular, the Armory inside the Kremlin holds astonishing collections of royal carriages from across the world and throughout the ages. The world-renowned Fabergé Eggs are displayed here too.

Having wandered around for so long during the day, we had no time to eat before attending the Ballet that evening. Sitting in the Bolshoi, the long day began to catch up with me.

It is now that I must make a confession: while attending a performance by one of the world’s greatest ballet companies, I fell asleep.

Thankfully, I woke up later in the second half and was treated to the final leaps and prances of Shostakovich’s The Bright Stream. As someone who is not a ballet aficionado, that was probably enough.

Feeling significantly perkier afterward, a late dinner was in order. Just behind the Bolshoi is VOGUE Café , a gastronomic outpost of the famous magazine. It claimed to serve an eclectic mix of Japanese, Italian and Russian dishes. Intrigued, we entered.

Adventurously, we accepted the offer of some Russian wine. Full bodied and berried, it was delicious. Our evident surprise led the waitress to explain that Russian food and drink has improved hugely over the last few years. As it turns out, since the United States and the European Union placed sanctions on Russia after their annexation of Crimea, food imports have been scarce. As a result, Russian producers have been forced to meet the demand and quality expected today. As a result, Siberian wines and cheeses now win awards around the globe.

When we left the restaurant, it was late. Only a day had passed, yet we had filled every minute with history, culture and food. The next three days followed a similar format and we continued to make our way down the list of museums and sights. A boat ride along the river is a must-do for alternative views of the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Afterwards, sit on the rooftop Strelka bar opposite the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and watch the 3-mile-long line of pilgrims move slowly forward.

On the third day, we were due to board an overnight train to Saint Petersburg, but there was still so much left to do. Truth be told, it was probably too much for another three days, let alone one.

Nonetheless, I was satisfied. Moscow had revealed itself to be a fascinating and impressive city. While the city infrastructure isn’t as up-to-date as most capitals, the needs of every modern traveler can be met. It certainly isn’t the cold and unfriendly place envisioned by most in the west. Moscow’s winning attribute is its omnipresent sense of untouched history. This is a feature that is so often lost amongst hordes of tourists in Europe’s capitals.

It goes to show: what we hear about places we haven’t been in the news or through general hearsay, we can formulate pretty strong prejudices in our mind. While the political realities may still be ugly, by visiting, you can learn to separate and appreciate the everyday, the culture and the history of a place. On one side of a great red wall in central Moscow, a tyrannical leader works. On the other side, wholly separated, lies a magnificent Red Square where an overwhelming sense of history reveals the essence of Moscow and of Russia. And it is truly remarkable.

Russia Tourism: https://www.russiatourism.ru/en/

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• Payware Airports and Scenery Reviews

Scenery Review : Moscow City XP by Drzewiecki Design

• drzewiecki design

By Stephen September 24, 2016 in Payware Airports and Scenery Reviews

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You fly for hours, anticipating your arrival, wanting to take in the area and the views of another country far away from your departure airport. The airport and the area you leave from is detailed and visually full, and you know you have a great airport scenery waiting for you at the other end of the flight, then when you arrive...

...  Nothing, but flat plain emptiness and the same boring standard X-Plane basic scenery, worse there is no OSM (Open Street Map) data in the tile either, so there is no road or autogen detailing in there as well, just well nothing.

When Drzewiecki Design released their UUEE Sheremetyevo Airport XP , I loved it because it was like a visitor from the Cold War past, the Soviet era, and it was also great scenery and great choice of a destination to fly to from any of the capitals of Europe...  but that was it, just this great airport in the middle of nothingness, bland....   zero ville.

Now Drzewiecki Design has released "Moscow City"  a scenery package to compliment their UUEE Sheremetyevo, and boy how much a difference this release has done to this totally boring area.

To get the full first impression effect I flew JARDesign's A320neo from EFHK Vatnaa, Helsinki to UUEE Sheremetyevo which is flight Finnair AY153 which is a daily 9.25am service.

First Impressions

I was surprised to start picking up scenery still quite away out from central Moscow, as I approached my 6000ft transition altitude. Here there was buildings and houses and the physical visual notes you were arriving somewhere.

Looking hard at the horizon through the A320's windows and you could see the iconic silhouette of Moscow city.

The scenery provides lite versions of all Moscow's Airports, this is UUWW Vnukovo, which was easily recognisable as you flew over. As you fly closer to the centre of the city the density of the objects below becomes quite heavy as the landscape fills in. You have all kinds of infrastructure including, blocks of flats, tower blocks, factories, housing, skyscrapers and almost everything that makes up an urban landscape, in all there is 2000 custom-made buildings that makes up this impressive scenery.

A note here in that you don't get that rolling as you move feeling effect where as it just suddenly appears in front of you and then quickly disappears behind as soon as you have flown out over the area. There is a slight effect of that as there has to be, but only in the far distance and as you can see from the images the views in every direction are widespread and visually it is very good to excellent.

The "Seven Sisters" or "Stalinist skyscrapers" built from 1947 to 1953 are all in the scenery with their "Wedding Cake" architecture or officially  Russian Baroque               - Gothic style. Most famous is the Moscow State University, front and centre of the image below.

Central Moscow is excellent and extremely realistic, and you really need a travel guide to pick out the landmarks and detail, but it is hard to miss the Red Kremlin complex  and St Peter's square from the air.  Both sides of the aircraft is visually full until you have crossed right over the city.

I am not a fan of the generated 3d OSM scenery, but this is very good in blending in perfectly with the X-Plane default scenery and giving you a smooth transition from country to urban and back again with great realism.

Over the city and turning north towards Sheremetyevo, another Moscow airport UUMU Chkalovsky is represented on the turn.

The city skyline is now easily visible on landing at Sheremetyevo, and that really helps in the arrival factor, more so in that the cities building infrastructure spread now comes up and around the airport to fill the gaps to the city itself, and making the original  Sheremetyevo scenery that was so open and lonely in the old X-Plane view is now a big part of the whole in this combination. No doubt it really brings this always good scenery now alive and very usable.

Sheremetyevo Airport

Before we move on to the city itself. It is important to note the area around UUEE Sheremetyevo itself.

Compare the large image above to the earlier image at the start of this review to see the amount of change there is around UUEE Sheremetyevo with the addition of this Moscow City package. The two sceneries are of course meant to be used together, and in reality it would look odd if you had Moscow City scenery installed without the Sheremetyevo scenery included to fill out the northern areas. A highlight is that both sceneries together form a single whole, as the areas between the airport and the central city area are well filled in and that gives you a huge area of coverage and the full visual aspect.

To get a closer lower look at the Moscow Center I commandeered Dreamfoil's lovely Bell 407.

There is a 4.000km² total area covered with this scenery here, and you have expect some sort of building replication to cover all that ground. There is of course but as well in the fact there is also enough variations as to not keep it all interesting and not obviously visually obvious.

The closer you go to the central area, the variations in the buildings change there in style and density as well. And then more of the iconic buildings start to appear as you get closer in again to the middle. The business district is excellent, with a lot of business towers and the more modern futuristic skyscraper architecture that stands out in every view point in eye scans across the city.

The more recent is in tune with the more older Stalinist era that makes up the Moscow skyline.

The Kremlin Complex and the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed (St Basil's) is excellently represented and so is "Red Square"

There are Orthodox churches everywhere and all the big icons in the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium, Otkrytive Arena and department stores, museums and power stations and more....

I did have issues with many buildings floating, including the Kremlin. I tried both "Runways follow terrain contours" on and off with no flattening of the objects and there is no information in the manual either on how to fix the problem.

Night lighting is very good, yes there is again a repeatable pattern to the majority of the hundreds of the apartment blocks that does stand out, but the more individual buildings do all have that personal touch and some buildings look really very good.

The highlight here is the business district which looks magnificent and is very realistic from any direction at night as is the lit Stadium.

Although away from the central area the Ostankino Tower that stands 540.1 metres (1,772 ft) tall, and is the tallest freestanding structure in Europe and it looks great at night and is a very good position indicator from the air from any direction.

Included Moscow Airports

As noted also included in the scenery are seven airports and several helipads.

UUWW Vnukovo

The futuristic Vnukovo International is very good for a lite version, with great terminals and lots of small detailing. Only thing missing is the static aircraft and a bit more ramp equipment, but otherwise it is highly usable.

UUDD Domodedovo

The oldest of Moscow's International airports is Domodedovo. Again it is quite devoid of static aircraft and I am not crazy about the blue terminal glass work, but it is still a very workable scenery to use and has a lot of well made objects.

UUBW Zhukovsky

Zhukovsky was a major aircraft testing facility since the  cold war years, with most of the major Russian Experimental Design Bureau's having facilities here. It is also now used by the Ministry of Emergency Situations! and cargo carriers. It was also used as a test site for the Soviet Buran  reusable Spacecraft because it has the world's second longest pubic runway at at 5,402 m (17,723 ft). Mostly it is a collection of very large hangars but has a lot of static aircraft in storage.

UUMO Ostafyevo International Business Airport

A former military airbase. Ostafyevo features a new modern glass terminal, and caters primarily to business aviation.

UUMU Chkalovsky

Chkalovsky is a military logistics airport that is famous for it's support for the Russian Space program and transport to Star City and the Yuri A. Gagarin State Scientific Research-and-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center. Yuri Gagarin left here on his final flight before crashing by the town of Kirzhach.

UUBM Myachkovo Airport

Myachkovo is a small General Aviation Airport that is owned by the Finpromko company. Cargo aircraft up to the size of the Ilyushin ll-76 freighter can also use the airport.

UUMB Kubinka

Kubinka has been a significant Russian military airbase and large airshows are held here to show off the Russian military might.

There is also provided UUU1 Kremlin Airport, within the Kremlin walls, but I couldn't get it to work? There are two pads in H1 and H2.

Your first thoughts after reviewing this excellent Moscow scenery is not with this actual package. You then wish that you could have this extensive scenery at London, Rome, Madrid, Berlin and the list could go on with any of your favorite European Cities, and don't count a load in the Middle East and Asia. But a London scenery like this would certainly be a godsend in our X-Plane world. Drzewiecki Design has already done Warsaw and Manhattan, so there is always hope.

It is not cheap either and you need to add in their UUEE Sheremetyevo scenery package on top of that as well. But you get an awful lot of ground covered here for your money, with the area covered here that is extensive...  huge and flying into Moscow will never be the same again.

A few areas to note in one that in my case a few of the buildings floated, the download is huge load at 1.4gb and this Russian area is not the best for navigation aids and programming FMS units as most waypoints are not recognised. Most of the airports ILS coordinates also have to checked and recalibrated (Drzewiecki Design do provide all the correct coordinates) so there is a little work to do to set up repeat services but the work is worth the results.

Not only is the actual Moscow city and all it's buildings supported, you also get seven (if lite versions) of Moscow's other airports included as well, but the framerate processing of all this huge amount of objects and scale is pretty good to excellent. Framerate does hurt more on a lower (helicopter) level and certainly you need a computer with a little extra power is in no doubt required, but overall for the size of the area the scenery is extremely efficient.

Yes I was impressed by this Moscow City Scenery, as this once very barren area of X-Plane is now a very attractive repeat destination as nothing can give you a greater fulfilment than seeing your destination appear in the distance and then give you a huge visual experience as you fly over and approach your destination.

Moscow City certainly delivers that and more...  Just more sceneries like this please!

Moscow City XP by Drzewiecki Design is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

• Extremely detailed model of Moscow metropolitan area in Russia
• Almost 2000 custom-made buildings and other objects, all high quality, FPS-friendly and with night textures
• Whole Moscow center done in 3D as well as all other important landmarks - museums, palaces, skyscrapers, towers, bridges, railway stations, Zara stores...
• Trains, ships, 3D people, cars, airport vehicles, static aircraft - anything you can imagine
• About 4000 sq.km of photoreal 0,5-1m/pix terrain with autogen
• Sceneries of all surrounding airports including UUWW Vnukovo, UUDD Domodedovo, UUBW Zhukovski, UUMO Ostafyevo, UUBM Myachkovo and UUMB Kubinka, with all airport buildings, detailed layouts, people, airport vehicles and more
• Very detailed Kremlin model with newly constructed heliport

Requirements

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Installation and documents:

Download for the Moscow City XP is 1.47gb and the unzipped file is deposited in the "Custom Scenery" as four files:

DDZ Moscow City XP (3.99gb) - Yes GIGABYTES!

DDZ Moscow City XP Layer 2 (30.20mb)

DDZ Moscow City XP Documents (1.0 mb)

ZZZ_DDZ Moscow City XP Terrain (20.10mb)

Installation for Windows comes with an .exe installer that deposits the files in the correct order required (however I still moved the ZZZ- folder to the bottom via the INI text install list.

Installation Instructions are provided for Mac and Linux

You need to check all airports ILS coordinates are correct, instructions are provided.

Documents: Two documents include

Moscow City XP MacLinuxinstall

Moscow City XP Manual (seven pages)

Review System Specifications:

Computer System : Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - GeForce GTX 980/SSE2 - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD 

Software :   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 10 Global ver 10.50

Addons : Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini

Plugins: JARDesign Ground Handling Deluxe US$14.95 : WorldTraffic US$29.95

Scenery or Aircraft

- Airbus A320neo by JARDesign ( X-Plane.OrgStore ) - US$59.95 : A320neo Sound Packs by Blue Sky Star Simulations ( X-Plane.OrgStore ) - US$19.95

- Bell 407 by Dreamfoil Creations ( X-Plane.OrgStore ) - US$34.95

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• 7 months later...

Thank you for this very thorough (as always) review. I just bought it (it's on sale) and have only one disappointment so far: Red Square has no ILS or any landing aids at all for that matter. And what a nightmare of an approach! Also I was hoping the package would include an add-on that gives my c172 a big cup holder for my Stoli. Otherwise the scenery is gorgeous. What a country!

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