Skwala’s M.O. has always been to over-engineer gear. They want to build technical apparel that, while not impossible to destroy, lasts as long as possible. I largely think they’ve accomplished that goal. When you don’t pull your punches when building products, though, you sometimes end up with gear like the RS Outpost Jacket.
It’s a do-it-all wading jacket/down coat that’ll keep you dry in a downpour, warm on blustery winter days, and doesn’t feel like you’re wearing an embarrassingly large snowsuit.
Skwala
RS Outpost Jacket
Key Features:
- Completely waterproof and built with 150 grams of Toray 3DeFX+ insulation
- Stretchable fabric that moves with you as you fish
- Minimal bulk
- MSRP: $649.99
Pros:
- Overbuilt for extreme weather
- Impressively warm
- Could be the only layer you need during winter fishing
Cons:
- Price
The RS Outpost is one of the most expensive pieces of apparel I’ve ever used. It retails for $649, which is serious money. But you can likely replace almost all of your cold-weather layers with this coat. A light shirt underneath the Outpost would be perfect for all but the most frigid days on the water.
That said, I wouldn’t suggest the Outpost to casual cold-weather anglers. I don’t think the ROI is there. If you fish a handful of days in sub-freezing temps, the Outpost is overkill. If you’re a steelhead bum, a winter streamer trout junkie, or you spend serious time in places with extreme weather like Patagonia or the northern latitudes, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend anything else.
How We Tested
I’ve had the Outpost for going on a year now, and even though our current winter is off to an awful start, I’ve had the Outpost out on more than a few chilly days. From time in the high country to long days on windswept tailwaters, the Outpost has seen me through some of Wyoming’s worst weather (that’s still fishable) in 2025.
What I Love
Warmth
The Outpost is toasty. During an early-spring trip to the high country, we had a cold snap one night, and the temps plummeted to the teens. Not terribly cold on its face, but when you didn’t pack for it, those temps aren’t fun. Luckily, I’d thrown the Outpost in at the last minute. It was comfortable enough to sleep in all night, and I wore it until that weather moved out and the temps climbed back into the 40s.
In other cases, it’s been plenty warm on windy, sub-freezing days on multiple Wyoming tailwaters, and I was too warm in it a handful of times. My go-to winter layering system features a Shetland wool sweater underneath any jacket, but that was too warm underneath the Outpost if the temps got past 35 or so.
Skwala uses the same insulation in the Outpost that’s featured in their 3/2 Puffy. It’s a newer insulation, similar to Primaloft, except it moves and stretches with you as you fish, cast, and walk. Packed with 150 grams of 3DeFX+ spiral insulation, I’d be surprised if you found a situation where the Outpost wasn’t warm enough. Well, a fishing situation, at any rate. It might not hold up for an Antarctic expedition or mountain climbing in the Himalayas.
Skwala’s Build Ethos
Skwala has always put freedom of movement at the forefront of its product design. As someone who frequently switches off between rowing, casting, and putting in miles on my boots, I love that I never have to worry about my movements when wearing Skwala gear. I can bend over to tie my wading boots (even with my impressive Mountain Dew and buffalo wing belly), crouch to cast to wary fish, and climb over or around any streamside debris.
The Outpost never bunched up while rowing, never felt too bulky underneath my waders, and I didn’t feel constricted in my movements when reaching to net a fish, bending over for a release, or loading the drift boat back on the trailer.
Pockets
The Outpost features two chest pockets, two pass-through pockets that allow you access to your waders, two fleece-lined handwarming pockets, and one internal pocket. They’re all accessed via YKK Aquaguard zippers.
If you run out of space in your Outpost, you might be carrying a bit too much to the water. I generally don’t like to keep much in my wading jackets, but these pockets are all waterproof, and deep enough I’d feel fine tossing my keys and phone in them.
Bulk
More accurately, I love the lack of bulk in the Outpost. I’ve used other heavily-insulated wading jackets in the past, and while they’ve been warm, they always made me feel even more like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man than I already do.
The Outpost is slimmer than you’d expect, and layers under my waders without making them fit too tight. I wore the Outpost with my Skwala Backeddy and RS waders, as well as my Patagonia Swiftcurrent Traverse waders, and had plenty of room under all those pairs.
What I Don’t Love
Price
I know Skwala built the Outpost with the best materials they could find. It has a 100% nylon stretch-woven face textile that’s both waterproof and breathable (so it’s very similar to the material used to make waders). It’s warm, it’s comfortable, and it gives you an extreme amount of freedom of movement.
But $650 is a lot of money for a jacket. Even in Wyoming, that’s a big ask, although I don’t think it’s entirely unfair. This is a premium-level product, and the price reflects that. If anything, I think it’s a shame the Outpost will be out of reach for most anglers, because it really is the best cold-weather jacket I’ve ever used.
Final Word
Even with its hefty price tag, the Outpost pulls off what many other wading jackets have failed to. It insulates, it keeps you bone-dry, and it’s breathable. It’s not bulky, it’s warm, and it has enough pockets for you to carry half a fly shop. Skwala’s usual build quality and attention to detail are present, and you’re buying a premium-level product that performs at a premium level. That’s not always the case.
If you’re the angler who longs for cold, bitter days that send most folks back to the lodge for something warm to drink, the Outpost is for you. If you love fishing in the falling snow, swinging streamers in a blizzard, or long hours in the front of a boat while cherry-picking your way through the best holes on a tailwater, the Outpost is for you.