# Spend bonus on burton ak3l or 2l?



## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

Hey Gang. Received a $1500 bonus today for the first time in years. I can finally purchase the goretex jacket/pant combo I have always wanted. I was thinking about going with the AK3L pants because pants take a beating, but was thinking about the 2L for jacket. Or should I just say screw it and buy the 3L jacket as well? What the hell is the difference and is it worth it? Any insight is greatly appreciated.


----------



## Skinny Bam (Sep 7, 2012)

3L has pow grips! Lol it says its a 3 layer but the warmth rating is the same as the 2L. I think there may be more pockets in the 3L too


----------



## hktrdr (Apr 3, 2012)

Skinny Bam said:


> 3L has pow grips! Lol it says its a 3 layer but the warmth rating is the same as the 2L. I think there may be more pockets in the 3L too


It is a shell, so of course it is going to have the same rating for insulation/warmth...


----------



## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

It's a bonus buy, got the 3l. 

Note that the 3l comes two ways:

Pro shell, and soft shell. 

I prefer pro shell, feels more bulletproof to me.


----------



## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

I think you should get in on my virus group buy instead!!! :cheeky4:

That said, if both will have the same warmth, but the 3L will have better moisture resistance, etc. I'd get the 3L. Gear lasts me a LONG time so it's worth buying good stuff. I still wear a jacket from about 10 years ago!


----------



## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

poutanen said:


> I think you should get in on my virus group buy instead!!! :cheeky4:
> 
> That said, if both will have the same warmth, but the 3L will have better moisture resistance, etc. I'd get the 3L. Gear lasts me a LONG time so it's worth buying good stuff. I still wear a jacket from about 10 years ago!


Thanks for the response Poutanen. I may have a few bucks left over once the purchase is made - enought to buy ya some beers on the hill this winter! See you out there soon. I will be in touch.


----------



## Skinny Bam (Sep 7, 2012)

I did a little research because I always wondered what the big difference is between 3l and 2l and found a very technical description. Ill save you guys the reading and it just comes down to the 3L being more durable and having more breathability in really instense conditions. The 3L will also feel and sound crunchier :laugh: If I were you I would probably just go with whichever model has the better look that I like because all AK gear has a lifetime warranty. Unless you do splitboarding or BC riding the 3L is probably overkill


----------



## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

Skinny Bam said:


> I did a little research because I always wondered what the big difference is between 3l and 2l and found a very technical description. Ill save you guys the reading and it just comes down to the 3L being more durable and having more breathability in really instense conditions. The 3L will also feel and sound crunchier :laugh: If I were you I would probably just go with whichever model has the better look that I like because all AK gear has a lifetime warranty. Unless you do splitboarding or BC riding the 3L is probably overkill



Thanks for helping out Skinny! I appreciate your help. All the best!!


----------



## Skinny Bam (Sep 7, 2012)

hktrdr said:


> It is a shell, so of course it is going to have the same rating for insulation/warmth...


There are lots of shells with insulation so the warmth rating can vary...smart ass.


----------



## BigmountainVMD (Oct 9, 2011)

The AK Stagger jacket has some zonal insulation, so it is warmer than the other 2Ls. I went with that jacket last season and have absolutely no regrets. I used to have some Burton Stagger pants years ago, but they fell apart at the cuffs... I have since gone with some Volcom Gore-tex pants and they are much more functional and feel more bombproof.

If you like to layer, get the 3L and call it a day. If you hate layering up a bunch (like me), go for the Stagger with a bit of insulation.


----------



## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

Skinny Bam said:


> I did a little research because I always wondered what the big difference is between 3l and 2l and found a very technical description. Ill save you guys the reading and it just comes down to the 3L being more durable and having more breathability in really instense conditions. The 3L will also feel and sound crunchier :laugh: If I were you I would probably just go with whichever model has the better look that I like because all AK gear has a lifetime warranty. Unless you do splitboarding or BC riding the 3L is probably overkill


Sounds like you've read the goretex website and never touched the various materials, they are quite different. 

3L is professional grade material, (pro shell or soft shell) on the hover pants and jackets. Very tough material, much thicker than the 2L fabric, and yes its a little crunchier. I have a full outfit of 3L proshell, and last year I got a 2L jacket out of a deep discount rack, it was so cheap I bought it even though I had no use for it. 3L pro shell feels like it will last a lifetime, while 2L feels like a windbreaker in comparison. 

The other fabric that is labelled 3L is in the freebird jacket - it is goretex pro stretch rip stop 40D. This is a completely different gig. It's way lighter than 2L or 3L, feels almost delicate. If you have tons of dough and want to have an ultralight superbreathable shell this is for you, you can stuff it in a tiny backpack and wear it for heliboarding in golden powder where it won't suffer wear. 

So 3L pro shell and soft shell is top of the line with focus on durability, while pro stretch focuses on ultralight weight performance. That said the 2L stuff is good too. 

Since the OP seems to fund his outerwear off an erratic bonus program I recommend the durability of 3l pro shell to get him through till those cheap bastards pay another bonus in 2017.


----------

