# Best Jackets & Pants



## Dazalenco (Jul 26, 2015)

Hi,
I am very new to the whole snowboarding. We went to Mt Hotham last year and now we are hooked. We live in WA as there is not a lot of ski shops over hear. We will have to probably buy online.
We are going to Niseko in 2017 and also doing on going trips in Australia after that. We hire gear last trip but would like to buy some decent jackets and pants for my wife and I.
I have been looking at DC gear. 
Any advice on what waterproof and breath ability rating would be good for Australia and Niseko.
Thanks heaps.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Get the best you can afford, 20/20k rating or GoreTex.


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## Dazalenco (Jul 26, 2015)

Which Gore Tex


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## Ygrene (Nov 20, 2014)

Dazalenco said:


> Which Gore Tex


I'll bite. Brands of Gore-tex clothes themselves don't really matter that much as all makers have to score a license from Gore-tex in order to manufacture so there is at least, a minimum of quality. 

For pants, aim for the 3 layer stuff or better. If you can afford it, try for a Gore-tex pro shell. Very light, breathable and of course water resistant. 

For jackets, IMO the older 2 layer fabric is more than enough. 

Personally, I use Burton AK457 pants ( top of the line) and a Burton Boom jacket (cheapest of the line). Don't feel you need to stick to Gore-tex, the new competing air permeable fabrics are considered by some to be better than Gore-tex pro although I have no personal experience using them myself (can't afford them XD).

Hope that helps.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Best? If you wanna get high-tech gore tex pro line stuff, you'll be facing 700$ for jacket and 500$ for pants. If price don't matter, go for it... But IMO, you don't need that for occasional trips to resorts. Those items are great if you use them a lot and hike (highest breathability for ascent and pack light cos room in backpack is limited). 

Also gore tex is not a must... IDK the conditions in the locations you mentioned... try to estimate what you plan to ride,m. Are you the type who's out on the slopes also when it rains or if you call it a day when conditions suck? Are your trips in the high season when its cold? Then you don't need the same level of water resistance than if you ride early or late in the season when it's warm (e.g. cold snow will fall off your jacket, and your butt will rather freeze than melt the snow you sit on  while if you ride in spring slush conditions, the pants need to be highly water resistant as each time you sit down, you actually sit into water, and if you ride early in the season, it's probable that you face rain which requests a better jacket.)

For pure resort riding in prime season, mid quality already is sufficiant, especially for jackets. Go for shells and use layers so you can adjust your layers to conditions and also use the jacket for other outdoor activities.
General features I'd look for:
- Get something where you can zip or clip the powderskirt to the pants - a very useful feature which avoids that the jacket slips up then you fall (snow up your back) or bend down to close bindings (kidneys exposed to cold air can be uncomfy).
- Underarm vents and vents in pants are a must IMO. Even the best gore tex has its breathability limits when you run hot. 
- Get at least one item in bright colors so you're easy to spot; e.g. all black is hardly visible in trees; don't get a white-white combination; you'd force crashes in flat light cos you are invisible then.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

I like Volcom. 

Some other decent brands I'd look at if Volcom disappeared: 

Burton
Oakley
Flylow
Homeschool


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## ekb18c (Mar 11, 2013)

I really like arc'teryx, Burton AK, and Homeschool.


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## francium (Jan 12, 2013)

Look in the sales got an awesome Patagonia jacket in the sales for 50% off and got my goretex Quiksilver pants for 50% off last season, never pay full price for outerwear.
Austria can be bloody cold depending on when you're going so layering is the key.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

francium said:


> Look in the sales got an awesome Patagonia jacket in the sales for 50% off and got my goretex Quiksilver pants for 50% off last season, never pay full price for outerwear.
> 
> Austria can be bloody cold depending on when you're going so layering is the key.


+1 on the first paragraph
2nd paragraph:


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## francium (Jan 12, 2013)

neni said:


> +1 on the first paragraph
> 2nd paragraph:


Haha my bad I do know the difference just reading on my mobile, although if it were a choice between snowboarding in Austria or Australia I know which I'd go for.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

Volcom IMO makes the most solid snowboard specific outerwear. Especially their gore tex pieces.


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## Rogue (Nov 29, 2014)

My favorite jacket and pants are Salomon I hate to say. I have yet to get wet except a little on the backside in pouring rain and that's mostly from sitting on water on the lift. It's not Goretex and I got great deals on both. I have some Volvom wear, more for spring and I have no complaints there either.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

arc'teryx, trew and homeschool

wut Neni says...its about function and matching the environment and activity

shells and layering with merino...for top of the line retail you are looking at $1.5k+ for the full bag


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## UVMboarder (Aug 6, 2015)

i just picked up a 20k/20k trew jacket but i've had patagonia and burton gore-tex. ive found waterproof ratings are pretty accurate across the board but doing your research on the durability of other aspects of the jacket like zippers snow skirts etc, are most important


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## powderjunkie (Jun 30, 2015)

volcom goretex... i wont ride with anything else. their ziptech is topnotch.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

Well it's still summer here so take off your pants and jacket.


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

I have some gear I'm selling I just need to take pics of it.

x2 Volcom jackets
x2 Volcom pants
Oakley pants
Arc'terax? haha jacket
Arson jacket & pants
30k Westbeach pants
Quicksilver 20k jacket 

Plus, lots more I can't remember off the top of my head.

Cheap & all worn once or twice @ the most.


TT


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