# Questionable quality ?



## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

Not surprised I've had several year 1 zipper blow outs, I've found most snowboard centric gear is pretty poorly manufactured compared to backcountry gear made by manufactures like Marmot, mountain hard wear, pantagonia , arcteryx, REI , backcountry.com ect. If you want quality you unfortunetly you have to pay for it in most cases and it won't be as "cool" or "trendy" as gear from brands like 686, burton, nixon, ect.


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## mdc (Sep 23, 2008)

hikeswithdogs said:


> Not surprised I've had several year 1 zipper blow outs, I've found most snowboard centric gear is pretty poorly manufactured compared to backcountry gear made by manufactures like Marmot, mountain hard wear, pantagonia , arcteryx, REI , backcountry.com ect. If you want quality you unfortunetly you have to pay for it in most cases and it won't be as "cool" or "trendy" as gear from brands like 686, burton, nixon, ect.


Word! Bail on the Snowboard company gear(especially Burton AK) and buy something from the legit outdoor gear companies as hikes said above. That said I have a 686 jacket I got dirt cheap and it's been legit but nothing like my Patagonia and Mountain Hardware gear. Also remember the good gear is $$$ but most companies offer a lifetime warranty. I've returned Patagonia gear that I've owned for over 10 years, got brand new replacements no questions asked.

Take that 686 jacket to the local seamstress and have the zipper replaced.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

mdc said:


> Take that 686 jacket to the local seamstress and have the zipper replaced.


Totally, no reason to throw out a perfectly good jacket. I think it really depends on the model because some of the snowboard brand gear is bulletproof - but clearly not all of it. I've been using a Burton shell jacket for about 4 years now and it's still in great condition, I just have to waterproof it every season.


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

Don't get me wrong I still have a burton jacket and DC pants I wear but I don't expect them to last more than 2 seasons(max)and I got them both for like 80% off in online auctions so I could care aless about them, their disposable compared to the gear I use for backpacking\mountaineering and when I'm in the backcountry or any dangerous\uber cold\wet environment those are the clothes I wear but no reason to wear them out on normal resort days.


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

Yeh I got 686 pants (20K) and jacket (10K). Durability is ok, am careful of jacket zipper cos it feels plasticky. My main gripe is that neither stand up to wet at all. Gotta admit we are on the west coast, so should've gone with some more serious gear if I want to ride during a dump. You'd think 20K pants would be ok... gonna bomb em with waterproofing spray again and see what happens


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

grafta said:


> Yeh I got 686 pants (20K) and jacket (10K). Durability is ok, am careful of jacket zipper cos it feels plasticky. My main gripe is that neither stand up to wet at all. Gotta admit we are on the west coast, so should've gone with some more serious gear if I want to ride during a dump. You'd think 20K pants would be ok... gonna bomb em with waterproofing spray again and see what happens


As long as you keep the waterproof spray\wash\soak fresh(sometimes I buy the non-breathable stuff used for tents) you should be ok but in the future where you live(Tahoe?) I'd get shells with eVent or quality Gortex membrane that way they can be used for 3 season hiking\camping as well as snowboarding.


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

hikeswithdogs said:


> As long as you keep the waterproof spray\wash\soak fresh(sometimes I buy the non-breathable stuff used for tents) you should be ok but in the future where you live(Tahoe?) I'd get shells with eVent or quality Gortex membrane that way they can be used for 3 season hiking\camping as well as snowboarding.


Vancouver, BC...

Yah, jacket has lining so wash-in doesn't work so well. Got some spray from 3 Vets that seems to work ok. Got obsessed with waterproofing non-waterproof goods last winter with it. Good stuff

Def heading the way of goretex et al. Sigh... $$$$$$$$$$$


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

grafta said:


> Vancouver, BC...
> 
> Yah, jacket has lining so wash-in doesn't work so well. Got some spray from 3 Vets that seems to work ok. Got obsessed with waterproofing non-waterproof goods last winter with it. Good stuff
> 
> Def heading the way of goretex et al. Sigh... $$$$$$$$$$$


I hear ya I need a new eVent\Gortex jacket\shell as I trashed my old one this spring, guess I'll just have to get by with whatever until I see a good deal on steep and cheap or the clearence rack at REI :-(


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

Who does pay full price? I have no idea! I don't even shop online and still manage to cop gear while sales are on. You'd kinda have to be a bit slow to not... or have too much money. That'd be nice I guess


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## oskar (Nov 23, 2010)

Shit.... where I live there are no sales .....


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## tuckerchef (Aug 26, 2011)

I thought 686 was a winter brand by levi's. I found out years ago you get what you pay for when it comes to winter clothing. I wear Patagonia and the north face. My current north face riding jacket was top of the line when I bought it and I have gotten hundreds of riding days out of it over 4 years. 

Go to the store... try it on to get your size... buy it on ebay or a similar site for a huge discount....


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

tuckerchef said:


> I thought 686 was a winter brand by levi's


Not sure bout that, but I do know they put out plenty of 686 x Levis collabs. My jacket is Krew x 686 :laugh: Should've known better huh :dunno:


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## tuckerchef (Aug 26, 2011)

grafta said:


> Not sure bout that, but I do know they put out plenty of 686 x Levis collabs. My jacket is Krew x 686 :laugh: Should've known better huh :dunno:


This tag screams quality!


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## oskar (Nov 23, 2010)

Lol Tucker, nice one 

Thing is I like my snowboarding clothes to be a bit baggy, I'm not to sure I'd be comfortable in slim hiking clothes.
What you guy's think?


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## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

the nice expensive brands are ok. the price is high because you arent paying for quality, youre paying for a warranty which isnt a bad thing. I dont like mountain hardware, that shit tears and rips more than my sessions junk. but its always replaced. i dont know about arctyrex or Patagonia, never had any. but i assume they all fit the same, smaller.


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

I do think its kinda funny that this is a rag on 686 thread, as there was one a while back 'recommend pants' (couldn't find it) but where people were saying they love 686 smarty pants.

They do seem to use thicker material for pants, i'll give them that. Mine look to be holding up well.

As for made in China... what isn't? More about quality control perhaps


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## C.B. (Jan 18, 2011)

the thing i don't like about the mountainering brands is they are all made for short people, none of it ever fits me right


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## marcdeo (Aug 8, 2011)

grafta said:


> Who does pay full price? I have no idea! I don't even shop online and still manage to cop gear while sales are on. You'd kinda have to be a bit slow to not... or have too much money. That'd be nice I guess


Agreed. End of season sales rock. The only way I would ever pay full price for a jacket is if I was ABSOLUTELY in love with it, and I didn't want to risk not finding it again (see me thread on The Travis Rice signature collection of 10/11) lol


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

oskar said:


> Hi all, last year I bought myself a new jacket. And after some research, mostly here I decided that 686:thumbsdown: was the way to go.
> Since the 686:thumbsdown: dealer here does not carry over 10k waterproofing and prices them as 20k I ordered online obviously....
> Went with 686:thumbsdown: Plexus Beta, and when it arrived I was amazed at how fucking tiny the zipper was....On it's 3rd day the zipper would come open from the bottom, a problem that would prove more then annoying after repeatedly having to remove mitts to zip down/up again!
> The jacket now has 20 days on it and the zipper is now totally fucked, and according to 686 website is not covered by the warranty because I ordered it online...
> ...


So you went to the website and read something but you haven't actually emailed them? Why don't you just take some fucking initiative and actually see if there warranty department will bend to help you.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Yeah, in my time in the retail industry, I never had any 686 come back. They get a good wrap for being well made bomb outerwear. Try the warranty.


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## CheeseForSteeze (May 11, 2011)

I learned in a 686 Smarty Uzi. Learned in it. I learned to ride and did my first full season of park in it. That thing took a beating and like Jenna Haze's box, kept coming back for more. It never ripped, scratched or blew a stitch. The backside faded a little bit, sure, but that's nothing. I feel like that thing could have stopped a knife.

I have a 686 Smarty 2.5 for when I need something burly, but rarely have occasion to break it out.


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