# Goretex jacket under 375 dollar, Burton AK cyclic any good?



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

The Burton AK series is one of the better outerwear lines out there. I am wearing the pants right now. For the price, you really cant beat it. they are very durable, comfortable and water resistant.


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## DevilWithin (Sep 16, 2013)

I like Burton AK outerwear too. Just keep in mind that the cyclic is a shell, so your warmth will come from the base / mid layers you wear. I prefer shells so you can layer appropriately for the conditions. Should be great for your needs once you wear a base and mid layer on underneath.


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## Snowfever (Jan 24, 2013)

Sounds good, the Burton jacket has two layers right? I also have a mammut jacket I can wear underneath.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Snowfever said:


> Hi all I convinced myself I deserve a new snowboard jacket. I am looking at Gore Tex, since I also want to use it when biking in heavy rain and hiking. Budget is max €300 (around 375 dollar). Now I found the Burton AK 2L Cyclic jacket, but I'm wondering if its warm enough for Januari in the French alpes? Also, I hear that the quality of AK has decreased over the year, do I have any reason for these concerns?


Just saying you want a gortex SHELL to bike and hike in rain....idk...but snowboarding in the the alpes....ya don't need gortex if its cold...however the common needed is breathability. So breathability ime is in part how the jacket can open up to get airflow...so examine the functional design/air flow of the jacket and its ability to keep snow out. A cycling jacket's ability to handle air flow is a bit different than a snowboard jacket and further different if carring a pack. Just stuff to think about.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

There are plenty of epic jackets that are two and three layer goretex that are just as good as AK. Don't be fooled. If you want something that you may use during high physical output, you may consider a shell made with neoshell or eVent which will breath quite a bit better than goretex proshell but still be just as waterproof. High end, high quality will be arcteryx. Marmot, mammut, volcom, mountain hardware etc all will have great pieces. I have owned all sorts of jackets/shells that breathed well and others not so much. A do it all breathable waterproof shell that you can wear for everything is not 3l gore pro shell. If durability is most important than breathability, stick with the gore pro shell(AK/Volcom/Arc) and you'll be good. Arcteryx stuff IMO is the best on the market for quality and durability. I also think marmot makes great jackets. 

Sorry if my comment is a rambling mess, Ive been up all night working with the first snow falling outside so I'm a bit out of it.


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## ekb18c (Mar 11, 2013)

I personally love aryterx and home school jackets for breathability shells


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

ridinbend said:


> Arcteryx stuff IMO is the best on the market for quality and durability.


+1. 

I had jackets from Burton, 686, belowzero, westbeach, mammut, schoeffel, Arcteryx... Drawback of snowboarding brand jackets usually is that they got some insulation and do not pack light. Rather look for a shell with a powder skirt from mountaineering brands usually pack lighter (could be an issue for you since you want to use it for hiking). 

Like my Arcteryx most. Way lighter than pure snowboarding outware. It's as light as other high end goretex shells like mammut, but the overall design is better and higher durability. They kind of reduced their stuff to the max.

I wear this shell on coldest days in the alps: onion principle... just add a fleece if it's cold.


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## vajohn (Jan 12, 2014)

I have a couple 2l goretex shells. I recently got a 3l quicksilver shell. All were under $250 on sale. The quicksilver seems nice, but I have not had a chance to ride in it yet. The hood is not great, which sort of pisses me off when the msrp is so high.


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## Snowfever (Jan 24, 2013)

Arcteryx seems expensive though, doubt if I find anything within budget


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## madmax (Sep 10, 2013)

neni said:


> +1.
> 
> I wear this shell on coldest days in the alps: *onion principle*... just add a fleece if it's cold.


+1

I like this, good way to sum up layering.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

You guys gotta see their price point. There are definitely better brands but the Burton line is probably the better in your price point.


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## ekb18c (Mar 11, 2013)

You might be able to find Oakley pro shell jackets on sale from last year. I picked up one of those from a previous year and they are pretty solid shells also. However they run slim! I had to get a size bigger than normal.


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## Flee21 (Mar 16, 2013)

ekb18c said:


> You might be able to find Oakley pro shell jackets on sale from last year. I picked up one of those from a previous year and they are pretty solid shells also. However they run slim! I had to get a size bigger than normal.


THIS^^^^ oakleyvault.com has awesome deals 
Oakley FAIRHAVEN JACKET | Official Oakley Store

their stock seems to be running low now but a month ago they had some killer deals...


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Snowfever said:


> Arcteryx seems expensive though, doubt if I find anything within budget


Sales... can be found in your range. Tho you may can't be picky with colour.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

I have no idea how things work over in Europe when it comes to online/shop sales and availability within your budget. A burton 2l/3l will be an epic addition to your riding gear but it won't be something you'll want to wear on a bike, mostly due to its fit in comparison to what you'd want while riding. I love alpine fit personally, which is better for universal use, but if you don't have many options and a limited budget, then burton it is.


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## highme (Dec 2, 2012)

TheClymb.com has a winter clearance sale right now. You should be able to find something there that is cheap & quality.


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## augie (Mar 14, 2012)

Very happy with my burton ak jacket. Arcteryx as everyone has said is top notch in mountaineering gear, but I found the fit (for me) is not ideal. I would like more length while staying slim fit. 6'2" and 180. I could rock arcteryx or mountain hardware for backpacking/climbing and be 100% happy, but to get the length I want for riding, the fit gets boxy and at 300+ fit better be perfect


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## Snowfever (Jan 24, 2013)

Haha sorry I should've been more clear. I am from the Netherlands and as some as you may know we bike casually a lot. So I mean to use the jacket as a means for keeping me dry when I'm biking 10 minutes to the train station, not for mountain biking.


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## Snowfever (Jan 24, 2013)

Last question. I have a Mammut ultimate hoody lying at home, can I expect the burton jacket to be thicker than that? Mayb I can use the mammut ultimate hoody as a middle layer.


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## DevilWithin (Sep 16, 2013)

I think you may be confused around what 2L or 3L gore tex means. If you're not, please forgive me for making a false assumption. 

That said, I figured it may help to elaborate a bit on what the 2L or 3L designation means since it has nothing to do with insulation thickness. 2L construction and 3L construction is all about the layers of material used to create a waterproof, windproof and breathable shell construction. Insulation = warmth and that is achieved by adding additional filler to the jacket (such as primaloft or down). The Burton 2L Cyclic jacket you were interested in is just a shell -- it has no additional insulation. It helps keep the elements (water and wind) from penetrating. You achieve the insulation by layering underneath it. Typically, you'll wear a close to the skin base layer (like a merino wool or synthetic shirt) and then a fleece, sweater, insulated vest/jacket or hoodie for your mid-layer. It gives you the ultimate flexibility, so you can layer up or down based on the conditions. 

That said, there are gore tex jackets that aren't just a shell. Specifically in the Burton AK line, you should check out the [ak] 2L LZ Down Snowboard Jacket or [ak] 2L Swash Snowboard Jacket for ones that have additional insulation.


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## DevilWithin (Sep 16, 2013)

Check this out on the official gore tex site for a more technical explanation:
Product Technologies - GORE-TEX® Products!


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

Look for a burton 3l jacket on ebay. Personally I really like my hover jacket. Basically bombproof.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

DevilWithin said:


> I think you may be confused around what 2L or 3L gore tex means. If you're not, please forgive me for making a false assumption.
> 
> That said, I figured it may help to elaborate a bit on what the 2L or 3L designation means since it has nothing to do with insulation thickness. 2L construction and 3L construction is all about the layers of material used to create a waterproof, windproof and breathable shell construction. Insulation = warmth and that is achieved by adding additional filler to the jacket (such as primaloft or down). The Burton 2L Cyclic jacket you were interested in is just a shell -- it has no additional insulation. It helps keep the elements (water and wind) from penetrating. You achieve the insulation by layering underneath it. Typically, you'll wear a close to the skin base layer (like a merino wool or synthetic shirt) and then a fleece, sweater, insulated vest/jacket or hoodie for your mid-layer. It gives you the ultimate flexibility, so you can layer up or down based on the conditions.
> 
> That said, there are gore tex jackets that aren't just a shell. Specifically in the Burton AK line, you should check out the [ak] 2L LZ Down Snowboard Jacket or [ak] 2L Swash Snowboard Jacket for ones that have additional insulation.


Not to mention the third layer in 3l is the interior layer that has contact with your skin. The internal layer in 3l can also be a micro fleece lining in some pieces and will range in materials. A 2l jacket will usually have a mesh lining to keep your skin from having direct contact with the actually waterproof membrane. The outer layer also is not the membrane and after dwr wears from use, can and will appear wet. Unless it says in the description it's insulated, anything gore is a shell.


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## Tuan209 (Dec 26, 2008)

I have a few Burton AK pieces and they are nice, however, their hoods are essentially not usable if you wear a helmet. I am not sure why they make their hoods so small. 

I recently bought some Quicksilver and Volcom gore tex jackets and they are just as nice with a nice usable hood to boot!


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## Snowfever (Jan 24, 2013)

Thx for the recommendations. Unfortunately, sales aside, the burton 3L, swash and the lz down are all way more expensive, in the â¬400, â¬500 euro range.


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## scotty100 (Apr 3, 2012)

Snowfever said:


> Thx for the recommendations. Unfortunately, sales aside, the burton 3L, swash and the lz down are all way more expensive, in the â¬400, â¬500 euro range.


You might want to consider the Burton AK Boom jacket which is their entry level goretex 2L jacket and about 50 bucks cheaper than the cyclic. I bought one last year and if all your riding is resort-based it's perfect...and personally I preferred the styling to the Cyclic...


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## Simon Birch (Mar 11, 2014)

This isn't a goretex jacket but the waterproof rating on this 2.5L shell is 15,000mm and the breathability is 30,000g which is better than the 20,000g breathability on my goretex jacket and only costs around $157.

Homeschool Snowboarding Cosmos 2.5L Shell Jacket | evo outlet


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## Snowfever (Jan 24, 2013)

I did some more research and went with the helly hansen mission jacket, could scoop it up for â¬220, never heard of the brand before but supposedly its good. Will defenitly share experiences when I receive it!


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## Snowfever (Jan 24, 2013)

For anyone interest. I received the HH mission jacket, looks very good.









I went with primaloft, because I like to have little underneath my jacket, so I don't have to take a lot off when I get inside, and probably because I'm used to it.

It has wrist gaiters, a pocket for ski pas (why dont all snowboard jackets have this?!), very pleased so far but I'll have to wait two months before I can really try it out.


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## francium (Jan 12, 2013)

Lamps said:


> Look for a burton 3l jacket on ebay. Personally I really like my hover jacket. Basically bombproof.


mine lasted 2 days before the zip bust and the lettering fell off not exactly bomb proof but burton customer services did refund my money pretty quickly.


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