# Looking for Snowboarding/Hiking shell



## coldfeet (Aug 7, 2014)

*Found wear/issues with my jacket - but can't identify what made them*

* Look below at post 8 regarding my question*


I am heading to locations where it gets below freezing (-5 to 30 F) on several occasions. I have several base and mid layer clothing already, but I am missing a good hard shell jacket. I have an Arcteryx softshell hybrid jacket, but, if I were to go out snowboarding in that and fall, it is very likely that it could rip and tear. Which would royally suck.I have been trying to find a 3L Jacket, mainly because of the benefits of weight and other things but honestly, I don't know if it is really necessary. I have about three weeks to find and order/buy a jacket. 

I am looking for a Large, Goretex 3L Shell (or comparative product) however a 2L jacket would suffice if it would work fine, that has a powder skirt, a headphone pass through (or internal pocket for cell phone and headphones, not really required butwould be nice), has a permanently attached hood, RECCO reflector, rugged, possibly a technical jacket , would prefer a price range of 200 to 425, 

I have looked at the following shell so far:
Arcteryx Alpha SV (found one for ~490-530)
Arcteryx Cassiar Jacket (Overbudget)
Mountain Hardware Snowpacolypse
Mountain Hardware Minalist
Mountain Hardware Compulsion 3L
TNF NFZ Non-insulated Jacket
TNF Fuse Brigandine Jacket (Never heard of Hyvent before though, and not in the price range new at least)

Where I have been looking at:
TNF's website
REI
Moosejaw
Arcteryx
Mountain Hardware 

Unfortunately, most of the jackets are out of my price range. It also really doesn't help that I live in Dallas and it is summer at the moment, so finding a jacket is not the easiest task here. Used to live in North Carolina, and it was a little bit better there.

Does anyone have recommendations or comments on the above jacket? I appreciate any help!


----------



## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

Go to tetongravityresearch and search through the gear swap and you'll find a great deal on something. Or sierratradingpost.com
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/s~gore-tex-jacket/clothing~d~5/mens-clothing~d~15/


----------



## coldfeet (Aug 7, 2014)

ridinbend said:


> Go to tetongravityresearch and search through the gear swap and you'll find a great deal on something. Or sierratradingpost.com
> Men's Gore Tex Jacket in Clothing at Sierra Trading Post


The teton gravity research had a few jackets (not a lot), but there were definitely some good deals. I will go back to it next week to see if there is any more stuff on there.

I'll take a look at Sierra trading post as well.

I did notice on Sierra trading post, is that most of the jackets they have there are insulated. I really don't need an insulated jacket, due to the baselayers that I will be wearing. Is there any where else to find jackets that around that price that aren't insulated. I guess what I am really searching for is a technical jacket in that case.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Found my sweet deal for my Arc'teryx via TheFind - EVERY PRODUCT * EVERY STORE. Several Alpha SV there for ~450$.

If you _need_ such an expensive hightech jacket...? I see the main advantage for hiking (limited packing space). 

Great thing with them, they're very light and small packing volume (my former 686 is tripple the weight n volume as the Arc'teryx), robust (hubby is using his since ~200day now) and designed for carrying backpacks: no seam on shoulders, pockets placed high to allow access whith closed backpack hip strap. 

BTW: The inner pocket is rather small. An iphone will fit, an Samsung Notes not.


----------



## coldfeet (Aug 7, 2014)

neni said:


> Found my sweet deal for my Arc'teryx via TheFind - EVERY PRODUCT * EVERY STORE. Several Alpha SV there for ~450$.
> 
> If you _need_ such an expensive hightech jacket...? I see the main advantage for hiking (limited packing space).
> 
> ...


The light weight is definitely needed, as I am going to Sweden. So the lighter my bags, the better. I will search on that site, seems better than having to individually search on the others.

An Arcteryx would definitely be the best, but probably not the best for my wallet. I am honestly looking for any alternative that could offer me a similar advantage. 

At this point, the main components I really need are Gore-Tex Pro/3L, either an elastic waist or a powder skirt, and a hood. I suppose I could fit any media device in my fleece pocket and route the headphone cord up.


----------



## ekb18c (Mar 11, 2013)

SGboarder said:


> Whiskeymilitia has a bunch of outerwear at the moment, including Arc'teryx (in the Big Brand section) and Burton.
> But also check out my Airblaster jacket - you won't get a better deal.


Scored the Arc'teryx beta AR jacket for $331. Great jacket it's runs slimmer compared to other snowboarding jackets.


----------



## coldfeet (Aug 7, 2014)

Found an Arc'teryx Rush jacket for less than $400. So I went with that. Unfortunately now I need to find a NFZ Pants clip ins (they aren't snap-ons like most others have, they are just loop holes) for the Arc'teryx jacket that I can use. 

Thinking of using Velcro or something, but, that wouldn't be the best idea. Just have to come up with something easy I guess.


----------



## coldfeet (Aug 7, 2014)

I have an Arcteryx Rush jacket, that seems to have some wear on only one jacket sleeve. It doesn't affect the usability of the jacket that much, but it doesn't look like any damage that I could pinpoint to a specific thing, so I was wondering if anyone could give me some ideas as to what it might have come from.



I haven't ever fallen on any hard surface on this jacket except for on a wooden bridge (dang ICE), but I highly doubt that this type of damage could have occured from that.



Would love some input/advice. Or if there is another way to deal with this rather than just applying some gore-tex patches to it.


----------



## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

The fabric looks like its in bad shape. My guess is that is just a snag that roughed up the gore. Have you washed that in nikwax at all?


----------



## XR4Ti (Dec 12, 2009)

Is that the arm you carry your board with?


----------



## coldfeet (Aug 7, 2014)

ridinbend said:


> The fabric looks like its in bad shape. My guess is that is just a snag that roughed up the gore. Have you washed that in nikwax at all?


I have not been able to wash it with any Gore-Tex/Water-proof fabric cleaning products, as I have been in Sweden and didn't bring any with me (even though I did purchase them, not the brightest idea). 



XR4Ti said:


> Is that the arm you carry your board with?


It is, the board usually rests in my finger tips though, not against my arms. So the broad side of the board should be against this part of the sleeve. Though I do alternate between both arms, the other arm sleeve does not have this issue.


----------

