Product: Burton Audex Jacket
Price: $599.00 (USD) recommended retail
My rating: 9.5/10
Today I am reviewing the Burton Audex Domain Women’s Snowboarding Jacket.
The review will look at a number of different factors to determine how good the jacket is and then whether or not I think it is value for money.
The review will cover:
- Waterproofness
- Breathability
- Insulation
- Other (powder skirts, hoods, venting and pockets)
- Style; and
- Value for money
Waterproofing
Waterproofing will be rated under two different factors – firstly the waterproof rating of the fabric and secondly, the extent of the sealing of the seams.
For more details and info on jacket waterproofing and other factors that make a good snowboard jacket check out the following link:
The Key Specs for Snowboarding Jackets
Waterproof rating
Waterproof ratings normally range from around 5,000mm to 20,000mm. Personally I think 5,000mm is definitely not enough if you want to stay dry and 20,000mm is probably overkill. My own jacket is 10,000mm (fully seam sealed) and I have yet to get wet in it.
The Audex has a waterproof rating of 15,000mm and in my opinion this is more than enough and should keep you dry in almost any conditions – as long as it is full seam sealed…
Waterproof rating score = 15,000mm = 1.8/2
Seams Sealed
…And it is fully seam sealed. So that’s two big ticks for waterproofing for the Audex.
Seams sealed score = fully sealed = 2/2
Breathability
Breathability typically sits somewhere in the range between 3,000 grams and 20,000grams. I always look for something that’s at least 8,000 grams.
The Audex is rated at 15,000 grams so it is a highly breathable garment.
Breathability score = 15,000 = 1.8/2
Insulation
If you are looking for that extra insulation for extra warmth, then the Audex has you covered.
In my opinion staying dry is the most effective way to stay warm but for those who feel the cold more, or ride in colder conditions, then some extra insulation may be appropriate.
The Audex has 120g of Thermacore insulation in the body of the jacket and 80g in the sleeves so this should be a toasty warm jacket!
Insulation score = 1/1
Other Functionality
Now we’ll take a look at a few more factors that can add to the comfort & functionality and further assist with keeping dry and warm.
Powder Skirt
One of these has saved me from having pants full of snow over and over. Not foolproof but very useful.
The Audex does have a powder skirt so another tick there.
Powder skirt = yes = 1/1
Hood
For me personally a hood isn’t deal breaker but every now and then I am thankful for having a hood.
The Audex has a hood and, as a bonus, it’s also removable.
Hood = Yes = 1/1
Venting
To keep that Jacket smelling fresh and keep you comfortable, it’s nice to have armpit vents and yes the Audex, it seems to have everything (and so it should for the price but more on that later), does have pit vents.
Venting = Yes = 0.25/0.25
Pockets
The Audex has a plethora of pockets including 4 internal and 4 external. So there should be no shortage of places to keep all your belongings.
It also has an arm pocket to hold your lift pass and a media pocket with a headphone port to make it convenient to listen to your tunes on your mp3 player, i-pod, phone etc.
Pockets = 4 interior, 4 exterior including arm and media pocket = 0.25/0.25
Style
Of course this is highly subjective, which is why I only allocate half a point towards the total score out of 10 for style.
There’s nothing that particularly stands out about the style of this jacket but I personally like the look of it.
Some women’s jackets are overly shaped and just don’t look comfortable to ride in and make it look like they’re trying way too hard.
Others look too much like men’s jackets which is also generally not a great look (in my opinion of course).
I think the Audex has a really good balance in not being too shapely but not being too masculine either. I’d say a 4 out of 5 for style.
Style score = 0.4/0.5
Final Score
We’ve seen this jacket tick most of the boxes so far, so I imagine this one will have produced a high score.
FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
Waterproofing (material): | 4.5 | 1.8/2 |
Waterproofing (seams sealed): | 5.0 | 2/2 |
Breathability: | 4.5 | 1.8/2 |
Insulation: | 5 | 1/1 |
Powder Skirt: | Yes | 1/1 |
Hood: | Yes | 1/1 |
Venting | Yes | 0.25/0.25 |
Pockets | 5 | 0.25/0.25 |
Style | 4 | 0.4/0.5 |
TOTAL | 9.5 out of 10 |
That’s a pretty darn good score – in fact, 9.5 out of 10 is the highest score I’ve seen so far.
This jacket does seem to have every spec covered and would be an awesome jacket to have on the mountain. However, the one thing that hasn’t been taken into account yet is the cost…
Value for Money
This jacket has scored really well and is undeniably a great jacket but you do pay for it. At $599 recommend retail it is definitely at the high end for snowboarding jackets.
So is it worth that price?
Not in my opinion. I think you can find jackets that will do as good a job or at least close to as good a job for half that price! You may have to sacrifice on 1 or 2 small things but if you can save $300 it might be worth it!
If money is no object and you have your heart set on this jacket then it is definitely a good buy.
At the time I am writing this the-house.com has the Audex for $359 (see link in the where to buy section below) – if you like this jacket and have $360 to spend on a jacket I would go for it at that price – I just wouldn’t pay $600 for it!
Where to Buy?
The-House.com is my go to for snowboarding jackets – simply because they just have such a big range – and because they often have sales.
Check out the jacket at the link below (was on sale at time of writing for $359)
>>The Audex Domain Snowboard Jacket by Burton
If the Audex Domain is not your thing (or you’re looking for something cheaper!) then check out the-house.com’s full catalogue at the link below.
>>Check out the-house.com’s full catalogue (over 200 women’s snow jackets to choose from)
Learn More
If you’d like to learn more about choosing the best snowboarding jacket check out my post here.
I hope this has helped in your jacket buying decision. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
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