The following jackets are what I consider to be the best snowboard jackets for men for the 2018-2019 season.
As per SnowboardingProfiles tradition each jacket is given a score out of 100 based on a number of different factors like waterproofing, breathability and functionality.
This list is for non-insulated jackets only, though some jackets in this list might have a lining but no insulation in that lining. There is a separate list for insulated jackets.
Prices have not been taken into account except where scores are equal the lowest price gets the better spot. Also any jacket over $500 has not been considered for this list.
Compared to other Snowboard Jackets
Below are the stats for all of the snowboard jackets that I researched so you can see how the top 20 here compare. Of 49 non-insulated jackets rated:
Note that this list is based on specs only and not by personal experience with these jackets. So this is only going by taking the given specs at their face-value. Style, fit durability and weight haven’t been taken into account.
O.k. let’s get into the top 20
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #20
Jacket: Ride Monthaven
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 93.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 20,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
Starting off the list in #20, we have the Ride Monthaven Jacket. Whilst not the cheapest jacket going around, it’s got ample waterprooing, great breathability and most of the other things you could want in a snowboard jacket, like helmet compatible hood, jacket-to-pants connections and a flexible, stretchy fabric.
Score Breakdown for the Ride Monthaven
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 4.5 | 27/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 93.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #19
Jacket: The North Face Repko
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 93.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 20,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The North Face Repko is the lowest priced jacket in this list. But it doesn’t lack in performance with some great waterproofing and breathability. Plus all the other bells and whistles you would expect in a good snowboard jacket.
Like the Monthaven above, and a couple of others in the list, the Repko is a rare non-gore-tex option that made the list.
Score Breakdown for The North Face Repko
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 4.5 | 27/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 93.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #18
Jacket: Volcom Guide Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 95.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The 1st of 4 Volcom offerings in this list is the Guide. This is their only 3 layer jacket for under $500. Though it only just comes under the $500 specification, the Guide comes with pretty much the ultimate waterproofing and breathability, plus one unique thing about this is that it has a built in face mask. Bonus.
Score Breakdown for the Volcom Guide
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 95.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #17
Jacket: Burton AK Cyclic Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 95.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
Like the Volcom Guide above, the Burton AK Cyclic has all the benefits of gore-tex but with a slightly more friendly price-tag.
Apart from not having some of the pockets that I would like to see in a snowboarding jacket, it also has great functionality.
Score Breakdown for the Burton AK Cyclic
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 95.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #16
Jacket: Volcom Stone Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 95.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
Another small step down in terms of price, but also with great performance and functionality, we next have the Volcom Stone, the 2nd of 4 Volcom offerings in this list.
Score Breakdown for the Volcom Stone
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 95.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #15
Jacket: Dakine Eliot 3L Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
Whilst the Dakine Eliot is one of the most expensive on this list, it does boast a 3 layer Gore-Tex construction offering some awesome waterproofing and being highly breathable. That plus pretty much everything else you could ask for in a snowboarding jacket and you get a high quality option, if you’ve got the budget for it.
Score Breakdown for the Dakine Eliot 3L Gore-Tex
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #14
Jacket: Quiksilver Mamatus 3L Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
This is the first of a few Quiksilver jackets to appear on this list. Like most of the Quiksilver options (bar one) the Mamutus boasts gore-tex and is also their only 3 layer option.
Score Breakdown for the Quiksilver Mamatus
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #13
Jacket: Dakine Sawtooth 3L Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The Dakine Sawtooth 3L Gore-Tex is the 2nd of 3 Dakine options on this list. Like the Eliot, it boasts a 3 layer gore-tex construction for superior waterproofing and great breathability.
It’s a more regular fitting jacket, compared with the longer Eliot. It’s also better looking through my eyes (but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, so that doesn’t come into the ratings).
Score Breakdown for the Dakine Sawtooth 3L Gore-Tex
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #12
Jacket: Patagonia Powder Bowl Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell with lining
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The Powder Bowl is 1 of 2 Patagonia jacket to make this list. Though, there would be a few others, if I didn’t put a $500 max on it.
One difference that makes this jacket more affordable than some of Patagonia’s other options is that it’s heavier than their other shells (941g [33.6oz]) and has a slightly lower breathability rating – but the significant difference in price might make this the Patagonia option for most.
One of the reason’s that the Powder bowl is a little heavier is that it has a liner. No insulation but a liner – so it will be a little warmer than most in this list – but only by a little bit.
Score Breakdown for the Patagonia Powder Bowl
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #11
Jacket: Volcom BL Stretch Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The 3rd of 4 Volcom jackets in this list, the BL Stretch offers all the advantages of Gore-Tex in a stretchy flexible material.
Score Breakdown for the Volcom Stretch
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #10
Jacket: Quiksilver Forever 2L Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The cheapest of Quiksilver’s options on this list, the Forever 2L has all the waterproofing and breathability that most will ever need – and for a really reasonable price for Gore-Tex – and less than the average price of jackets in this top 20.
Score Breakdown for the Quiksilver Forever
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #9
Jacket: Patagonia Departer Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The Patagonia Departer Gore-Tex is a little cheaper than the other Patagonia option in this list – and it’s also lighter at just 646 g (22.8 oz). So, if weight is important to you as well, this could be a great option for you.
Score Breakdown for the Patagonia Departer Gore-Tex
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #8
Jacket: Dakine Smyth Pure 2L Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The Dakine Smyth 2L is the cheapest of Dakine’s Gore-Tex jackets. And it’s really reasonably priced – less than the average price of all the jackets I looked at for this list – and well less than the average for a gore-tex jacket.
Score Breakdown for the Dakine Smyth
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #7
Jacket: Burton Radial Gore-Tex Shell
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell with lining
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
Burton’s second entry in this list is the Raidal Gore-Tex Shell (also comes in an insulated version).
Again gore-tex comes to the fore here – and for a gore-tex jacket, this one is actually really reasonably priced and comes with most of the functionality you will ever need from a snowboard jacket. And it has actually gone down in price for 2019 – and by a good $35. It’s nice to see something go down in price in a world where most things are going up.
Score Breakdown for the Burton Radial Shell
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #6
Jacket: Volcom L Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 96.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The final of the Volcom jackets in this list, the Volcom L, is the cheapest Gore-Tex offering in this entire list (and 2nd cheapest overall).
I challenge you to find a lower costing Gore-Tex jacket than this, anywhere!
And not only does it provide the performance of Gore-Tex, it also has great functionality for use as a snowboarding jacket.
Score Breakdown for the Volcom L
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 96.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #5
Jacket: Quiksilver Black Alder 2L Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 97.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The Black Alder 2L is the mid-priced Gore-Tex offering from Quiksilver and features all the performance you would expect from Gore-Tex and all the functionality you would want from a snowboarding jacket.
Score Breakdown for the Quiksilver Black Alder
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 97.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #4
Jacket: Quiksilver TR Stretch
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 97.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 30,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
A rare non gore-tex option on this list (shock horror! 
” /> ), the TR Stretch offers up superior waterproofing and breathability. It’s a little above the average price – but not by much and for the performance and functionality you get with it, it’s money well spent, assuming it lives up to it’s ratings.
It also constructed with (as the name suggests) flexible stretch fabric.
Score Breakdown for the Quiksilver TR Stretch
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 97.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #3
Jacket: The North Face Powderflo
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 97.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The Powderflo is The North Face’s most affordable non-insulated Gore-Tex option. It has you covered for keeping you dry as well as offering lots of functionality for snowboarding.
Score Breakdown for The North Face Powderflo
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 97.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #2
Jacket: 686 Gore-Tex GT
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 97.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The 686 Gore-Tex GT is 686’s only jacket to make this list – largely because a lot of their jackets are insulated. The Gore-Tex GT comes in at a really reasonable price for Gore-Tex and under the average price for this list. It also has a loose, articulated fit, for lots of freedom of movement.
Score Breakdown for the 686 Gore-Tex GT
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 97.5/100 |
BEST SNOWBOARD JACKET #1
Jacket: DC Command
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 99/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 30,000mm
Breathability: 25,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
And finally, the #1 jacket on this list. This jacket used to have waterproof/breathability ratings of 20,000/20,000 (a couple of seasons back) and the upped ratings have only brought the price up by $20. So if you believe these ratings to be true then this is one heck of a jacket for one heck of a price.
It’s a good bit cheaper than the average price of all the jackets that I looked at, and yes, this jacket isn’t Gore-Tex either. So, if you’re looking for the tried and trusted of Gore-Tex, then this may not be an option – but if you’re willing to take a chance on it, it will save you a few bucks, and if it lives up to its billing, then you’ll pick up a super-performer at a super-price.
Score Breakdown for the DC Command
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Waterproofing | 5.0 | 30/30 |
Seam Sealing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Breathability | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Powder Skirt | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Venting | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Hood | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Jacket-to-Pants Connections | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Pockets | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 99/100 |
Thanks for Reading
I hope this post has helped you to find the best non-insulated snowboard jacket for you.
Check out the links under each jacket for more info and current prices – or see below for my list of what I think are the best insulated jackets and the best value-for-money jackets currently on the market.
This phrase “non insulated” concerns me. Does this mean you will need a mid layer as well (except on sunny spring days and would you need more insulation if it was really cold, say -20 c. Also although a good jacket will last for years – Im still using my old Bonfire jacket and thats over 10 years old- price will be most peoples overriding factor. We would all like a Goretex jacket with the latest bells and whistles, but most of us are on some kind of budget.
Hi Dave
Yeah for non-insulated jackets (shells) like these you will need to layer up for colder days. If you prefer having insulation in the jacket, there are plenty of good insulated options too (getting on to updating my insulated list soon!).
And definitely price is a big factor for most – I’m also looking to update my Affordable Snowboard Jackets list soon as well. This list doesn’t take price into account – except that I didn’t include anything over $600 – but that affordable list does.
Hey, I wonder which jackets might be zipped with Volcom pants? My old Burton jacket might be zipped with old Volcom pants (I did it 😉 but I dont know if any Burton jacket has zip to pants in powder skirt. I have heard Ride jackets also could be zipped. Do you know anything about it? Thank you
Hi Marcin
Thanks for your message.
As far as I know, but I’m happy to be proven wrong here, all Burton jackets that I’ve seen just have the dome clip jacket to pant interface thing (see image). But potentially older ones had zippered connections.
I believe at least some of Ride’s jackets have a zippered jacket to pants connection, but I’m not sure whether they’re compatible with Volcom or not.
Of course there’s always a Volcom Jacket (to state the obvious :-))
Looks like Volcom are making good jackets from this list. Im on the lookout for a top value jacket from the 17/18 season and would like to ask if you have tested any Horsefeathers jackets as there seems to be some choice in these at reasonable prices. With a starting price of about £150 I dont think I will be buying a new season jacket, but you never know.
Thoughts greatly appreciated.
Hi Dave
I’m not familiar with Horsefeathers jackets, unfortunately. But if you’re looking for good value, you could also check out the following.
>>Top 10 Men’s Cheap Snowboard Jackets
Hi. I would like to ask your opinion about L1 Alpha Jacket which is also 20K and I was thinking of buying it because I can find it in the half of its price .
Hi Alex
Thanks for your message.
It looks like it has the functionailty you want from a snowboard jacket, and has good waterproofing (20K and fully taped seams) and breathability specs. If you can get it at a good price I can’t see any reason why not.
Hope this helps
Hi again 🙂 Thank you a lot for your previous answer.
I would like also to ask your opinion about Dakine Vapor 2L . I am asking because you have other Dakine’s jackets on the list and not the Vapor. Do you think that it is not a good option in comparison with the others of the same brand? And something last . Why the material of Dakine’s 2L goretex is very soft in comparison with other goretex jackets ?
Thank you in advance 🙂
Hi Alex
The Vapor seems to be a jacket that I missed. But based on the specs it looks like a good option and would likely have made this list had I seen it. One thing to note is that it’s a “long and trim” fitting jacket. If that’s what you’re looking for, then it looks like a good jacket based on the specs. Not sure why the material would feel softer than with other brands? Though it does say in the specs of the jacket that it has “Polyester Soft Plain Weave bluesign® approved material” which might be the reason. In terms of whether it will last or not, this is something I can comment on, having not owned the jacket myself.
Hope this helps
Thank you Nate. Yes I was looking for a long jacket as I am 1.90 m. But I dont say no on a better jacket. As for the material , yes its softer but maybe its the reason you expained me. Also the other Dakine’s jackets that you have on this list have the same material so I hope this is not a bad thing. For example the volcom stone jacket has a sharper Goretex material. I am between these two jackets (Dakine Vapor and Volcom Stone). Both of them are in a good price with the Volcom stone to be 30 euros more expensive. What do you think? What is the best one ?
Hi Alex
Between those two, there’s nothing in it in terms of performance, so I would choose based on which you like the fit of more, and the style of more. If you can’t decide from those two things, then the cheapest is probably the smart call.
Nate,
Do you know the difference between the waterproof/breathability of the different types of 3Layer Gore Tex products? It looks like Gore Pro is the most breathable and durable, but don’t see numbers online. Then looks like C-Knit Gore is next on breathability then 3L laminate Gore which I believe is just called 3Layer Gore Tex is slightly lower? I see your waterproof ratings are showing even 2L Gore with the same breathability as 3L (which I know EVO has listed), but Gore says certain 3L are more breathable. So confusing Thanks!
Hi Ryan
Yeah it all gets pretty confusing, for sure.
3L has a bit more breathability, as far as I know, but in reality not sure how noticeable it is – since even 2 layer is very close, IMO, I’ve kind of capped it, ratings-wise. The other thing with 3 layer – is that it’s supposed to be more durable. Durability isn’t something I typically comment on, since it’s not something that can be easily tested for.
Gore-Tex Pro is a boost in breathability as far as I can tell – and is supposed to be lighter too. But I haven’t really seen anything in snowboarding jackets that uses this, within the price range that I’m looking at. I capped this list at a maximum of $500. Since any more than that is out of reach for a majority of people. There are certainly jackets that would add even more performance (and often the case that extra cost is added for lighter jackets too) but they are in a price range that I choose to ignore. It’s not a price range that I would consider personally, just because, there are other products that do close to as good a job (and certainly as good a job as a vast majority really need), that are in a more reasonable price category.
Hope this makes sense/helps to answer your question
Thanks! Ya, my current pants and jacket are about 7 years old and this was the first season I noticed the pants wetting out. My pants were supposedly 3Layer at the time I got them but not Gore Tex. My jacket is Gore tex, same year as the pants and water is still beading up like the first few years I got it. It is however beat to hell (scraping tree branches and stuff in my snowboard bag, so likely need to get a new one. With the sales going on this time of year it’s tough not to take advantage so just started researching if the extra $ for the 3rd layer made sense, since it’s all on discount anyway.
Hi Ryan
Yeah I found that jackets/pants I’ve had in the past that weren’t gore-tex always eventually lost their waterproofing. But I have found gore-tex to be more reliable over a longer time. But I’m happy with 2L for the conditions I see. 3L will probably last even longer, but by that time, it’s sometimes nice to get something new anyway, to change up the style a bit. If you can get a good deal on 3L certainly not a bad thing, but I’m personally happy with 2L.
Makes sense. That 3rd layer is on the inside anyway and any 2L is going to have an inside layer so likely not that different then the 3L. Also, like I mentioned my 3L Gore jacket from 7 years ago is so beat up and the style outdated it’s time for an upgrade anyway. Thanks for the advice!
You’re very welcome Ryan. Thanks for visiting the site.