The following jackets are what I consider to be the best snowboard jackets for men for the 2017-2018 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 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 51 non-insulated jackets rated:
- The average score was 83.8/100
- The highest score was 100/100
- The lowest score was 34.0/100
- The average price was $347
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
#20: Oakley Timber 15K BioZone
Jacket: Oakley Timber 15K BioZone
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Rating Score: 84/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 15,000mm
Breathability: 10,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The first jacket on this list, the Oakley Timber 15K Biozone offers a good level of waterproofing and breathability, especially for the price. At $47 cheaper than the average price for the snowboard jackets I looked at, the Timber is a great buy for the budget conscious who don’t want to compromise too much on performance.
With a 15,000mm fabric waterproof rating, fully taped seams and 10,000g breathability rating, the Timber is about as waterproof and breathable as you’ll need your jacket to be in 90% of conditions (percentage not scientific! 😉 ).
And with really good functionality too, in terms of pockets, jacket-to-pants connections, powder skirt etc, the Timber is a good buy for snowboarding, especially if you don’t tend to ride in extreme weather conditions.
Score Breakdown for the Oakley Timber
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 4.0 | 24/30 |
| Seams: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Breathability: | 3.0 | 15/25 |
| Powder Skirt: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Venting: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Hood: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Jacket-to-pants interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 84/100 |
#19: Dakine Wyeast
Jacket: Dakine Wyeast
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 84/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 15,000mm
Breathability: 15,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
At even better price than the Timber above, and the cheapest jacket in this whole list, the Wyeast gives you slightly better breathability specs with the same amount of waterproofing.
It is however missing jacket-to-pants connections. But if that’s not something you think you’ll ever use or not something that’s a dealbreaker for you, then these are a great buy, especially for the price.
Score Breakdown for the Oakley Timber
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 4.0 | 24/30 |
| Seams: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Breathability: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Powder Skirt: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Venting: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Hood: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Jacket-to-pants interface: | 0.0 | 0/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 84/100 |
#18: Marmot Freerider Gore-Tex
Jacket: Marmot Freerider Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 91.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The first of the Gore-Tex jackets in this list (which unsurprisingly dominate most of the rest of this list, given the waterproof and breathability qualities of gore-tex), is the Freerider by Marmot.
You get a significant jump in price from the first 2 jackets but also a significant jump in performance too.
Score Breakdown for the Marmot Freerider
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 0.0 | 0/5 |
| Pockets: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 91.5/100 |
#17: Arc’teryx Iser Gore-Tex
Jacket: Arc’teryx Iser Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 91.5/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
Like the Marmot Freeride, the Arc’teryx Iser makes use of gore-tex for high performance in terms of waterproofing and breathability. It’s something you can take out in pretty extreme conditions and stay dry in.
Score Breakdown for the Arc’teryx Iser
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 0.0 | 0/5 |
| Pockets: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 91.5/100 |
#16: Ride Monthaven
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
A brief break from gore-tex, we have the Ride Monthaven. A little cheaper than the previous two entries but not as cheap as the first 2. But it has great performance and also great functionality.
Score Breakdown for the Ride Monthaven
FACTOR RATING (OUT OF 5) CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE Waterproofing: 4.5 27/30 Seams: 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 interface: 5.0 5/5 Pockets: 4.0 4/5 TOTAL 93.5/100
#15: Burton AK Cyclic Gore-Tex
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
The cheapest Gore-Tex offering so far in this list, the Burton AK Cyclic has all the benefits of gore-tex but with a slightly more friendly price-tag than some.
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 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL | 95.5/100 |
#14: Volcom Guide Gore-Tex
Jacket: Volcom Guide 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 1st of 4 Volcom offerings in this list is the Guide. This is their top of the line jacket and has the specs to back it up. This is their only 3 layer jacket.
Score Breakdown for the Volcom Guide
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 96.5/100 |
#13: Volcom Stretch Gore-Tex
Jacket: Volcom 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 next Volcom jacket in this list, the Stretch, still offers great performance and functionality but at a cheaper price than the Guide.
Score Breakdown for the Volcom Stretch
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 96.5/100 |
#12: Volcom Stone Gore-Tex
Jacket: Volcom Stone 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
Another small step down in terms of price, but also with great performance and functionality, we next have the Volcom Stone, the third 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 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 96.5/100 |
#11: Volcom L Gore-Tex
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.
I challenge you to find a lower costing gore-tex jacket than this!
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 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 96.5/100 |
#10: Burton Radial Gore-Tex Shell
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.
Score Breakdown for the Burton Radial
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 96.5/100 |
#9: The North Face Lostrail Gore-Tex
Jacket: The North Face Lostrail 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 first of 2 North Face jackets in this list, the Lostrail receives North Face’s highest ratings for water and wind protection. It’s a little heavier than some of their more expensive options (910grams [32.1oz]) but it’s great value for a jacket with this much water and wind protection
Score Breakdown for the North Face Lostrail
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 97.5/100 |
#8: Quiksilver Mamatus 3L Gore-Tex
Jacket: Quiksilver Mamatus 3L 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
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 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 97.5/100 |
#7: Quiksilver Forever 2L Gore-Tex
Jacket: Quiksilver Forever 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 cheapest of Quiksilver’s gore-tex options, 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 on this list.
Score Breakdown for the Quiksilver Forever
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 97.5/100 |
#6: Quiksilver Black Alder 2L Gore-Tex
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 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 97.5/100 |
#5: Patagonia Powder Bowl Gore-Tex
Jacket: Patagonia Powder Bowl Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 97.5/100
Insulation: Shell with lining
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 20,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
The Powder Bowl is the cheapest of 2 Patagonia jackets to make this list. It’s heavier than the other one that made it (953g[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 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 97.5/100 |
#4: Dakine Smyth 2L Gore-Tex
Jacket: Dakine Smyth 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 Dakine Smyth 2L is one of two Dakine jackets that’s available in gore-tex. 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 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 97.5/100 |
#4: Patagonia Untracked Gore-Tex
Jacket: Patagonia Untracked Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 100/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 25,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
It’s the most expensive in this list – but for anyone looking for the ultimate in performance and functionality and willing to pay the price, and want something that’s also lightweight, the Untracked gives that option at 726g (25.6oz).
Want something even lighter, but even more expensive – then check out the Patagonia Powslayer – it weighs just 547g (19.3oz)!
Score Breakdown for the Patagonia Untracked
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 100/100 |
#3: The North Face Free Thinker Gore-Tex
Jacket: The North Face Free Thinker Gore-Tex
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 100/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 28,000mm
Breathability: 25,000g
Seams: Fully Taped
With a little more breathability and coming in at a lighter weight – 615 g (21.69 oz) – than the first North Face jacket on this list, the Free Thinker is one of the ultimate snowboarding jackets available.
But you’ve got to have a healthy budget to not have this put a major dent in your wallet.
Score Breakdown for the North Face Free thinker
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 100/100 |
#2: Quiksilver TR Stretch
Jacket: Quiksilver TR Stretch
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 100/100
Insulation: Shell
Waterproof Rating: 30,000mm
Breathability: 30,000g
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.
Score Breakdown for the Quiksilver TR Stretch
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 100/100 |
#1: DC Command
Jacket: DC Command
Price: View more Info and Current Prices Here
Score: 100/100
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 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.
Personally I love the look of this jacket too – but that’s in the eye of the beholder, of course.
Score Breakdown for the DC Command
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing: | 5.0 | 30/30 |
| Seams: | 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 interface: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Pockets: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL | 100/100 |
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.
Related: My Top 10 Insulated Snowboard Jackets for Men
Related: My top 10 Cheap Snowboard Jackets for Men
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 :-))