As you snowboard, moisture can build up in your jacket, so it must have adequate breathable features to prevent it from freezing your body and becoming freezing conditions.
This jacket’s adjustable cuffs, and hem will keep the cold air out, while its storm hood will protect against stormy conditions. Furthermore, its Omni-Heat reflective lining helps retain your body heat for improved warmth retention.
Insulation
Our range of lightly insulated jackets has you covered for activities requiring constant movement and high effort. They’re designed to maintain warmth with minimal heat loss while remaining breathable – improving airflow, wicking away moisture more effectively than traditional synthetic fabrics, and stretching more than their predecessors.
Moving up the spectrum, we offer several lightweight, goose-down insulation models to keep you warm. Goosedown is ideal due to its lighter weight, thermally efficient than most synthetic materials, and highly compressible properties.
Most of these models feature durable water-repellent (DWR) finishes to help keep you dry – this is especially important as down insulation loses its effectiveness when wet from body sweat or rainfall; suitable DWR coatings and face fabrics may help to limit this loss of value to some extent.
Waterproofness
Down jackets may offer cozy warmth, but they don’t fare well when wet. Their feathers quickly clump together and lose their loft and heat – this usually only occurs with heavy rainfall; therefore, many users prefer synthetic jackets for this type of weather.
GORE-TEX and waterproof breathable fabrics with ePTFE membranes have long dominated the market, but polyurethane and polyester membranes are beginning to catch up quickly.
Manufacturers describe their fabrics’ waterproof rating with two numbers separated by a backslash; one indicates water resistance under pressure, while the second indicates breathability. Skiers and snowboarders who regularly engage in cold, wet conditions should consider purchasing jackets with at least 5,000mm waterproof ratings; higher waterproof ratings are often seen among 2L and 2.5L fabrics that feature laminated membranes.
Breathability
The breathability rating usually follows the water resistance rating on jackets. Breathability is measured by measuring how much water vapor passes through one square meter of fabric over 24 hours, depending on the test, temperature, and humidity conditions. Manufacturers don’t always disclose these tests but often publish high numbers to make their garments seem more desirable.
For ski lift-served and non-active users, breathability ratings of greater than 2.0 may not be necessary; however, those engaging in active pursuits or planning to spend an extended amount of time wearing their shells will appreciate higher breathability ratings to avoid body heat build-up. GORE-TEX fabrics lead the pack, but polyurethane and polyester have advanced tremendously. Marmot’s MemBrain and Mountain Hardwear’s SympaTex offer highly breathable yet waterproof protection, making these an excellent option for cold-weather endurance athletes!
