The place for snowboard nerds to discuss...

The last outerwear thread was rad on the previous EZ.

I’ve always loved pullover jackets (B AK Velocity is my fav) but I’ve never found the perfect jacket. I’m going to tackle making my own jacket this season and have some materials ordered. Obviously pretty stripped down feature wise since I’m no seamstress..just a dude with his mom’s old sewing machines.

What features do you look for a jacket? I think for this I’m using the template for a rugby polo with

• pass pocket on sleeve
  Wrist gaiters (yes I like them)
  Side zip for easy on/off

Not sure what else are necessities. Using a 3L outer fabric with taped seams, trying to decide what kindve lining to use. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I know someone who will make you custom outerwear. Full Gore 3L. He runs a sewing shop in VanCity. Has made stuff for people I know. Great attention to detail and he can fulfill most any request.

I tried this over 10 years ago when I discovered you can buy rolls of goretex for cheap. Got some micro mesh & micro fleece for the lining. Was supposed to be a very simple one-piece (at the time, the AG K14 suit was popular), but I only got as far as what was essentially an anorak vest. It was not good.

I like simple gore stuff with a regular relaxed fit, and earth tones. Regular hand pockets & an outside-access phone pocket are all I “need,” but I appreciate a second chest pocket on the other side as well. Still pretty deep in volcom.. almost all “L” stuff, except I picked up a camo stone jacket last year for cheap. I don’t do it for zip tech, but I do love it and don’t want to lose it.

I’d love to have their 3L guide stuff, but not worth the price to me, so I’ll wait for a deal to appear some day..

I really like my Arc'teryx Rush from function perspective. Immaculate cut for my build, best hood functionality I've ever experienced (helmet or no), Gore 3L Pro, sleeve pass pocket, pow skirt, no wrist gaiters. Interior seam taping is really impressive, even compared to other high-end ice axe companies... blows comparable tier [ak], TNF, Patagonia, and Helly Hansen out of the water. Only company I've been comparably impressed by is Norrøna.

Arc'teryx kind of dorky but c'est la vie. They added some higher profile snowboarders on the team-- at least on the female side --so maybe they'll switch up designs. I wouldn't say this necessarily looks good, but showcases some capacity for change.

Arc'teryx stuff is expensive, but I've learned if I buy anything cheaper than top-end, I will wreck it. I have a long graveyard of outerwear I've destroyed: Homeschool, Bonfire (various iterations), Sessions, [ak]. Hell, I have a 4-5 [ak] warranties to my name, including blown out the seat seam on my most recent set of Freebird bibs. I'll still wear [ak] because the warranty is bomber, but otherwise only really consider Arc and a couple other high-end ice axe-y companies.

Only really concern I have with them is they're owned by Amer Sports, which a Mainland Chinese mega conglomerate acquired a few years back. If they were going to cut back on build quality or customer service, now's probably around the time we'd start seeing it.

I'm with @Spenser on the Volcom L, I'm not usually hard on gear but I did a decent amount of damage to a Quiksilver Gore-Tex jacket 19/20 season and replaced it with the Volcom for 20/21 and it fit better and held up way better. I wish I hadn't sold my Volcom pants to fund a pair of Airblaster bibs....

It's definitely not a necessity, but I love jackets with exposed zippers so much more than ones with flaps. Think that's why I've always loved AK so much.

Speaking of, my new 22/23 Cyclic jacket in Limeade just showed up. Love this color.

I wish they would post this years AK 457 on the website. Super curious to see what colorways they are offering it in this year.

@pow_hnd can you send me their info? Definitely interested

pow_hnd wrote: Wed Sep 21, 2022 3:16 pm I wish they would post this years AK 457 on the website. Super curious to see what colorways they are offering it in this year.

AK457 is no more. They've meshed into the main line and call it "[ak] Japan Pro Guide":
https://www.burton.com/jp/ja/p/mens-bur ... 19571.html

Still same team involved in its development, as far as I know, and I don't know much more beyond that. Yet.