Your outerwear is your first line of protection against the cold and the snow. Your outerwear should be waterproof and breathable, generously cut with articulation, and durable. Your outerwear can also include other features, such as a hood, or lined pockets. Your outerwear should be waterproof and breathable. Every company has a different name for the waterproof material that they use. But, it is all made to do one thing, keep out the melting snow. Some features of snowboarding outerwear that help keep the snow out are: Jacket waist gaiters, adjustable sleeve cuffs, pant gaiters, and taped seams.

Jacket Waist Gaiter Pant Gaiter Snowboarding Pant With Articulated Knee

Jacket waist gaiters, sometimes referred to as powder skirts, are elastic banded and built into the jacket. Jacket waist gaiters help keep snow from coming in under your jacket. A jacket that is made for snowboarding should have adjustable sleeve cuffs. Adjustable sleeve cuffs will allow you to snug up your sleeve cuffs, and to fit your sleeve cuffs around your gloves. Snowboarding pants should have pant gaiters. Pant gaiters are built into the leg of the snowboarding pant and worn over your boot. Pant gaiters help keep snow from coming in under your pant leg. Some pant gaiters are adjustable, and some have hooks or straps to attach the gaiter to your boot. Taped (or sealed) seams help keep out melting snow. When jackets or pants are stitched, small needle holes are left behind at the seams. Water can seep through these holes if they are left uncovered. Taping the seams covers these needle holes, which makes the jacket or pants more waterproof. Besides being waterproof, your outerwear should be breathable. Snowboarding outerwear material is made to repel water, as-well-as to let perspiration out. Pant and jacket vents also aid in expelling excess heat. Also, with adjustable sleeve cuffs the cuffs can be left open to dump heat. Snowboarding outerwear should be generously cut, with articulation. The phrase “cut to ride, not ski” has become popular when referring to snowboarding outerwear. Snowboarding outerwear should be cut to allow you freedom of movement. It should not be binding or restricting. Articulation allows for more freedom of movement. Articulation is the pre-bending of jacket shoulders and elbows, or of pant knees. Articulated shoulders, elbows, and knees are common on snowboarding outerwear. Your snowboarding outerwear is going to take a lot of abuse during the season. So, your outerwear should be durable. Double stitched seams, and reinforced stress points help make snowboarding outerwear more durable. Some other features of snowboarding outerwear include: Hoods, tool pockets, goggle pockets, lined pockets, and waist size adjustment. Hoods are good to have when it is windy or snowy. Also, some companies have started to put board tool pockets on the pant legs of their outerwear. Finally, pockets that are lined with fleece are good to have when you are standing around in the cold without your gloves on. Remember, your outerwear is your first line of protection against the cold and the snow. Your outerwear should be waterproof and breathable, generously cut with articulation, and durable. Your outerwear can also include other features, such as a hood, or lined pockets.