It truly is the holy grail of shopping for snow wear. To find a jacket that you’re so happy with you aren’t thinking, euch, maybe I should have gone for that one instead… We’ve all been there. And it’s painful, right? You want to find the best snowboard jacket there is that performs in every situation. Is perfect for slushy, warm bluebirds, but can weather a storm no problem. That can lap groomers, slash pow, and get down at the apres. That’s got loads of storage, but is light, too. Is affordable, waterproof, and offers amazing quality.
Well, you may think that jacket doesn’t exist. But, it does, you just haven’t been able to find it amongst the marketing hype that every brand is putting out. You don’t have to worry, though, because we’ve done the hard work for you, tested the models, done the comparisons and the homework, and we’ve come up with a trustworth, definitive list of the best jackets around for this winter season.
We listed and rated the best snowboard jackets down below to help you choose the one that will accompany you on the mountain and be your best friend in all conditions. But if you’re in a rush, and want to shop right away, you can check out the full range of snowboard jackets for men /snowboard jackets for women at Ridestore.
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How we rated the best snowboarding jackets
First of all, we have to specify different parameters to understand the differences in snowboard jackets. You will be surprised at how differently they are built and what’s the thought behind different features! Which features do we need to have a closer look at when shopping for the best jacket ever?
Snowboarding jackets & waterproofing
We don’t want to get wet, do we? Waterproofing is the first and most important feature you should be looking at when shopping for the best snowboard jacket in the store or online.
Most commonly, you will find jackets in the range of 5,000mm until 25,000mm. But what does this scale even tell me and how can it tell me more about the jacket I’m looking at?
The waterproofing scale tells you about how much of a specific amount of water placed on the jacket it takes to soak through the jacket – the amount of water is measured in mm per square inch.
Quite abstract in this way, but you can live by the rule of thumb that the higher the amount of mm is, the better the jacket will keep you dry!
Let’s take it in steps! Usually, snowboard jackets are located somewhere in the range of 5,000mm to 25,000mm.
A snowboard jacket with a waterproofing scale of 5,000mm is best to be worn on a sunny day with no snowfall because if it’s snowing, the coat will probably fail the job of keeping you dry for very long.
You are better off with a scale of 10,000mm. That will keep snow and water out of the jacket in moderate snowfall and will do you an excellent service.
If you know that you will ride in more demanding conditions, never buy a jacket with a scale below 15,000mm to stay dry!
If you want your jacket to keep you dry in rainfall and wet snow conditions, you should go all out with 20,000mm! With that amount, you are set for every day of the season.
Of course, jackets with a higher scale are higher priced but do consider to go for a decent waterproofing value though. You will thank me next time the snow hits!
Breathability
If a snowboard jacket scores super high on the waterproofing scale, it most probably won’t have a good breathability. Well, that’s not right actually, and it’s a super interesting topic if you have an appetite for science!
The breathability of fabrics is measured in grams.
The scale shows how many grams of water vapour can pass through a square meter of the specific fabric. So if you see a jacket with a waterproofing scale of 10,000g, you know that 10,000g of water vapour passed through the material and can get quite a good picture of how breathable that jacket is.
It’s the same as with the waterproofing scale – the higher the value, the better the breathability and the better the jacket. Never consider a snowboard jacket with a breathability value below 5,000g if you don’t want to feel like being in a Finnish sauna instead of the slopes.
15,000g on the breathability scale is a decent go-to value. However, if you know that you will ride a lot in more rigorous conditions, it is advisable to look for something in the 20,000g scale.
Snowboarding jackets: Key features
There are key features that are essential to a good snowboard jacket. First things first: If the jacket you are looking at does not feel like it’s well fabricated and of good quality on the first glance, don’t even bother wasting another second on it. You should always look for perfect quality since you want the jacket to last.
Other key features of snowboard jackets are a (removable) powder skirt and ventilation features for example. It can be quite confusing for newbies when it comes to talking about fabric layering in jackets. Different brand manufacturers utilise various layering concepts. Generally, two or more layers is recommended with four fabric layers being the best you can get.
Since the different brands and companies work with different designs, you should read about how they build their layers and how customers like that specific technique before buying!
Extra features for snowboarding
We don’t mind a little extra to make our riding experience more pleasurable. Therefore always consider all the additional key features on offer by the different snowboard jacket models to suit your specific snowboarding needs.
Would you like to have some more pockets because you have a sweet tooth and want to pack some more snacks?
Do you need a bigger pocket for your camera to have it ready to shoot all the time?
Would you like a zip in fleece jacket that you can take in or out if needed?
Best snowboard jackets for men
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Montec Doom
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Dope Legacy
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Dope Adept
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Montec Arch
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Dope Wylie
Best snowboard jackets for women
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Dope Annok W
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Montec Virago
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Dope Cyclone W
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Dope Blizzard FZ
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Montec Dune W
Tips on how to choose the best snowboarding jacket
Now you have seen our favourite jackets for this season; it’s time to go through some more tips and tricks that will help you to find your new snowboard jacket!
Waterproofness of a snow jacket
The thing with waterproofness is that you first realise that you bought a coat with a waterproofness that does not meet your requirements if you are up on the mountain getting wet. It always makes sense to choose the highest rating for your budget here as you will definitely be glad about this decision the next time sitting in the chairlift exposed to the weather and still feel cosy and warm!
Storage
Sadly the winter only lasts for so long, and if you are just some regular dude like me, you don’t fly around the world chasing the snow. So the snowboard gear needs to be stowed away in the warmer seasons. But how do I store my jacket correctly so it won’t suffer harm over the summer?
You need to find a dry and dark place for your jacket. If it gets exposed to the sun, the fabric will lose waterproofness and stability. Also, the sun rays will bleach out some colour which makes the jacket look patchy!
It is advisable to hang your jacket in a wardrobe that does not let any sun in and is located in a dry room with enough air circulation. That way your snowboard jacket won’t soak any humidity and is perfectly fresh when you take it out for the next season.
Layering
Layering? You mean rocket science? There are so many different preferences for layering or not layering out there as there are riders. Some see the correct layering as a kind of religion or cult, and some don’t care and count on thick 3rd layers.
How does this layering thing even work? Layering when snowboarding is about how many layers you are wearing under your actual snowboard jacket. Layering is supposed to give you the flexibility of adjusting to the temperature up on the mountain.
You want to build layers like an onion to be set for all the different eventualities. A classic set up for a pretty cold day would be the first layer of functional underwear. On top, there would be a light fleece shirt and a thicker fleece mid layer.
On top there you would go for a Primaloft jacket for extra warmth before putting on the so-called 3rd layer – the snowboard jacket. With those layers, you are free to take on and off layers to be set correctly for every condition.
Some readers probably love layering, and some think it’s just way too stressful. The counterpart of layering would be to run the same simple set up for the whole day without adjusting. You might be a little cold in the mornings, perfectly dressed for midday and a little warm in the evenings – but you save a lot of time and carrying around different high tech shirts and jackets. You are free to choose what you want to go for; everyone has different preferences!
Types of snowboard jackets
There are so many kinds of snowboard jackets that you may have a hard time dividing them into specific groups. The most common groups to split jackets are regarding the padding.
Some people favour pure shell jackets without any padding at all, because they work perfectly with easy layering. On the other hand, some people would never take a jacket into consideration that isn’t heavily padded, because they like an easy setup for every day.
You can’t say what’s the perfect type of jacket; you need to try it out and see for yourself!
Hood or no hood?
An easy answer for a hard question: hood. Of course, a jacket without a hood can look pretty stylish, but if you ever experienced heavy wind up on the mountain, you don’t want to miss a hood on your snowboard jacket that saves you from those conditions!
Breathability
Just as the many different kinds of jackets out there, there are many different types of snowboarders with different preferences. Some riders don’t need high breathability because they are more of the chill riding type.
Overall you can say, that most riders need a pretty high breathability value in their jacket to be super flexible with their riding. You never have any disadvantages with high breathability, only advantages.
It’s the same with venting possibilities in your jacket. It’s perfect to have them since if you don’t need them, you can close them, with zero disadvantages. The most common places for extra ventilation zippers are beneath the arms (and on the inside of your legs when it comes to snowboarding pants).
Jackets with goggle cloth
Back in the days, almost every snowboard jacket used to have a goggle cloth attached to one of the pockets on the inside. Of course, it’s a nice feature to have, but companies have stopped to feature them since it’s just as easy to take a goggle cleaning cloth with you. It’s not a tiebreaker if a jacket does not come with a goggle cloth attached!
Jackets with powder skirt
Powder skirts are to be found in almost every snowboard jacket these days. It’s not only great to have when riding powder but it’s a lifesaver if you should crash since it keeps the snow out. When trying on a jacket, you should test if the powder skirt stays in place when closed or if it moves up if you raise your arms. You should only take the jacket into consideration of the powder skirt stays in place!sno
Best snowboard jackets by category
If you’re looking for a specific type of snowboard jacket, this will be useful for you. Here’s our verdict for the best jackets in specific categories.
Best snowboard jacket brand
It’s super hard to say which brand is the best brand when it comes to snowboard jackets because each rider has different preferences. But if you need an opinion on which brand gets you the most for your money, it’s, without doubt, the Swedish brand Dope Snow, case closed.
Best rated backcountry snowboard jacket
The best-rated snowboard jacket to ride in the backcountry with in my opinion is the Montec Fawk jacket. Montec offers high tech features and high quality materials at an affordable price. The Montec Fawk snowboard jacket is insulated to keep you warm on cold days but is still light enough to wear comfortably. It’s perfect for backcountry riding since it is light enough to put it into your backpack but it still has all the features you can wish for. And the best is the price: An affordable jacket that will last!
Best snowboard jacket for big guys
It’s not easy to find a good fitting snowboard jacket as a big guy. Gladly companies are going more and more for bigger and longer cuts these days which benefits the big riders! A great fit would be the “Adept” jacket by Dope Snow, check it out!
Best softshell jacket for snowboarding
Especially in the sunny spring, nothing beats an excellent softshell jacket. The fabric lets in some more air and the breathability is a little comfier than in padded jackets, and you can adjust the temperature with layers underneath. My pick for the best softshell snowboard jacket is the Dope Standard DO – great bold style and perfect functionally for the warmer days up on the mountain!
Wrapping up
To conclude this buyers guide, I think its safe to say that the perfect jacket that fits every rider does not exist. There are too many different preferences and types of riders out there.
The key to finding the perfect snowboard jacket is trying out enough jackets to know what you can exclude. Do not rush with the decision which jacket you will choose, take your time and compare enough different jacket types to find one that you can fall in love with eventually.
So the key tip is to start early in summer and to keep up with the new releases. With enough passion and effort, I’m sure you will find your perfect match to swipe right on.
