About Snowboarding Jackets
You could snowboard in any winter jacket, but snowboarding jackets are sport-specific and have features that make them the best option for riders. If you don't have the money for a new jacket--don't sweat it, wear your regular winter jacket. You may be slightly uncomfortable but it shouldn't cause any major problems. You can always upgrade later. However, if you're in the market for a new jacket you should definitely consider a snowboarding jacket for your riding. Here's what to look for.
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Function
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Any snowboarding jacket is designed to function in conjunction with the 3-layer clothing system. The jacket serves as a shell to provide protection from the cold, harsh winds of winter weather and to protect from water seeping. Jackets also need to be breathable to allow you to transfer your body heat and moisture out. Working with the jacket, a base layer serves to insulate body heat and wick moisture, while a mid-layer provides heavier insulation and warmth.
Identification
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The first factor that you'll want to look at is how waterproof/windproof the jacket is. Melted snow seeping through your jacket and to your body could really hamper a day on the mountain. Jackets often include a rating for waterproof durability using a figure such as 10,000 mm. This figure is pretty useless unless you have an idea what it means--the figure relates to how many millimeters of water the material can withstand before soaking through. Therefore, as far as being waterproof, the higher the better. 5,000 mm is on the low end, good for drier, moderate weather. 10,000 mm is a good start for solid protection and if you want a really waterproof jacket, upwards of 30,000 mm provides unbeatable waterproofing. Jackets that are waterproof are also effective at keeping wind out, so the waterproof rating indirectly indicates windproofing.
Beware that higher waterproofing means tighter sealing and will affect breathability, making the jacket hotter. Consider how much waterproofing you really need by analyzing the conditions where you ride (is there a ton of wet, heavy snow, does it rain, is it frigid and windy or is it primarily dry powder and bluebird days). -
Considerations
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Breathability is the other feature that you'll want from a snowboarding jacket. If you really wanted to be completely waterproof you could wrap yourself in a totally waterproof material, like a plastic sheet, and never feel a drop. However, this would be excruciatingly hot and the same plastic that's protecting from outside moisture wouldn't allow moisture or heat out. Snowboard jackets aim to find a functional balance, providing protection from outside elements while allowing heat to escape so that you're comfortable.
Breathability is particularly important if you ride in warmer temperatures where you're prone to overheating. Like waterproofing, breathability is often listed in measurement form. Breathability is generally measured by grams of water able to penetrate outward through 1 square meter of the fabric in a day. You'll see listings in the thousands and the higher the number the more breathable it is. Find the right combination of breathability and water-resistance using the ratings as a guide, in addition to trying the jacket on and getting a feel for it.
Benefits
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In order to better supplement their primary functions, jackets often include enhanced features. These are helpful items to consider when shopping for a snowboard jacket. Zip vents help to provide enhanced breathability allowing you to open the vents when you're hot--excellent for a warm spring day. Some jackets feature a gaiter or zip interface that secures to your snowboarding pants in order to prevent snow or moisture seeping up under your jacket or down into your pants. Similar gaiters are used around the wrists to better protect from unwanted moisture. Water-resistant zippers and sealed seams help to improve the overall waterproofing.
Features
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Outside of sheer function, you may want to consider other aspects of a snowboarding jacket purchase. Price, of course, is always an important consideration. Make sure the jacket has the right type of pockets to store the items you take with you on the mountain--many jackets have pockets built specifically for electronics like iPod and cell phone. Do you want a hood or not? If you don't like the unnecessary bulk of a hood and don't intend to use it, you'll want a jacket with detachable hood, or without a hood altogether. Finally, style is also a factor. Although you don't generally purchase functional gear in terms of style, there are enough jackets on the market that you can find one that functions for your needs in a color and design you like.
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