Men's Snowboard Jackets

Men's Snowboard Jackets

Snowboard jackets need to be both water resistant (or waterproof) and insulated in order to keep you warm on the slopes. A waterproof/breathable raincoat over your fleece or wool top can also work, but that combo won't come with all of the snow-specific features that you'll find on a jacket for snowboarding.

Men's Snowboard Jacket Features

Not all snowboard coats have the same features, so narrow your choices by focusing on the ones that are most important to you:

• Premium insulation: Down fill that's water resistant or has a high fill power will cost more, but offer greater warmth for its weight. High-performance synthetics, like PrimaLoft insulation, have similar advantages.
• Premium waterproof/breathable shell fabric: Helps keep you drier on the slopes; the most widely known is GORE-TEX fabric, but other brands have created materials with comparable performance. Note, too, that many snowboard jackets have shells that are water-resistant instead, reasoning that you're not likely to encounter a rain squall on a snowboard slope.
• 3-in-1 design: Allows you to detach the outer shell from the inner insulating layer, so you can also wear either piece alone to match the day's conditions.
• Powder skirt: An inner gasket that snugs around your waist to keep snow out if you take a tumble; cuff gaskets perform a similar function.
• RECCO  reflectors: Can help a rescuer from a resort (or search-and-rescue team) locate you more quickly after an avalanche if they are equipped with a RECCO detector. (A RECCO reflector differs from an avalanche transceiver that backcountry snowboarders must carry and use correctly for a similar purpose.)
• Specialized hoods: Some jackets let you remove them; others allow you to adjust them to fit over a helmet.
• Specialized pockets: Might include a clear sleeve for a lift pass or an inner pocket with a soft liner that won't scratch the lens on your goggles. Snowboard jackets tend to have a lot of pockets for general storage because most snowboarders aren't wearing a pack on the slopes.
• Zippered vents: Pit zips or core vents let you adjust air circulation to warm up or cool off.

How Do Men's Snowboard and Ski Jackets Differ?

From a functional standpoint, ski and snowboard jackets are virtually identical. The distinction lies in the styles: Snowboarding jackets have a more "street" look, a legacy of the sport's counterculture origins.

Shop Men's Snowboard Jackets at REI

We offer top men's snowboard jacket brands like Helly Hansen, 686, Patagonia and more.