Snowboard Jackets and Pants

Fit

A good snowboard jacket should be loose enough to be comfortable without weighing you down or restricting the movement of your arms and neck. A long cut extending down to your hips will ensure that your midriff remains warm and dry at all times even with your arms raised.

Jacket cuffs should fit nicely around or inside your glove cuffs to ensure proper sealage for keeping the snow out. Good jackets should also have easily adjustable hoods which provide full mobility. Some jackets also have removable hoods for sunny days when they are not required.

Snowboard pants should also be loose enough so as to not restrict movement of your legs and waist. They should have a high waist while being long enough at the bottom to cover your boots to prevent snow from creeping into your legs. Since you'll probably be on your backside or knees more than you'll like, having reinforced bottoms and knees on your pants will be a big plus.

Waterproof

This is pretty much a no-brainer. You'll obviously want your snowboard jacket and pants to be waterproof while keeping you dry as much as possible for the duration of your ride. Clothing constructed from tried and true materials such as Gor-tex and Entrant can be reliably assured of doing the job.

Check out and compare the waterproof ratings assigned to the various jackets and pants. Because washing may sometimes decrease the ability of the material to repel water, some companies even provide an after-wash waterproof rating.

Breathability

Besides keeping water out, its imperative snowboard jacket should also allow any moisture or sweat generated from your body to escape. This is where your jacket's venting comes into play. Perspiration will probably not affect you all that much while you're in motion but once you are stationary, for example on a chair lift or at the end of the day, the cold winds have a tendency to chill any moisture retained within a poorly ventilated jacket which will cause you to shiver in discomfort.

Some snowboard jackets come with zippered vents which are under your arms and are opened when the temperature gets hot and closed when its cold. Zip-pulls attached to the zippers will allow you to open and close them without having to remove your gloves.

Toughness

Due to the physical nature of snowboarding you should look for a jacket with a tough shell that can withstand the abuse. Double- or triple-stitched seams and reinforced material on the sides of your snowboard clothing will help to further prolong their life.

Fashion

Not essential but hey, everyone likes looking good so once you've taken care of everything else, go ahead and choose some snowboard clothing with your favorite style and color to impress your friends and anybody else you might meet on the mountain. Of course, you'll probably prefer to look good by showcasing your elite snowboarding skills rather than your clothes.