A Snowboard Jacket is a piece of clothing which a lot of people automatically associate with “fun”, “snow” and “energy - on the upside. On the downside there is “cold”, “rain” and “wet”….Since the sport is extreme and, hence, physically demanding, the prevention of thermal stress is a very important factor to consider.

Also, when purchasing a Snowboard Jacket proper layering will ensure that you stay warm and dry. “Successful layering will take care of warmth, weight and moisture management.” (www.abc-of-snowboarding.com) If not handled properly the result will be thermal stress and, possibly, your death.

In order to ensure that those three areas are covered, your Snowboard Jacket needs to meet certain criteria in order to prevent thermal stress: Is the jacket waterproof and windproof? Also, because the sport demands so much energy, which entails perspiration - does the jacket “breath” properly?

Last but, certainly, not least you want your Snowboard Jacket to last you a long time, right? Check out to see if the jacket of your dreams is also abrasion resistant.

Hypothermia is a form of thermal stress. The ideal body temperatures are 98.6F, internally, and an outer (skin) temperature of 91.4F. Only a few degrees’ deviation, for a short period of time, will result in severe hypothermia.

Ideal situations for hypothermia to occur are “when the air temperature is below 60F and water temperature falls below 70F… The colder the conditions, the less the body is able to produce heat. When heat is lost faster than it can be replaced, hypothermia occurs. This is a lowering of the body core temperature past the point of recovery. Symptoms are loss of coordination, disorientation, stupor, and violent shivering. Minor shivering is a pre-hypothermia condition.” (ww.hudsontrail.com)

The proper layering of items of clothing is a step towards preventing thermal stress. Also, the fabrics from which a Snowboard Jacket is manufactured help protect the wearer from the elements like rain, snow and wind. Because of the nature of the sport, your Snowboard Jacket should also be able to protect you from abrasions.

Insulation Layer: When practicing your favorite sport, it is imperative that your Snowboard Jacket not be heavy and bulky, for obvious reasons. It is important that this portion of layering not only be light-weight but, at the same time, a good heat retainer. Goose down is considered the lightest natural insulator. “Goose down is highly compressible, resilient, and gives great mobility. Quality synthetic fills also work very well and are non-allergenic.” (www.hudsontrail.com)

Vests are your best bet with your Snowboard Jacket for they allow “greater arm mobility and more ventilation.” (www.hudsontrail.com)

(Photo courtesy of dbre radu, Flickr.)

Waterproof

The Snowboard Jacket you choose must be waterproof and be able to keep moisture away from your skin. Doing your homework, prior to purchase, should be able to tell you whether the material meets the requirements – i.e., is able to withstand “a water column of 120 to 150 centimeters (4 to 5 feet). For instance, the best Jackets can withstand a water column of tens of meters.” (www.abc-of-snowboarding.com)

Other impermeability qualities your Snowboard Jacket must possess are that “all the seams need to be closed with tape, and the other one is that the construction of the Snowboard Jacket should prevent water penetration. This means that the zippers are covered so that the inner layers do not absorb water…” (www.abc-of-snowboarding.com)

(Photo courtesy of ktvr46, Flickr.)

On a sidenote: if you are snowboarding where it is REALLY cold – i.e., 20F or, below, “Then you might be able to get away with a snowboard jacket made with good quality nylon or other high tech material that is not quite as waterproof…If it is really cold, the snow clinging to your outer snowboard clothing is less likely to melt and seep through into your snowboard jacket and pants...WHY??? Because you are probably wearing more layers, the snow outside is insulated from your body heat and will not melt...Plus, your outer clothing is much colder at the outer surface due to the low outside temperature...THE SNOW WILL NOT MELT!!!” (www.snowboarding-master.com)

Windproof

The wind affects inner body temperatures. Your Snowboard Jacket must be windproof to keep your body temperatures at the proper levels to prevent Hypothermia. There appears to be a co-relation between water and wind-proofing, for www.abc-of-snowboarding.com assures us that “the windproof capacity of Snowboard Jackets is not an issue. In fact, if a Snowboard Jacket can withstand a water column of tens of meters, it is also windproof.”

(Photo courtesy of Art Institute of Portland, Flickr.)

Breathability

The Snowboard Jacket of your choice must also be able to “breathe” (ventilate) in order to release the moisture that builds up inside in the form of perspiration. “Beneath the Snowboard Jacket, the temperature and humidity are higher than in the outside. This creates a pressure whereby pushing the moisture outside…To release the moisture, a Snowboard Jacket needs to be able to ventilate or breathe, not through holes but through the fabric itself.”(www.abc-of-snowboarding.clom)

Breathability is measured in grams squared and in the Snowboard Jacket specifications, when comparing products, the higher the number the more breathable the material is.

Abrasion Resistant

Eventhough not as important factor as breathability and impermeability, abrasion resistance is a good thing to look for when shopping for a Snowboard Jacket. Imagine yourself snowboarding where there are trees with low branches or thicket. One thing you DO NOT want to happen is that you hurt yourself while going really fast.

Fabrics such as canvas and brushed tricot lined shells, as well as other fabrics such as Pertex, patented synthetic suede such as Clarino HAR® (High Abrasion Resistant) and Cordura nylon are the latest in the market.

(Photo courtesy of gorby 1972, Flickr.)