December 17, 2009

[ak] Softshell Jacket Review

Posted in Reviews, Snowboarding Gear by Rami | Tags: burton AK, fleece, keeping warm, Review

221029002_1 I bought the [ak] softshell jacket (it’s really more of a fleece but given its price tag, a fancier name was needed) last season to wear under my main snowboarding shell jacket, because it wouldn’t keep me warm. Before getting the fleece I’d wear a Helley Hanson Dry base layer, a tshirt, sweater, and the snowboarding shell jacket. With that setup, I always felt a tad cold and since east coast resorts are significantly colder than west coast resorts, I definitely needed an extra layer to keep me warm.

A lot of people recommended getting a fleece and on I went to find my new warm buddy. I walked into the store and after an hour of talking with the rep it came down to two: the [ak] fleece and some random brand one, and with a $150 price difference ($350 for the [ak] fleece and $200 for the other one), I couldn’t choose one or the other. The [ak] fleece was my preference due to the quality of the material, but I was skeptical as to whether the extra $150 was going to make much of a difference. In the end I caved in and shelled out the $350 for [ak] softshell jacket (fleece). So what are my thoughts:

At $350, this is a very expensive fleece/softshell jacket/secondary jacket.
The quality of the material is excellent (it still looks brand spankin’ new).
It makes for a a great post-piste jacket around town.
It keeps you warm enough.
Well designed and rather stylish.

Despite that, I recommend you save the $150 and opt for something cheaper. It’s a fleece at the end of the day and there’s no justifying forking out $300-$350 for one. The only exception to that would probably if you’re planning on using it as a day to day outdoor jacket. I doubt the extra $150 makes much of a difference in terms of warmth and while you may think the better quality means a longer lasting fleece, I still don’t think it’s worth it.