Hey I don't know much about brands but I got a great Columbia coat with an insert, warm, waterproof, built strong and have used it for two seasons so far. I got it a Kohls during a huge sale.
I take it back only use Columbia if you are riding man-made snow most of the season. I got stuck in a big storm on the mountain and ended up getting soaked. So they can handle a little bit but I think I might need to treat the jacket with a waterproof wash. I just bought this coat seen here
http://www.rei.com/product/831933/or...-2011-closeout. I will let you know when I get to test it out.