So looking to buy a new Jacket. Want to stick with a Gortex shell. I have AK pants and like them. My current jacket has held up for the last 6 seasons but its time to retire it. So I was looking at the Volcom Baldface guide jacket or similar... I found this coat for a decent price onsale online... Baldface Guide Gore-Tex® Jacket
Just was curious if anyone had any opinion or insight between the 2.. I am 6'2 200lbs the Volcom i found i can only get in an XL and i usually wear a large.. So dont' want anything to baggy but enough room to layer up for cold days. I do wear a backpack and want to stay dry. I don't have volcom pants so that was the other concern wasn't sure if I could still attach the powder skirt to my burton pants. Again thanks for any input..
I've had both the Volcom Guide Jacket and Burton AK Hover..Both are Gore-tex 3L. I much prefer the Burton, the Volcom has no hand/side pockets and has a lining in it that makes it not quite as breathable. I'm a fan of Volcom stuff and have had lots of their outerwear over the years, but I didn't dig the Guide Jacket...
I was going to reply saying if you plan to get Volcom pants it's a no brainer but since you already have the AK pant chances are the skirt would (or should) fit. If the new AK jacket's skirt won't work with the old AK pant I'd go Volcom as a fuck you to Burton for trying to force you to buy a new outerwear setup for the sake of it.
Then again if you know the fit of a L Burton fits you good.
Then again the Volcom is 3L instead of 2...
Sorry I'm probably repeating the struggle in your head.
I was going to reply saying if you plan to get Volcom pants it's a no brainer but since you already have the AK pant chances are the skirt would (or should) fit. If the new AK jacket's skirt won't work with the old AK pant I'd go Volcom as a fuck you to Burton for trying to force you to buy a new outerwear setup for the sake of it.
I read it the other way around: He is concerned about the Volcom (proprietary) zip system not working with the pants.
Burton's is just the regular clips so don't see how that forces him to do anything.
Thanks for the feedback. I have had my issues with button gear in the past. My AK pants are new so from last season so should work with burtons new stuff. Not 100% sure on that so will check.
Don't care much about the pockets on the volcom jacket since I like the 2 big zipper pockets. I tend to stay in the colder climates so that is my real concern with any shell just having enough on to keep warm and not be weighed down. I can snag the volcom for around 220 bucks just worried about the size issue.
I have been using the Burton AK Boom jacket since part-way through last year and could not be more satisfied with it. As far as I can tell the only difference between the Swash jacket you are looking at and the Boom jacket that I have is that the Swash has one extra chest pocket and some lining - other than that I believe they are essentially the exact same garment.
I live and ride in the West (British Columbia Interior) so I'm not dealing with overly wet conditions and find that 2L Gore-Tex is more than enough protection.
I haven't used the Volcom Baldface jacket but I do have a pair of Volcom L Gore-Tex pants which are holding up well under normal useage.
Personally, I wouldn't find it necessary to pay the not insignificant price difference between 2L and 3L but again, I don't do a lot of riding in soaking wet conditions.
The Burton fit/finish of their AK garments in my experience is second to none and their warranty (if you ever have to make use of that) is excellent.
I watched the AK products for a while in my local stores and on-line and I found that they do not go on sale that often and when they do they are only $50 or so discounted so I would suggest that if you find a colorway/size that you like, just get it because if you wait you might not have the selection left that you like. This is shopping from Canada, in the States you probably have more selection.
Good luck with your choice. I'd lean towards the AK from personal experience but I'm sure you'll be happy with either one.
I have the lando tds and love it but you def need to size down. I'm 6'0 215 and the xl was huge. I could get away with a medium but Like the room of the large. Be aware the tds is not a shell it's def a jacket.
How true is the Burton Swash in size. I have a friend in Cali who will send his XL out to me, but I don't want to waste money on shipping if it runs small. I know the Swagger ran big, but does the Swash run big, too?
Burton AK > Volcom simply because of comparing their warranties. Burton AK has a lifetime warranty versus Volcom's 2-year warranty.
My first warranty claim was for a rip in the pocket of my AK Stagger pants. I made my claim through the shop I bought them from (R.I.P. Seattle Snowboard Connection) and they sent my pants to Burton for me. My pants could not be repaired and I was given store credit, which I used toward another pair of AK pants.
My 2nd claim was when I broke and lost the plastic piece of my hood cinch from my AK Cyclic jacket. I only had to pay for the initial shipping and Burton replaced the part for free. They also did not charge me for shipping my jacket back to me. This time, I went through Burton directly and I called their warranty department. I was required to provide a copy of my receipt and it took 4-6 weeks. I made my claim during this past summer so it wasn't a big deal.
I just got the Burton AK 2L Cyclic shell jacket. I haven't boarded with it yet but it felt great in the store, very comfortable. I ended up getting it from the Burton website on Black Friday for $80 off. Great deal. I got the wife and I some nice base layers too. That was a great sale.
I just hope it is warm enough for Canada. I think I will be ok with a heavy base layer and hoodie. I can always get a down insulator for $200 if I need to. Patagonia makes nice ones and they are super warm.
I just hope it is warm enough for Canada. I think I will be ok with a heavy base layer and hoodie. I can always get a down insulator for $200 if I need to. Patagonia makes nice ones and they are super warm.
The Cyclic is a shell only, so whether it's warm enough for any conditions depends entirely on what you're layering underneath.
I routinely wear my AK shell with a 800 fill down vest and a medium-thickness fleece long-shirt in -20C (or colder) conditions with no problems - and I run very cold compared to my riding buddies.
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