Waterproof/Breathability - CONFUSED/EXPLAINED - Page 2 - Snowboarding Forum

Triple8Sol · 12-23-2008, 04:30 AM

I go with at least 20K or preferrably Gore-Tex for pants, since I spend alot of time hiking the sidecounty, building jumps, sitting on lifts, etc... Jacket isn't as critical, except on rainy days. I try to go with 10K or higher for coats. I also stick to gloves with gore-tex inserts.

01-03-2009, 03:08 PM

What do you recommend for layering under the jacket and pants (specifically in Arizona)? It's my first time snowboarding and I don't have a lot of money to spend on gear (already bought pants, jacket and boots). Can I wear an Under Armour short-sleeved, crew neck shirt with a long-sleeved, cotton crew neck shirt over it, and a fleece jacket over it, and my 10,000mm jacket over that? Is that too much? What brand would you recommend for undergarments and socks, or what characteristics should I look for in those?

Incogneato · 04-11-2009, 03:16 PM

one thing you guys are missing is that numbers are for the waterproof/breathable laminate or coating ONLY and not the entire garment. a jacket with a thin outerlayer that the laminate or coating is applied to will breath better than a jacket with a thick heavy canvas or tweed like material, also, the brethabillity will be less in a jacket with lots of seams that are taped than a more simply jacket with less tape (the tape is used to seal the areas that are sewed together and is not breathable), and jackets with heavy linings are not as breathable as jackets with mesh or open linings, so just take the numbers with a grain of salt

ckang008 · 07-01-2009, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kjerstin Klein

The DC Shoe Co. Makes some great gear. Personally, I love 'em. Exotex 5,000 is their opening price point weather protection but at that price point they seam seal all of the critical seams - meaning those seams that are most likely to leak are sealed shut with a special tape. The 5K stands for 5,000 mm of water resistance and the 5,000 g is the breathability. For most conditions that is more than sufficient and at the price you can't beat it.

The real question is what are you going to be doing in the jacket and will the basic level of weather protection be enough. If you are hard core - stay out in the rain all day 5,000 mm probably isn't going to be enough to keep you dry. If you ride really hard, hike the pipe, do the back country etc. then 5,000 g breathability may not be enough - but then that is what you have vents for!

If you like the jacket I'd say go for it - it is a good deal and should cover you in all basic conditions. If you find it just isn't keeping up with what you need next year you can invest in something with a better rating and keep this one for back up.

Make sure to wash the jacket regularily - this will help to keep the weather protecting matterials at the surface and keep the pores of the jacket open so it can continue to breath.

Layer properly under the jacket so that you have a good 'moisture management' system going to aid in with breathability.

If you need help on either of these points or have further questions on the jacket you know where to find me!

Ride hard!

Thanks for this post. I've been wearing Grenade outerwear and they aren't great in terms of being waterproof. i see a 15000g Rhodan pants for sale from DC. thinking of getting that now. thx

Kjerstin Klein · 07-01-2009, 10:04 AM

Great! Let me know if there is anything else I can help with!

Ride hard!

07-01-2009, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarjida

What do you recommend for layering under the jacket and pants (specifically in Arizona)? It's my first time snowboarding and I don't have a lot of money to spend on gear (already bought pants, jacket and boots). Can I wear an Under Armour short-sleeved, crew neck shirt with a long-sleeved, cotton crew neck shirt over it, and a fleece jacket over it, and my 10,000mm jacket over that? Is that too much? What brand would you recommend for undergarments and socks, or what characteristics should I look for in those?

cheap set of polyester long underwear tops and bottoms for your base layer. Polartec pants and long sleeve shirt for your insulation layer and your jacket and pants for your outer shell. Ditch the polartec if its a warm/hot day. If its not hip/cool enough then a triple long cotton t-shirt and hoodie with a beanie and just put up with being cold and wet.

oh, and on a budget then go to goodwill and search for polyester i.e. "old person clothes"

same thing with your feet. polyester boot liners topped with a good set of merol wool socks. Or, goodwill for polyster business socks as a liner.

yusoweird · 07-15-2009, 05:00 PM

I read somewhere that the breathable rating is just a number that should only be used to rate products within the same company. And I can confirm that the statement is true.

My DC Angstrom (10k breathable rating with eVent fabric) jacket breaths ALOT better than my Special blend autograph jacket (15k breathable rating with Gore-Tex). The difference was like night and day to me. I can wear my DC jacket with the same amount of layers and stay just as warm, but never too hot and stuffy. With the Special blend Gore-Tex, I would start to feel stuffy after a couple minutes.

legallyillegal · 07-15-2009, 05:14 PM

gore-tex is a completely different thing from regular fabrics

yusoweird · 07-15-2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by legallyillegal

gore-tex is a completely different thing from regular fabrics

Not sure if you are referring to my post. But eVent and Gore-Tex both try to achieve the same result. I don't understand what do you mean?

legallyillegal · 07-15-2009, 06:24 PM

eVent is also completely different from regular fabrics

also, eVent and gore-tex are also different in how they work

07-01-2009, 10:04 AM	#15 (permalink)
Kjerstin Klein Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 43 Blog Entries: 3	Great! Let me know if there is anything else I can help with! Ride hard! __________________ Kjerstin Klein from The Jib Shop

07-15-2009, 05:14 PM	#18 (permalink)
legallyillegal -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: fuck Snowboarding Posts: 4,446	gore-tex is a completely different thing from regular fabrics __________________ THERE ARE SPECIFIC REASONS AS TO WHY I AM MORE LOCAL THAN YOU GOD IS DONUT

07-15-2009, 06:24 PM	#20 (permalink)
legallyillegal -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: fuck Snowboarding Posts: 4,446	eVent is also completely different from regular fabrics also, eVent and gore-tex are also different in how they work __________________ THERE ARE SPECIFIC REASONS AS TO WHY I AM MORE LOCAL THAN YOU GOD IS DONUT

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

12-23-2008, 04:30 AM	#11 (permalink)
Triple8Sol Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 3,686 Blog Entries: 1	I go with at least 20K or preferrably Gore-Tex for pants, since I spend alot of time hiking the sidecounty, building jumps, sitting on lifts, etc... Jacket isn't as critical, except on rainy days. I try to go with 10K or higher for coats. I also stick to gloves with gore-tex inserts.

01-03-2009, 03:08 PM	#12 (permalink)
Tarjida Guest Posts: n/a	What do you recommend for layering under the jacket and pants (specifically in Arizona)? It's my first time snowboarding and I don't have a lot of money to spend on gear (already bought pants, jacket and boots). Can I wear an Under Armour short-sleeved, crew neck shirt with a long-sleeved, cotton crew neck shirt over it, and a fleece jacket over it, and my 10,000mm jacket over that? Is that too much? What brand would you recommend for undergarments and socks, or what characteristics should I look for in those?

04-11-2009, 03:16 PM	#13 (permalink)
Incogneato Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 352	one thing you guys are missing is that numbers are for the waterproof/breathable laminate or coating ONLY and not the entire garment. a jacket with a thin outerlayer that the laminate or coating is applied to will breath better than a jacket with a thick heavy canvas or tweed like material, also, the brethabillity will be less in a jacket with lots of seams that are taped than a more simply jacket with less tape (the tape is used to seal the areas that are sewed together and is not breathable), and jackets with heavy linings are not as breathable as jackets with mesh or open linings, so just take the numbers with a grain of salt

07-15-2009, 05:00 PM	#17 (permalink)
yusoweird Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston Posts: 508	I read somewhere that the breathable rating is just a number that should only be used to rate products within the same company. And I can confirm that the statement is true. My DC Angstrom (10k breathable rating with eVent fabric) jacket breaths ALOT better than my Special blend autograph jacket (15k breathable rating with Gore-Tex). The difference was like night and day to me. I can wear my DC jacket with the same amount of layers and stay just as warm, but never too hot and stuffy. With the Special blend Gore-Tex, I would start to feel stuffy after a couple minutes.