|
|
by kathleen gasperini
More good news this season is the style. Baggy is so over it's hard to remember wearing such huge, unattractive clothing. Now, we've got a choice of funky colors like Betty's Diva Jacket, to more sophisticated styles for older women snowboarders from Holly Smith, to fitted silhouette jackets from Yang. Overall, there's so much style to chose from, according to Sportswear International Magazine, women's snowboard apparel is greatly influencing the fashion world. Remember to choose your clothing based on your region and ability level. Generally speaking, if you live in warmer areas, you won't need all the technical features, say in Burton's Tri-Lite series, and you might be better off with an outfit from Cold As Ice. If you're a beginner, make sure you've got Cordura and/or double-stitched seams in the butt--features you'll find in apparel from DEEP and Bombshell. If you prefer the backcountry, look for removable hoods (without Velcro, which will rip your hair out), good ventilation systems, powder skirts, and snow cuffs in pants.
If you want to stay warm in the Rockies or Vermont, you might want to check out what DEEP, Bombshell, Burton, Betty, Yang, Sessions, Minx, and Bonfire have to offer this season. In a nutshell, they all offer technical coats (long, over-the-butt coats), plus shorter, retro-fitted coats, pants with side zips for ventilation and/or bibs to keep you cozy. From Burton, the Tri-Lite series ($290-$370) is their most technical line. You'll see Victoria Jealouse in the Alaskan backcountry sporting Tri-Lite's women's pants and convertible jacket. Their Outland series ($210-$250), which a lot of Snowbird, Utah, riders wear, is notable for its articulated knees and no-seam shoulders, which avoid pressure points when carrying a pack. (Burton also has a kids line called Backhill.) Bombshell's top-o'-the-line is their Mosaic group, which offer powders skirts, leg gaiters, and "hot" pockets--tricot mesh lining that keeps your hands warm ($112-$250). deep's clothing fits most women my size (5'6," athletically built--$164-$270). The seams of their pants and bibs are double stitched and have a quilted insulation that feels super cozy in the backcountry or on frigid days.
|
When it comes to women's snowboard apparel, manufacturers began figuring out what women wanted almost four years ago. Today, not only have women-owned and designed apparel companies turned a profit, such as DEEP, Bombshell, Betty, Prom, and Cold As Ice, but there are more technical features added to all of them, including co-ed companies, such as Burton, Bonfire, Minx, and Yang. This season, powder skirts, ventilation systems, and waterproof fabrics, such as Cordura, which you used to see in clothing only from The North Face, Burton (although Burton uses it's own special "Gore-Tex" called Tri-LiteŽ) and Bonfire, are now found in most every brand for women.
