Splitboarding’s purity and elegance find their form as you break through unsullied snow, slowly zigzagging between snow-capped trees and across glaciated valleys. Skills, smarts and strength propel you safely through nature’s power and splendor.
No splitboarder has accomplished more on the skin track than Jeremy Jones. His first descents and fluid riding are immortalized on magazine covers and in over fifty snowboard films. He’s been voted “Big Mountain Rider of the Year” ten times by his peers. All while advocating for environmental conservation through non-profit Protect Our Winters (POW).
Under Jones’ close scrutiny, O’Neill designed this outerwear for backcountry performance – and POW’s environmental mission. Protecting our winters equals face shots for the future.
Every square centimeter of this recycled ripstop jacket is about BC riding. The seam-sealed, 3-layer HyperDry shell’s construction parallels that of other leading brands; design sets it apart. The voluminous fit supports layering, and form-fitting sleeves stay put while ascending technical pitches. Venting aids self-powered adventure; zips start a couple inches from the arm pits and continue down the torso to permit airflow while skinning or hiking with a pack. This vent placement reduces storage to two zippered chest pockets and an internal goggle pouch. No worries as 3L is tailored to pack-mandatory expeditions. One tester jumped on backcountry specific features including the RECCO avalanche reflector and front facing vents, saying, “On high output backcountry adventures, this jacket’s design really comes to life.”
Best For: All-day expeditions, pack-requisite BC trips
A second serving of recycled ripstop, the O’Neill 3L Shell Pant takes the lead skinning deep into the wilderness, bootpacking up knife-edge ridges and blasting through Alaskan spines. Outer leg vents suit grueling ascents, though testers found zipper closure erratic. That said, the articulated fit of the four-way stretch fabric was killer. “Even though the fit is on the slim side, I didn’t feel any friction on the ascent,” noted a splitboarding tester. These comfortable, HyperDry-treated snowboarding pants easily handle resort duty; the faded navy color scheme simplifies pairing with other jackets if you rely on O’Neill everyday.
Best For: All-season defense, backcountry touring