Burton AK 3L Freebird Gore-Tex Bib Pant

Leave it to a thoroughbred snowboarding brand to create a bib that actually fits snowboarders. Having dabbled with other ski-centric brands, a tester declared, “This bib fits the way backcountry snowboarders want it to. Not too baggy; though you still have the mobility to tighten your bindings or throw a tweaked grab without getting a wedgie.” A high, tailored design keeps pow shots from sneaking into the bib while offering additional pocket space in the front (2 chest pockets to accompany 2 thigh pockets). Talk about jacket compatibility, too: the chest pockets are easily accessed through the backcountry-friendly pit zips of the Freebird Jacket. Though cuff elevators raise the rear of the pant leg in the face of grit and grime, frequent crampon-users might want to shy away from this relaxed fit—or at least have a secondary pair of soft shell mountaineering pants at the ready. From a waterproofing standpoint, Burton’s gone all out on this one: 3-Layer Gore-Tex Pro makes up the majority of the pants, with 40D Gore-Tex Stretch (think lycra meets your rain jacket) on the chest and back for even more mobility. Burton topped off the feature-heavy, ultra-light bib with comfortable, adjustable shoulder straps and, needless to say, testers were in love at first couloir.