Here in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 offices are headquartered, the leaves have fallen, but the snow hasn鈥檛鈥攁nd we鈥檙e anxiously awaiting.听Summer is behind us, and we鈥檙e ready to throw on our ski bibs and hit the slopes. Naturally, our ears perked听when we heard about , which launched this fall. Backcountry鈥檚 in-house apparel and gear impressed us this summer (we reviewed its climbing line, as well as some pieces in its travel and bike collections.) Although we haven鈥檛 had a chance to get waist deep in powder this season, we decided to take a peek at Backcountry鈥檚 new collection.
Backcountry Women's Cottonwoods Gore-Tex Bib Pant ($350)
The first thing you'll notice about this bib is that it's convertible: a zipper around the waist converts it into a pair of pants, and back again. If you鈥檙e on the fence between the two options, that versatility is a plus. Three-layer Gore, taped zippers, and heavier-weight fabric have me hopeful that it听can听stand up against Pacific Northwest wetness and Montana cold. We haven鈥檛 put it听through the wringer, but burly reinforced cuffs and a 100 percent nylon face听nod towards durability.
The cut feels reminiscent of workwear鈥攊t鈥檚 flattering but practical, with ample room for strong thighs and articulated knees for movement. Vents on the inner thighs are a smart feature that would come in handy during high-output days, but I wouldn鈥檛 take this bib听out for a long tour鈥攖here are a lot of details that add weight, warmth, and chafe potential. Overall, this is听a solid, good-looking in-bounds bib. – A.B.
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Backcountry Men's Cottonwoods Gore-Tex Jacket ($400)听
My one gripe with ski and snowboard shells is that too often their听constructions feel boxy and stiff, like super听rigid rain shells. I understand why: truly waterproof material often has a burly, heavy build. Those jackets feel more like a tarp than a piece made听to move with you in the snow. I can't say the same about the men's Cottonwoods jacket鈥攊t was flexible and felt “broken in” out of the box.听听Although听it was designed to be paired with multiple layers, it was comfortable to throw听on top of just a single long sleeve layer on first wear.听That's partially due to the interior: it's soft and silky to the touch, and it has a forgiving cut around the sleeves and shoulders which doesn't feel听constrictive.听Like the other pieces in the collection, this jacket is fully-seamed and built with Gore-Tex for waterproofing.
Similar to Abigail's takeaways from the women's bib, I most likely wouldn't use this on听the early mornings I'm huffing it up the ski hill for a quick skin. The thick membrane would be听a bit too heavy for those听sessions, but I can see this as a solid jacket for the resort. The thumbhole cuffs, deep pockets at the chest, near the waist, and on the arm make it a feature-rich package that's ready for downhill adventures. -J.R.
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