What Is A Riding Hoodie?

We are seeing a real surgence in people turning to riding hoodies for their spring snowboarding, skiing, hiking and just to wear day to day. 

Well, riding hoodies have been engineered to keep your dry and block the wind. Various waterproofing agents such as DWR can be used to coat the hoodie so moisture beads off the garment. Better still, some brands such as Burton coat the thread of the garment in DWR so waterproofing is sewn into the fibres. This process makes for an even higher degree of waterproofing. 

Don't be fooled, these hoodies are water resistant not waterproof. We do not recommend these to replace a snow jacket on a powder day nor a rain jacket in torrential down poor. These hoodies are designed to add a level of water repellency when you have minimal contact with rain and water. Some brands rate their hoodies to around 2-5K so they don't compare to the minimum 10K you're getting in your regular snow jacket. They are however great wind blockers due to the heavy fleece and coating. 

For sure, they are epic for those warm spring days on the hill when a jacket is just too much. And they are great for people who live in cooler climates like us! In jindabyne we get all kinds of crazy weather all year round, so our riding hoodies never receive a break. Not to mention, if your just looking for a hoodie in general, riding hoodies really are made to be quality. They are a kind of one time purchase, both sustainable and reliable. You don't have to worry about piling, shrinkage or loss of shape. 

We absolutely love Burton. As mentioned earlier, Burton sew the DWR coating into the thread, making them extra waterproof. We also love brands like Yuki Threads who do a great job at producing quality riding hoodies, ethically and sustainably. I Ride Sideways and DC snowboarding also make terrific riding hoodies. 

So there you go, riding hoodies are awesome but they are not to replace your snow jacket.