As for features on the jacket; there are two hip pockets and a chest pocket that you fit a compact SLR in, although this can give the look of a third boob! You’ve also got yourself a combination of a helmet compatible hood and high collar – great when you want to shut up shop and keep the elements out. If you’re more into riding resort-accessible off-piste terrain, then you’ll be glad to know that there’s an inbuilt Recco reflector (although it goes without saying that this’ll never replace a transceiver, shovel and probe in avalanche prone terrain). 

There’s another solid selection of pockets to be found in these pants; you’ve got two large thigh high pockets perfect for bottomless pits like me who’s always after a snack or two (ok maybe three). It’s also the perfect pocket if you want to keep your phone to hand, but far away from your transceiver to not interfere with its signal strength. Scuff guards around the bottom of the pants are a nice addition especially when walking and booting up couloirs with crampons on. 

“You’ve also got yourself a combination of a helmet compatible hood and high collar”

In terms of fit for both the jacket and pants, I loved the extra length of the SnowDrifter jacket, as most traditional splitboarding jackets I’ve owned have been cut like a crop top. Snowboarding bibs can also be a hard fit to get right; I’m a UK 10 and had the bibs in a small and they were perfect, with enough bagginess all-round, but not so much that you’ve borrowed your brother’s old jeans.

So about that claimed breathability of H2No… I really enjoyed how comfortable the outerwear was to skin and hike in – I didn’t find it to be too restrictive due to the nice level of stretch built into the fabric. This comfort was most noticeable when performing kick turns, where you could really see the pants had a great range of movement. Simple tasks like bending down to raise your heel risers or do your bindings up have previously proven uncomfortable in bulky insulated or 2-layer fabrics.

“I really enjoyed how comfortable the outerwear was to skin and hike in”

I tend to find it particularly difficult to regulate my temperature when skinning and hiking. However, I found the H2No fabric to be way more breathable and comfortable allowing me to skin with my jacket on. Comparing this to previously skinning in my old Gore-tex two-layer which was bulkier to pack away and made me sweat on the way up. I particularly liked the pit zips on the snowdrifter jacket and pants, most other snowboarding outerwear that I’ve ridden in has pit zips with another layer of fabric that doesn’t quickly release heat.

The H2No fabric does offer some drawbacks in that the waterproofness is not of the same standard as GORE-TEX. However, if you are using this fabric in the Alps in the high alpine where with any luck it won’t rain on you then this fabric is more than sufficient in terms of water resistance. Overall I’m stoked with what Patagonia has done in creating this outerwear combo; comfortable and nonrestrictive on the up as well as the down, all in a package that makes that bit less of a dent on my environmental conscience.