With the demise of the snowboard division at Island Snow, I had to resort to online ordering this season. My old blue Sessions Jamie Lynn pants are still somewhat functional, but my OD green Burton Ronin pants are torn at the vent and blown-up at the ass seams. My “Captain America” Sessions jacket is falling apart at the seams and the membrane has delaminated and is gone in most areas. Although still decent looking, my newest grey Sessions jacket is losing its Entrant membrane like dandruff from the stretch panels. All my outerwear was going bad two seasons ago, but I patched and stitched them back together and made it through last season. Not wanting to be “homeless boarder” again, I ordered a set of this year’s Volcom Omega Gore-Tex outerwear. The price was high, but having experienced the durability of Gore 3L ECWCS clothing, I figured this stuff would last the longest, and anything cheaper would be an investment in “false economy”. I managed to get sale pricing at Backcountry.com, so it didn’t hurt as much as I expected it to.
The 3L Doppler is a fully taped Gore Pro-shell jacket. The multi-adjustable hood is not removable, but it is cut large enough to fit over a helmet (just like ECWCS)! The Velcro-secured storm flap conceals an externally accessible Napoleon pocket for your camera or media player. An inside port with elastic labia is provided to route your headphone wires or scratch your left nipple. There are two hand warmer pockets and one interior goggle pocket. There are mesh-less ventilation zippers at the armpits like an ECWCS parka. The sleeve wrists are provided with lycra hand gaiters (a feature that I liked about Sessions jackets), and Velcro closures. The non-removable powder skirt has a half-zipper along its bottom edge that interfaces to another half-zipper on Volcom pants, providing a very snow-resistant seal. Adjustable elastic is provided at the hem with pull-tabs hidden in the pockets. There’s a lift pass window inside on the left hem that’s visible if you flip the edge up.
The 3L Halo pant is also fully taped Pro-shell construction. Mesh screened inner thigh vents are provided to vent heat and humidity buildup around the junk. The elastic waist has internal Velcro adjusters and big external belt loops. Hidden under a flap below the waistband is the other half-zipper of the powder skirt interface. The butt-area fabric is doubled for durability. Sure once the first layer gets torn you’ll look homeless, but you’ll still be dry! Elastic-bottomed gaiters at the hem have metal lace hooks to keep them down and a snap adjuster for those with incredibly tiny ankles. The legs are huge! The diameter at the hem is so great that it will probably drag the ground behind the boots and get frayed. A strip of pleather is provided to reinforce the back edge of the hemline to prevent this, but I’ll probably put a snap somewhere to take some of the girth out so the hem doesn’t drag. Short zippers are provided at the hems to bell the bottoms out even more for exceptional steez! There are two zippered front pockets, the right one with a hidden stash pocket, and two zippered thigh cargo pockets. The left cargo pocket flap has a lift pass window underneath, and the outer surface of the right cargo pocket has two small Velcro-flapped accessory pockets. Those are all style – I can’t imagine anything put in them being there at the end of the riding day.
As far as outerwear goes, the Omega suit is simple. There are few “ooh and ahh” features, but they appear solid and extremely functional. They’ll probably do everything I ask of them for years to come. I’ll post an update after Thanksgiving.
Jacket about $400 USD on sale
Pants about $352 USD on sale
Tentatively Recommended
Four out of four techno monkeys
You used labia and nipple in one post!