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Volcom Men’s Brighton Pullover Hood Jacket Review: End of Season Impressions

Volcom Men's Brighton Pullover Hood JacketQuick Review: Volcom Men’s Brighton Pullover Hood Jacket

For around $349 CAD, I found the Volcom Men’s Brighton Pullover Hood Jacket to be a solid 15K waterproofing/breathability option that keeps you warm in the cold and wind. The best thing about this jacket is the utility of all the pockets. One drawback is the lack of wrist gaiters. I like the fit and length through the chest and torso. The arms fit slightly baggy; however, with an outstretched arm, I did find the sleeves were just a bit too short.

Full Review of the Volcom Men’s Brighton Pullover Hood Jacket

This season, my wife bought me the Volcom Men’s Brighton Pullover Hood Jacket as a gift. I got out snowboarding several times this winter and wanted to share my review of the jacket with you all here.

Lots of Pockets

I was specifically looking for an anorak-style jacket so that I’d have a large front pocket to stash and carry my GoPro camera and retractable selfie stick. That’s my favourite feature of this jacket: the utility of all the pockets. You get two pockets on the left and right sides of the chest, a large kangaroo pocket that opens from the sides, and a smaller kangaroo pocket that opens from the front.

How it Fit

The fit is decent. I found it to be slim through the torso, a little longer in length, with slightly baggy arms. You have a full range of motion in the jacket, and it’s not restrictive at all. The hood is generously sized, so if you’re riding in stormy conditions, you’ll be able to pull it up over your helmet comfortably.

However, I do wish the sleeves were about an inch longer. With an outstretched arm, the sleeves feel a bit short at the wrist. What the jacket really needs is wrist gaiters. If it had those, I’d say this is a near-perfect anorak-style jacket for resort riding.

Final Thoughts

I think this jacket will serve you well through most of the winter season. However, if you’re riding later in the spring, you may find it too heavy and warm. It does have a pit-zip vent under the arm opposite the side where you open the jacket. I guess that’s one trade-off with anorak-style jackets—you don’t get pit zips under each arm like you do with front-zipper jackets. So while you do get some temperature control with the Brighton Pullover, it’s not quite as effective as some other options.

Overall, I’m happy with this jacket and will continue to wear it for several more seasons.

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Test Riding the Men’s Burton Gondy GORE-TEX Leather Gloves at Blue Mountain

mens-burton-gondy-gore-tex-gloves

Quick Review: Men’s Burton Gondy GORE-TEX Leather Gloves

Coming in at around $150 CAD, the Burton Gondy Gloves are a solid pair of warm, well-insulated leather gloves. They’re durable, featuring a pull-on loop at the base of the palm and a Velcro strap that ensures a snug fit around the wrist. While they add a bit of bulk to your hands, you’ll still be able to pinch and grab zippers or ratchet your bindings. I’d recommend these gloves to all-mountain riders. This pair works just as well for someone looking to ride groomers at a resort all day or anyone who wants to carve lines through the trees and deeper snow conditions.

Full Review of the Men’s Burton Gondy GORE-TEX Leather Gloves

I headed out to my usual stomping grounds at Blue Mountain. The weather was decent—low wind, but the sky was overcast, and the lighting was flat. It seemed like as good a day as any to try out a new pair of leather snowboarding gloves.

For a while, I’ve been riding with pipe gloves and using a separate pair of liner gloves for insulation. I developed a preference for this glove setup while snowboarding in Ontario, as it gave me the most dexterous fit. However, during my last trip out west to BC, I found that the pipe gloves—acting as an outer shell—would start to stiffen and freeze in the colder, mountainous air. My hands never got cold while wearing the liners underneath. But I wanted to find a new pair a gloves that could suit my riding needs both locally in Ontario, and also better withstand a trip into the backcountry.

When I tried on the Men’s Burton Gondy GORE-TEX Leather Gloves, I immediately noticed the density of the insulation. I knew I wouldn’t need liner gloves with this leather pair. The insulation in the Gondy gloves is plush and warm. However, I’m curious to see if the ThermacoreECO insulation, which contains 95% recycled materials, will packout and lose effectiveness over time.

For now, I’m deciding how to best use them. I’ve noticed the gloves don’t fit well under the cuffs of my Volcom Brighton Pullover jacket. The cuffs of my sleeves bunch up at the base of the gloves as I stretch and move around. Tasks like bending over to clear snow from my binding footbed or grabbing the straps to buckle in cause the sleeves to ride up and refuse to settle over the gloves properly. Additionally, the Brighton Pullover jacket doesn’t have wrist gaiters, so I’m concerned snow or cold air may get up my sleeves.

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