Snowboard Gear
 

I need to get a lot of items pertaining to snowboarding, which includes jacket, pants, the board, binding and shoes and goggles, but I have no idea what to look for when buying them. I'll be going to sportchek or some snowboard place next week, but I don't want to be duped by them because I know nothing.

For boards, what weight, length, brand would you recommend? Same with all the other items. Also anything else I missed? Literally any suggestions or info is appreciated.

Depends on the riding you're doing, shorter board for park is a must. K2 world wide weapon is at sport check which is a rocker board, probably the best one they have there. Depends on how tall/big your feet are you are you might need a wide board to accommodate for toe drag. Can't really go wrong with brands such as Burton, k2, ride, dinosaurs will die, bataleon, 32, lib tech
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It's all based on your personal preference. How tall you are and how heavy you are are the biggest factors in determining a board length.

I'm assuming you are a beginner and as a beginner i would suggest you buy a used board. You can find very good deals on Craigslist

FS: Burton Custom 157W w/ Burton Cartel Magenta

Boots are very important, they can make or break your experience. Make sure you get boots that fits your feet. Don't buy the cheapest boots you find. Buy whatever fits you best.

As for clothing, buy anything that is 10K in waterproofing and at least 8K in breathability. Waterproofing is to keep you dry obliviously and breathability is to make sure you're dry when you start sweating. The higher the ratings the better off you are especially because you are a beginner and you'll spend a tone of time on your ass.

PM me if you need any further help.

Sounds like you are a new boarder. Best advice I can give you is do not cheap out on your pants or gloves. You will be falling on your ass, you will need to use your hands to help get yourself up. Nothing sucks more than having your inside clothes and hands wet from all the snow touching. Look for a high millimetre rating for your pants, but also pick a reputable brand. My first pair was from Firefly and although they were cheaper and had a decent mm rating, they were not very waterproof. My next pair was from Burton and this one was much more expensive, but it keeps you warm and dry the entire day.

Oh yea, don't cheap out on boots either. If they are not comfortable, you will not have a pleasant day. For your board/bindings, you would probably want all mountain type board as a starter, the guys working on the stores on West 4th/Burrard are fairly knowledgable and will be able to suggest a length and then the look will be all personal preference.

You can get away with a cheaper pair of goggles as your first, find something that fits comfortably and probably with an orange hue lens as it covers the most conditions(i believe, can't remember the chart off the top of my head). You may want to look into a helmet as well. Wearing a helmet doesn't make you "uncool." A helmet provides warmth to your head on those extra cold night boarding sessions. It also protects your head from any accidents you may be involved in. It's not about how good you are and you won't get into an accident. It's the people around you that you don't know how good they are. I was at whistler once going down a narrow green with some friends. And those runs can get fairly busy at times, this guy behind me lost control and basically side swiped me, felt my head hit the edge of a board, but lucky I had a helmet on, or I'd probably have a gash up there.

Lastly, probably my most favourite purchase of all my snowboarding gear is....a $20 face mask. I think mines just the one you can get at spotchek, has one open hole for your face, and also protects your neck. You can also pull it up a bit and protect your cheeks. You can even choose to wear it fully over your head or you can pull the top part down and just have it covering your cheeks/neck. It's best when theres freezing rain coming down on to your cheeks as you are bombing it down a hill.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, if I think of some more I'll add them in.

What is "park" and "rocker board"?

What do the K numbers mean?

What is considered a "high millimetre rating" and "all mountain type"? What brand would you recommend for a face mask?

Thanks for all the help! I could just google what you guys said, but I think you guys would give me even better info :P

Firstly are you indeed a beginner boarder? If so I wouldn't even look at park boards, all all mountain/terrain board is better suited for learning the basics of snowboarding. K number is the same as the MM rating I was talking about. Like 10,000 mm = 10K mm. The facemask was just some generic one at sportschek, im sure they have the same one now, ill try to get a name for it.

The K numbers mean thousands. ie 10,000 MM and 8000MM

a "high millimetre rating" would be anywhere north of 20,000MM. Anything above 20K will be pretty expensive, but well worth the price. I have a Burton AK Jacket and its made out of a gore-tex fabric. I never get wet or soaked even if its raining hard.

a park board is a snowboard designed to go into the terrain park, where you can do tricks and jumps of tails and boxes. I'm pretty sure you're not at that stage yet.

A all mountain board is a versatile board that you can take anywhere on the mountain. For you, a all mountain board will be the best bet as its the most versatile and easiest to learn on.

Get a helmet.
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IMO, here's what you should be looking for. I'm no expert, but this seems to work for me.

Boots: GET THESE FIRST. Get comfortable ones, because you will be in them ALL DAY. Get ones that have NO heel lift when you lean forward. Get ones that have a good fit. Do NOT wear boots that have your feet sliding around inside. Your feet will thank you. This should be your biggest investment. Don't focus on one brand, because some brands are wider or narrower than others.

Board Brand and Price: It's good to start with a good brand like Ride, K2, or (*wince*) Burton as a beginner. Those brands are known to have quality boards. Get something affordable (not cheap per se, just affordable) You don't need any board from Lib Tech, Never Summer, or Capita when you start. You'll just break your bank and if you end up hating the sport it's a lot of money lost. Don't get a park board. Ask for an all-mountain if you're a beginner. Also ask for a twin-tip, not a directional board. That way you can learn to ride switch (backwards) much easier than with a directional.

Board Length: If someone is selling you a board measures the board length by leaning it against your face with your nose as a reference, stop them and tell them they're stupid. Slap them in the face even. Always use your weight to determine your board length. The board doesn't know how tall you are, it knows how HEAVY you are, and how much force you're applying to it.

Bindings: Get ones that fit your boot size (yes, they have sizes). Personally I would recommend Burton Cartels or Flux TT30. They will last from beginner to expert riding, and the toe and ankle straps are simply amazing (Restricted models only). But really, you can afford to go with any company with bindings.

Jacket: I would recommend getting something above 10K waterproof rating. You WILL get wet with anything below, especially in the local mountains and the constant fog you'll be riding in. 20K is the sweet spot. Any wetter and you can just buy a poncho or a garbage bag to go over your gear.

Pants: Get something at least 15K. You will spend most of your time sitting on snow, so your ass will get wet. (If you don't think you'll sit on the snow you're kidding yourself. You'll be doing it a lot, especially if your friends are slow). Plus sometimes the lifties don't wipe the chairs down, so they're wet.

Gloves: Get something VERY waterproof (Gore-Tex is the best) and warm. Don't get pipe gloves unless you're a park rat, because your digits will freeze due to how thin they are.

Don't forget goggles and helmets.

Goggles: Get something that have NO AIR GAPS around your face. Those EG2's may look cool but if there's a hole the size of a penny on your nose foam then your goggles will fog up and your eyes will dry. Talk to the local shop techs about goggle lenses.

Helmets: Bring your goggles with you when you try them. You don't wanna look stupid with a gap between your helmet and your goggle frame. Get something with certification, something with EPS foam instead of that soft foam that's in typical helmets. Get Red, Smith or if you wanna look ghetto, a Sandbox Certified. Bern hard hats aren't usually certified, but they do look cool.

Facemasks: Just get an Airhole.

For all this stuff I would recommend the shops on West 4th. Shops like Comor, Pacific Boarder, Boardroom and Showcase have GREAT stuff. Only go to Sportchek for the cheap boards, but if you find something better, definitely go to the shops at w4th.

See you at the slopes man! Have fun, be patient and stick with it!

Remember that is just a VERY vague guide with a few set of guidelines. That's just to prevent you from overspending when the shop people are looking for a quick sell.

There is soooo much tech in the snowboard industry that no one in this forum can cover it for you. I mean for boards alone there is Rocker, Camber, Hybrid, Flat, Banana Tech.

There's two ways of going about this shopping thing as a beginner:
1) Forget all the tech. Forget all the speedlacing, RockerCamber board profiles. Just buy what fits you and what you feel like will make you stick with the sport.

2) Spend the next 10 years of your life reading up Buyers Guides and Catalogues of all the latest and greatest techs companies are bringing out and pick one for your style.

Either one of this is a fun way of riding and picking out gear. I personally just bought whatever fit when I was starting out then researched really hard when I bought my Lib Tech Phoenix (I had a spreadsheet that contained 7 possible boards, with pros and cons and shit...)

just enjoy the journey to snowboarding man.

Here a good guide to buying your first snowboard. Should help you understand all the different terms.

Snowboard Sizing & Buyer's Guide | evo

jbsali's gear guide to snowboarding



BOARD

I could spend all day writing about the differences between boards and brands but I will keep it short and sweet. The goldens rules: buy a board that will measure up to your chin or bottom lip. This is something that a lot of people will recommend following but it is personal preference. The other rule is balance the board around your weight. Boards are usually categorized around body weight vs actual height of person. The bigger the board, the harder it is to control and jump around, the smaller the board, the easier it is to twist and turn and jump! There is such a thing as too small and too big so make sure you look at a snowboard size chart and once you have narrowed it down to the board you want, take a look at the manufacturers size chart!

Boards will also range in internal structure and features. Eg: Burton Root will offer nug raduction- ride 8-10cm smaller than actual size, v rocker- easy to butter and do quick tricks, etc etc etc.

Some boards are designed for all mountain riding, some are designed for park and some are designed for both. Some boards are directional for all mountain and some are twin design for park, some are wide for people with big feet, etc etc etc. There are TONS of factors when it comes to picking the perfect board.

I find that Burton tends to be hella expensive! However, you do get a pretty good quality board. Big brands: K2, Ride, Burton, Forum, etc etc.

Try not to base boards on deck design: Anyone can fall victim to this! Although that board might look bitchin', it may not fit your riding style.

BOOTS

Get a boot that fits right! The best thing to do is get a boot that is .5" smaller than your boot size. If the boot still has toe room, go smaller. Keep in mind that these boots will "pack out" (packing of interior lining) overtime. I usually recommend wearing the boots for a couple of hours a day for a few days to help break them in before hitting the slopes. The nice thing about breaking them in at home: If the boot is still too tight, you can almost always return the boot to your local shop because it doesn't appear to be "worn" (do not wear outside!)

In terms of lace styles. You can look into basic laces (which i like the most), BOA design,(Uses a wheel and cable construction to tighten the top and bottom of the book quickly and evenly), or pull laces (a cross between basic laces and BOA). Although a majority of boot buyers run to the BOA design, a lot of them will fail to realize that the BOA will only tighten the top and bottom evenly while laces can tighten the bottom more and the top less (or vise versa). Pull laces can be adjusted to tighten evenly or tighten areas individually (depending on boot style).

Some boots will have an interior liner that can be molded (using a heat gun) to form to the shape of your boot. This feature is available across brands (usually in higher model). Helps speed up the packing process but the boots still tend to pack out a bit.

BINDINGS

There are many different brands and many different styles. Some are stiff and some are very flexible and some cater to your unique riding style. If your looking for a good starting-binding I would recommend the Burton Freestyle or the Burton Custom. The toe strap design is a really cool feature that Burton uses. Unlike normal binding straps, the strap closest to your toes is cupped on the tip of your boot! This feature really keeps you buckled down! There are a lot of brand that don't have the toe strap molded to fit on top of the tip of your boot but can be adjusted to still sit on it. K2 and Ride also make really good bindings. In terms of sizing, have a rep help you determine the right size binding for you! Sizes can vary between manufacturers so follow the manufacturers/ reps recommendations closely and compare.

ACCESSORIES

Stomp Pad/ Traction Pad: This is a little grippy mat that is positioned just infront of your back foot's binding. This little pad helps your boot grip to the board when making the transition on and off the chairlift. This accessory is usually one of the most least expensive items you can buy for your snowboard set-up. A lot of pros don't use them because they either find them tacky or uncool. Don't let that steer you away! These pads are still used by pros! When it comes to falling on my ass and humiliating myself infront of the chairlift operator or fitting in with the "cool kids", i'll spend the 10 bucks and buy a stomp pad..

Tuning Kits: Good to have in your boardbag or pocket incase you need a quick fix. Not that kind of fix... dirty birdy! Maybe a binding bolt came loose or the board wax is a little patchy? A small screwdriver and can of quick wax is always a bonus!

Stickers: For a custom look! Awwwww yeahhhhh!!

JACKETS

Don't settle for a jacket thats anything less than 20,000mm/ 10k waterproof. We get soo much rain that you would be foolish to cheap out on a jacket just to be soaking wet 30min into your snowboarding adventure! Look for a shell as you can layer up on cold days and drop layers on warm days. Insulated jackets are fine too! Try to find a jacket that has built in vents (normally under arms or armpits). If the jacket has built in thumb hole liners, its just an added bonus. The thumb holes will stop snow from going up your sleeves. Hoods are a big bonus! If you don't plan on wearing a helmet (which I would recommend wearing) the hood is a good idea for the rain we get. A majority of hoods on jackets are removable from what ive seen. If it's not removable: No big D. Make sure that your jacket has a built in snow skirt. This will keep the snow out of your jacket when you are out and about. I would highly recommend buying a jacket with a snow skirt built in (long jackets don't really require them)

LOOK FOR: 20,000mm, taped seams, pockets, snow skirt, vents and hood (w/ or w/o use of helmet helmet)

Burton: Available in 20,000mm. Look into DryRide feature in Burton jackets. Tend to fit a little big and steer towards the costly side. Great materials and great warranty. Available in Shell or Insulated

Ride: By far the best jackets I have ever worn. The jackets come in classic styles (plaid, checker format, straight colours, etc). The Ride jackets also offer a lot of pockets: Pockets on pockets!? "Yo dog, I heard you like pockets"... All jokes aside, these jackets are almost always available in true 20,000mm waterproof protection. Tons of vents and usually come with thumb holes. These jackets can withstand a 40day and 40night flood. Spent 8hours in heavy rain and still remained bone dry underneath the shell. The only downside is that the jacket's zipper dangles/ tassels (made of fabric) tend to rip off if forced. Honestly, even if you are the worst seamstress in the world, a few stitches and they are back on. You could just replace it with a zapstrap/ziptie if you really wanted. I would recommend this jacket the most. Expect around the Burton price range, if not a little more.

Northface: Available in 20,000mm. I've noticed with some of the 20,000mm jackets that they aren't as waterproof as other brands. Usually have a bunch of pockets. Fit a little big. Prices can fluctuate drastically. Almost all are insulated and not always vented

DC: These jackets tend to fit long. This can be seen as a bonus if you plan on spending half the day on your ass! ..It happens. These jackets aren't true 20,000mm although they can sometimes be tagged as 20,000mm. Good jackets for light snowfalls and mist. Not the greatest in rain.

Columbia: These jackets are also pretty good. 20,000mm tends to be true to the jacket if labelled. The jacket styles tend to be plain. If you're looking for a brand with funky graphics, this is not the jacket for your. These jackets come in shell or insulated.

Firefly: These jackets can look good, but they do not withstand against our rain and snow (wet snow). The jackets tend to be shotty in terms of insulation bulk up in certain areas. The more you wear it, the worse it gets. Don't get me wrong, the jacket can be good for someone that makes 3-4 trips a season. Avoid if possible

Ripzone: Jackets are ok. Styles tend to be tacky if your looking for a jacket that is cosmetically appealing. If you don't care about the style, the waterproof rating is also ok. Available in 10,000-20,000mm but I find that the 20,000mm jackets perform like 10,000mm. A step above firefly, but not too much better. Good for very basic season use.


PANTS

Pants are usually based on a few things: waterproof rating, comfort and looks. Ive seen pants that are extremely baggy to pants that look painted on. Over the last few years, the most popular pants have been the "Jean Style" snowpants. These pants were extremely popular when the USA 2010 Olympic team was sporting Burton "The Jeans" Snowboard pants for the Vancouver Winter Olympics. "Look" is by far personal preference. You can look into insulated or Shell pants. With our weather, I would strongly recommend a thick base layer if you are going with shell snowboard pants. (See clothing accessories for more details) Insulated pants almost always seem to be baggy but do keep you warm. They usually have vents in the inner legs and waist adjusters. Make sure that you settle for nothing less than 20,000mm snow pants. If you get anything less, YOU WILL get wet. Snowboard pants (regardless of style) will usually have an inner snowskirt/trap to stop snow from going up the legs of the pants. Some will use an elastic design and some will use a simple clip. Some brands use both of these features in their snow traps (common in Burton pants)

LOOK FOR: 20,000mm, taped seams, pockets, snow traps on legs and vents.

Burton: Available in 10,000-20,000mm protection. Available in shells and insulation. Keep in mind that the shells tend to fit tighter than the insulated pants. Insulated pants will vary in internal material. Both types will almost always include vents and pockets. If the pants are jean styled: pockets are zippers, velcro or both. If you want a great shell with style: Burton dark horizon jean snowboard pants. These pants are truely waterproof! Worth the money if spending a lot of time on the mountain. BONUS: If your jacket
has a built-in snow skirt (most likely), chances are you have a jacket to pants connector. These are button loops that connect to a lot of Burton pants! However, if you mix and match brands, you will most likely lose this feature. This feature exists in other brands too! Ride uses a zipper that locks your jacket to your pants!

Columbia: I find these pants aren't as waterproof when compared to other competitors like Burton and Northface. Quite a few of their pants have a feature called "Omni-Heat." This feature contains an interior lining that traps bodyheat so that you can wear less layers! This feature is also available in Columbia base layers (see clothing accessories for more details). Overall, these are good pants! It's hard to find the shell version but I find that their insulated pants and jackets with Omni-Heat are far superior.

Northface: These pants tend to fit long. Usually available in insulated versions. The feature i really like in these pants versus other brands is the Chimney Vent feature. These Chimney vents are located at the top interior portion of the snow trap in the legs. Its top material is mesh: This allows air to travel though the legs to cool you down! Very cool feature to Northface pants. These pants are truely 20,000mm even though the pants use gortex in some models and have taped seams. This would be my next choice after Burton. Overall: Good pants!

Firefly: The pants are better than the jackets for sure! When i first started getting into snowboarding i went with cheap pants incase i didn't like the sport at all. The pants kept me dry on dry pow days. Rain was not a good mix with these pants. If you tend to sit a lot, your ass will get wet! however, the rest of the pants tend to keep dry even in the rain. The ass wetness (lol) isn't too bad because your body heat will warm the wet portions if you tend to keep the vents closed. The pants are all insulated. I know for a fact that they still make the pants i had! Usually available in black, blue or yellow. Overall: OK.

Ripzone: These pants aren't too bad! I would still look into Northface or Burton for better materials and waterproof features. If you're on a budget, these pants aren't too bad! Below the Burton and the Northface but above the Firefly pants! Overall: OK

CLOTHING ACCESSORIES

Socks: A thick sock is the best sock! If you're boots fit too tight: settle with a thin sock that is warm. Once your boots pack out you can look into a thicker/ warmer sock. Cool 80's colours will get you in with the cool cats! Confidence not included.

Detergent: Wash your snowboarding clothing (jacket and pants) with detergent that is designed for waterproof materials. This can be found at almost any winter sports clothing retailer (eg. Sport Chek). Your clothing will lose its waterproof feature overtime but washing it with approved detergent will help increase/ retain it.

Gloves: I've been through tons of gloves and by far the best ones i have ever used are by Northface. A lot of their gloves have draw strings to tighten the arm cuff and a strap to tighten the wrist area. There are two types of gloves: Regular and Bakers Mitt (personal preference). I find that the Bakers Mitt style is warmer but they restrict movement. You can always look into heat packs for your gloves on colder/ coldest days. Some gloves will offer vents for warm days! Look for Northface Montanas <3. Do not use rope fences around chairlift entries to stop yourself! This wears down the palms of your gloves.

Balaclava: This is something I would highly recommend as you get near the peak of winter season. Really good for cold nights! There are many different styles! You can look into basic ones that sit around your neck, pull over (ski mask style) and bandana styles (hella cool). The warmest ones tend to be made out of fleece or have fleece interior.

Base Layers: Highly recommended regardless of which jacket you go with. They are usually available in different thicknesses depending on brands. Under Armour has 4 different thickness types commonly available ( 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0) They higher the number, the thicker the material. The interior looks similar to a waffle design. These layers are designed to trap heat and wick away sweat. If you decide to go with shell pants i would recommend 3.0 or 4.0 if you don't plan on wearing fleece pants underneath (i don't). Another good base layer is Columbia. They use the Omni-Heat feature to trap in heat and also wick away sweat. Keep in mind that these base layers are designed to fit tight, but comfortable!

Helmet: K2 is by far my favourite brand of helmet! There are so many brands and so many styles it can be pretty disgusting. Look for something that offers good protection with a goggle clip so you don't lose your fancy goggles! "Sand Box" branded helmets tend to be the most popular models right now. Make sure that the helmet fits snug. If you can tighten it up, grab it and rotate it around your head... it's too big! Almost all are vented and some will have closing vents. Try to find something that is vented! Some even have built in headphones! Woo woo woo! Really consider getting a helmet! I have seen so many accidents on the slopes where a person has not worn a helmet. It might look cool to wear that toque with the built-on mohawk but is it worth your life?

Goggles: They range from super cheap to super expensive. I recommend spending around 100-150 bucks on goggles. The mid range models will offer built in venting systems, anti-fog glass and replaceable glass inserts. I find that anon, smith and oakleys are the best i've used. I would highly recommend oakleys if your looking for an "asian face" fit. No joke! I have had so many reps tell me this and the gf confirms! Make sure that the goggles cover your face properly: make your sure that there are no gaps between your goggles and your face. The worst area is around the nose (for gaps)! Tint is also a big factor. Goggles with darker tint are great on sunny days and bad on night runs. Yellow tint improves visibility but can be a little distracting at night. Look for goggles with a slight tint. DO NOT wipe the goggle interior with any kind of fabric material. gently dab the inside to prevent the anti-fog coating from wearing off!


If you have any questions in regards to anything snowboarding related, feel free to ask me here of pm me. I've spent hours upon hours upon hours researching equipment, talking to reps and pros about all this stuff.
PS: Disregard any typos. I mad typed this out!


and just for shits and giggles:

The GF and I are planning to buy new gear for this season but haven't been snowboarding these past two seasons so we kind of forgot how the conditions were haha

What do you guys recommend for jackets? I've seen some pretty good deals on the-house.com for shells/insulated jackets about $80-100 but am wondering if we need something thicker like this one :On Sale Burton Restricted Durban Snowboard Jacket Redical up to 45% off
My GF also has her eye on this jacket at Winners for $130: On Sale Burton Sage Down Snowboard Jacket Vain - Womens up to 40% off

Are they a little too warm if we're just gonna go to Cypress most of the time? We are planning on going to Whistler and Sun Peaks as well this season.

Should we go for lighter jackets like the Burton Arctic/Traction?

in case you guys missed this
http://www.revscene.net/forums/67628...ml#post8077069
good chance to get some cheap gear and your board waxed/tuned for free

for you personally i would recommend a shell or shell with a small bit of insulation. look into a good base layer. something along the lines of under armour 2.0/3.0, columbia omni-heat or nike. make sure that the base layer is for cold conditions and not warm conditions. Some of the tags can be confusing. eg. labelled hotgear (may be designed for cold weather or vise versa). Ask a rep for help when choosing a base layer. Remember, not to tight and not too loose. If you get a thick base layer, expect to just wear a thin fleece sweater or sometimes just a basic t-shirt on warm days. IMO, its better to just buy a jacket as a shell because our winters are unpredictable (warm, cold, rain, snow). If you plan on going into the interior a lot, look into a insulated jacket. Try to find one with vents too.

In your SO's situation, that is a pretty good deal. Again, I would recommend a shell and layer up versus pre-insulated jackets. If the jacket has vents to cool off I would say go for it. Keep in mind that you should be looking for jackets that are 20,000mm if at all possible. This will be labelled on any burton jacket.

I would also recommend having your SO get a long jacket. Womens snowpants tend to be low-rise and if the pants don't zip or button to the jacket, shes asking for trouble. Remember, her problem becomes your problem (lol). Look for something with a built in snow skirt if possible. If the jacket is really long it's nothing to worry about but I would say its a must for your jacket. Also, never cheap out on jackets and pants, they are items that will probably last 10-15 seasons.

any other questions just feel free to message me here or PM me. I made sure I subscribed to this thread.

I would recommend shells as well, you're pretty much shit outta luck if you get too hot on the mountain wearing a jacket. Best just to wear a couple layers and a shell and you can take them off as you need.

For your GF's jacket, I would not recommend any down material for snowboarding whatsoever. Again, just buy a shell and wear layers underneath

Thanks for your replies guys. Probably gonna take your advice and get a shell to layer.
I think I'm going to settle for a 10k/10k, lightly insulated jacket. Can't seem to find 20k waterproof. Most Burton jackets max out at 15k and then next level is gore-tex. My GF is deciding to go the same route as me because she's scared that it might be too hot with a down jacket.

I'm probably gonna look for a base layer too if I can find a good deal on it online.

^ I have a 10k jacket and 15k pants. I've never been wet at the end of the day, except from sweating. For a base layer, I wouldn't worry about buying something. Even on the coldest days at Sun Peaks, I've been warm, almost hot with just my jacket and a heavier hoodie or fleece sweater under it. Remember, you might be chilly standing around, but once you get moving you heat up right away. Don't make either time unbearably cold/hot.

One thing to note, get warm gloves/boots/socks. Your body takes blood from these areas first when you're cold. If you're not worried about being able to use individual fingers, buy mitts; they're warmer. Don't do what my friend used to do and double up on socks in exchange for warm socks either; it does the opposite of keep you warm.
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Yeah I'm planning on buying these gore-tex mitts for $26 : On Sale Burton Goretex Snowboard Mittens Black Heather Diamond up to 55% off
They're %30 off that price in cart and then another 5% off total with a coupon.

The thing about base layers is that you won't even get wet when you sweat. I've read that when you wear cotton and sweat, it just gets trapped and you end up freezing when it comes into contact with the cold air. Same thing with non-breathable gloves/mitts.
I know it's not the end of the world if I just wear a regular hoodie, but if I can get some for a good deal I'm gonna give it a try.

WOW.

there's a lot of good and a terrible amount of useless biased information on this thread.

Well it's all personal preference and experience

And personal preference doesn't always relate to another persons needs and usage.

for someone to use your exact set up and use it in a means that you feel is comfortable is not always necessarily the "right" way to offer assistance.