So, let’s start with the jacket. My initial impression is I really like the look, it came in ‘hemlock green’ and I am a big fan of the more neutral tones they have gone for. As for the features, there are lots of pockets which is great if you are someone like me who loves to snack when they are out for a big day. There are two hip pockets, a chest pocket which allows you to feed earphones internally and a pocket on the sleeve for a ski-pass. There is also an internal zipped pocket, handy for a wallet or keys and an internal stash pocket which would work well for storing skins if you want to keep them warm and dry next to your body. The Powder Town is a 2-layer jacket which is great for durability, whilst the addition of pit-zips allows good breathability. It has a helmet compatible hood with a wired-peak and high collar which is really nice for when you are sitting on the chair or touring across the Cairngorm plateau and it’s blowing an absolute hoolie! It also comes with a powder skirt which is compatible with the pants for those deep days to keep the snow out.

‘Of course, it’s no surprise that Patagonia has been leading the charge on sustainability in the outdoor industry for a while now, but I was impressed to hear they had managed to create a PFC Free DWR.’

The Powder Town range comes in pants or bibs, I was testing the pants as opposed to the bibs, but it’s great to have the option depending on what you like to ride and how hot / cold you tend to run. The pants come with 60g of insulation. Now, I’m not usually a fan of insulated pants. I like to ride with shells and merino base layers as I tend to find insulated pants restrictive and bulky however I was impressed with the mobility and cut of the pants. They were easy to move around in when fastening my bindings / adjusting my boots and I felt really comfortable ripping around the mountain all day long in them. Although I would say these are designed towards resort ripping, I did take them touring to see how they performed and with the ventilation zips think they would be great for those colder winter days when you need the extra insulation to keep you warm. Similarly, there are plenty of pockets on the pants, with one slightly lower pocket which would work well for a phone, as it keeps it at a decent distance from your transceiver. I liked the addition of an internal waist adjustment, I found it to be more comfortable than a belt and the Velcro strap made it easy to get the fit just right. They come with scuff guards around the bottom, an added benefit for durability of the pants, they protect from boot scuffs or crampons catching if you are doing any boot packing.

Overall, I’m really impressed with the PFC-Free Powder Town Combo. I’m currently writing this as Scotland’s mountains are experiencing one of their thaw cycles, so I think it’s more important now than ever for brands to be striving to find solutions and do more for the environment so that we can protect the wild places we like to play. If you are looking for a sustainable outerwear choice that has not compromised on quality or performance, then look no further.

Words: Holly Burns

Photos: Jordan Tiernan 

Find out more are www.patagonia.com