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Outerwear

FW Manifest Tour 3L 2022-2023 Jacket and Pants Review

Tested and selected for our top 100 snowboard products of the year: the FW Manifest Tour 3L

  • Price Jacket: £450 / €500 / $550
  • Price Pants: £400 / €460 / $500
  • Waterproof / Breathability: 20K/20K
  • Category: Backcountry
  • Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL (only men’s)

Why We Chose The FW Manifest Tour 3L Jacket and Bib Pants: Without cutting back on any technicalities on the female make, FW’s innovative take on backcountry outerwear is like a breeze of fresh air.

Hailing from the mountains surrounding Lake Annecy, FW has proven to be one of the go-to brands for backcountry enthusiasts. The relatively new brand has won us over with their minimalist yet functional line, and the 3-layer Manifest Tour jacket and bib pants are a fine example of why. Designed in both a men’s and women’s specific cut, this ‘made-four-touring’ outerwear is comfortable, durable, and easy on the eyes.

“Ideal for male and female snowboarders who don’t want to restrain themselves to the limits of the resorts”

Who Are The FW Manifest Tour 3L Jacket and Bib Pants For?

Ideal for male and female snowboarders who don’t want to restrain themselves to the limits of the resorts. The Manifest Tour outerwear is built to feel light and breathable yet withstand the gnarliest of weather conditions – exactly what you’ll need to feel comfortable for a backcountry tour.

MORE INFO:
FWAPPAREL.COM

 

Materials and Construction

For added comfort and functionality, FW has gone for a 3L fabric and a 20K waterproofing together with a 20K breathability rating.

As opposed to a 2L shell, a 3L construction comes with a third protective layer between the outer shell and the waterproof membrane. This gives additional protection to the membrane while cutting down on bulk. As the third layer is firmly attached to the membrane, it will also move with the jacket/pants adding additional comfort for your tour.

In general, 3L outerwear also takes longer to produce as the process of putting it all together is more time-consuming, hence the materials in use are more carefully chosen. In other words, they’re more durable and have a longer lifeline than 2L jackets/pants, therefore why they often come with a higher price tag. It is an investment, but an investment you don’t have to repeat every second year.

For added comfort, FW has also used 4-way stretch nylon to make the outerwear move with your body making it easier to take long leaps when exploring the backcountry.

“The Manifest Tour outerwear is built to feel light and breathable yet withstand the gnarliest of weather conditions – exactly what you’ll need to feel comfortable for a backcountry tour”

Fit and Features

Designed in a regular fit, both the jacket and pants are tailored to maximize performance and freedom of movement while the incorporated patterns in the knees and elbows ensure a more ergonomic fit.

Both the male and female jackets are designed to be both backpack and harness friendly while featuring an adjustable helmet-compatible hood with a bonded protective visor, a high collar for full coverage with a comfortable poly tricot liner, wrist gaiters with thumbholes, large side zippers with arm vents, a large chest pocket, hand pockets, a large front body vent and mesh pocket system for moisture regulation and a sleeve pocket for phone, keys and cards.

As for the bibs, they come with vents at both the front and the back for added breathability, a large front opening with a 2-way zipper under a bonded flap, inner bib mesh pockets with one secured by a zipper, zippered thigh pockets with top access, laser-cut vents to help evaporate humidity and snap buttons at the back leg and knee to shorten the leg while touring.

“Clean-cut designs, relaxed backcountry fits and technical outerwear, this is what we want the future to look like”

Roundup

FW has done a solid job at differentiating themselves within the backcountry market. The European-based brand embraces the essence of snowboarding by focusing on artistic innovations, individual expressions, and high quality. They’ve managed to create a collection that suits all and everyone, unifying the different types of snowboarders. Clean-cut designs, relaxed backcountry fits and technical outerwear, this is what we want the future to look like.

Pros:

  • It’s nice to see that no sacrifices were made in the making of the female outerwear
  • FW’s cuts stand out from the rest of the backcountry-specific snow outerwear and it’s nice to see something slightly different

Cons:

  • Fit is quite short, which might prove to be a problem for taller people. Luckily, you can adjust the length of the bibs using the straps. And if you don’t mind the fitted-short-jacket look then you might not even think of it as too short.
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Tester’s Verdict 2022/23

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Trade Secrets

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