Burton AK 3L Freebird 2015 - 2013 Review by The Good Ride

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The 2015 Burton AK 3L Freebird Jacket changed from a contoured hood uber technical jacket with its own unique look and feel but for 2015 it’s much more similar to the AK 3L Hover Jacket.

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews.  No one is perfect and we do make money from the “Where To Buy” links below, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.

Size Tried: Large
James’ Specs:
Height: 5’10”,
Weight: 195 lbs,
Upper Body-:44” Chest, Torso Length 23” (collar bone to pant button), Shoulder Width Approx 22”, Arm Length 19.5” (pit to wrist)
Lower Body: 33” Waist, 42” Hips, 30” Inseam,  24.5” Thigh
Turn On’s: Size L Jackets that fit well around my chest, size M pants that fit well around my thighs so I can get in and out of my pockets, open roads, Surfy Powder Turns, Riding with Friends, new gear and especially my super-hot super smart super funny wife.
Turn Off’s: Size L Jackets that don’t fit well around my chest, super tight Size M Pants that I can’t get up over my thighs, traffic and people who can’t park inside the lines.

Fit: Like the fit and it feels good.  It’s got a good look to it.  It’s not the most flattering jacket I’ve tried but it’s up there. I could definitely do a lot worse.

Comfort: Very comfortable. The Articulating hood looks better and is more functional. It’s hard to believe there are 3 layers there as it’s soo thin.

Construction: Burton really nailed this material wisely and it’s got a nice balance between ultimate packability and durability.

Hood: Really bummed about the change from a contoured hood to articulating hood.  Now it’s like a more stretchy packable version of the AK 3L Hover instead of having its own personality and look. Also on a technical side, I prefer a contoured hood because it seems to completely cover my face. I haven’t found an articulating hood yet that doesn’t leave a small part of the face exposed.  It’s nothing major unless you get stuck on a chair without a good bandana.

Insulation/Warmth: No warmth there.  It’s a pure shell

Waterproofing: Bombproof.  Probably over a 28 K rating.

Breathability:  Pretty breathable.  Gore-Tex doesn’t disclose the waterproofing or breathability but it’s got

Overall:   So this is a pretty amazing jacket but for many it’s overkill.  It really shines for those that put a ton of time in the backcountry and see a lot of elevation levels. Or it could work if you want a very light pack-able jacket for the mountain or mountains that have a lot of rain and wet snow.  For me changing to the articulating hood is a deal breaker but many will like that.

 

2013 and 2014  Burton Freebird Jacket Review

The Burton AK 3L Freebird Jacket is new to 2013 and probably our favorite Technical Shell out there but unfortunately its probably the most expensive snowboard jacket out there.  This blends the jacket design of the Burton AK 2L Cyclic Jacket but uses 3 layers of stretchy fabric and doesn’t have a taffeta liner. We feel it’s just as good or even better than any high-end ski jackets like Arcteryx. For a long time, there was the AK Cyclic Jacket, the AK Stagger, and AK Hover Jackets.  The new addition of the AK Freebird offers a 3 Layer ultra technical version of the Cyclic jacket.  The fabric is new this year and it’s pretty stretchy compared to every other AK jacket.  It almost feels like a soft shell jacket instead of a shell. This is a minimal jacket that offers a superior barrier to the elements and it’s so nice to see this with a contoured hood instead of an articulating hood.  It makes additional face protection less necessary than it is with Burton’s articulating hood.