Burton AK 3L Freebird Bib 2019 - 2013 Review by The Good Ride

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The Burton AK 3L Freebird Bib Pant is a light, thin yet bulletproof piece of super techy outerwear.  It comes at a cost similar to a snowboard though and it’s not for everyone.  However, if you see a lot of wet weather, a lot of deep powder and spend a lot of time in the Backcountry this is a great call.

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: Medium
James’ Specs:
Height: 5’10”,
Weight: 185 lbs,
Waist 32-33”
Hips 42”
Inseam 30”
Upper Thigh 24.5”
Middle Thigh 22”
Calves 17”
Turn On’s: Size M pants that fit well around my thighs, Riding with Friends, Open Roads, new gear and especially my wife.
Turn Off’s: M Pants that I can’t get up over my thighs, traffic, and people who can’t park inside the lines.

Fit: The fit of the Burton AK 3L Freebird Bib Pant is not quite what we would call a regular fit but lives more on the tighter articulated side of regular. The tighter fit works well for my build.  It’s tight enough to give an articulated almost tailored look but still has room for layering without getting too tight.

Construction: This is top notch construction and I like the way the pant is put together. It’s super thin but still has a sturdy look to it.  All the seems are put together really well and on top of that Burton has a pretty great warranty/customer service dept that backs up their product.

Insulation/Warmth: None really to speak of. This is thin for even a shell but it will block all wind and more water than just about any other outer layer out there. So it’s all about getting the right layer on underneath.

Waterproofing: Pretty bombproof.  It uses top end Gore-Tex 3 layer fabric and it makes for

Breathability: Felt really breathable and more so than many other gore-tex pants I tried. The breathability is unpublished but many estimate it to be at about 20gm and that is the general estimate for just about any Gore-Tex product.  To me, the AK 3L Freebird Bib Pant is more breathable than many 2 layer Gore-Tex pants I’ve tried. Maybe it’s that there isn’t a liner that is brushing up against your skin or maybe it’s that the fabric allows steam quicker access out of the pant but whatever it is it does a great job.  Also having 4 outer vents without any mesh makes this pant incredibly easy to regulate heat. 

Packability: So thin and it takes up very little space in your bag if you are traveling somewhere.

Overall: This is really pricey but if you are someone who spends a ton of time in deep powder, hikes a lot and also sees a lot of wet weather it might be worth it.