Volcom L Gore-Tex Jacket 2014-2023 Review

The Volcom L Gore-Tex Jacket gives you a Gore-Tex shell with most features you would expect with Gore-Tex at under $300 which is pretty good. It’s got the kind of fit that flatters a lot of different body types while still having room for layering underneath. Year over year this is one of the most recommendable jackets at this price point for those that see a lot of wet/stormy weather. The 2019 Volcom L Gore-Tex Jacket is very similar to the 2018 in terms of fit and tech.  There are a few minor tweaks but overall they are very similar.

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: 185 lbs
Chest: 44”
Upper Chest by lats: 45”
Neck: 16″
Torso Length (collarbone to pant line) 23”
Widest Width Upper Body (Just below shoulders) 21” wide (52” Circumference)
Shoulder Width 19” wide (48” Circumference)
Arm Length (pit to wrist) 19.5”

Helmet: Smith Maze

Goggles:  Smith IO Mag

Fit: The Volcom L Gore-Tex Jacket fits me well and has a flattering cut for most body types.  Especially so for people with wider shoulders or thicker chests like myself.

Construction: After a good 30+ days of riding there was minimal to no wear and no tear. It was well built and made to last a good while.  It’s a little better than what you would expect compared to many other entry-level Gore-Tex jackets at or near this price point. The jacket to pant zipper integration is a pretty cool thing too if you want to truly seal up your back end.  However, if you don’t have a Volcom Pant to go with it you can still use the traditional jacket to pant interface instead of the zipper so you aren’t forced to buy all Volcom if you find a pant that calls to you from another brand.

Hood: The hood can fit most helmets and in most sizes. Being helmet compatible is a pretty important thing these days so it’s good the Volcom L Gore-Tex Jacket is building a hood that works for almost every head size and helmet type. Also, that contoured hood is great if you want to get a good seal around your goggles and with my low profile Smith Vantage helmet I was able to open up the hood a bit to let that mouth of mine out to talk and breathe when I needed to.

Insulation/Warmth: This is just a shell so it’s not made to be warm but it does block wind and water out very well which lets your mid layer give you more warmth. That being said it’s pretty warm as far as shells go with no insulation and the material has a little thickness to it.

Packability: It’s not the super light technical shell much think of when you hear Gore-Tex in the name but it’s not going to hog space in your bag either.

Waterproofing: The Volcom L Gore-Tex Jacket has proven itself all season in everything from the light and fluffy to wet snow to rain.  If you ride all the time and need good waterproofing but are on a budget this is a great call. Even after 2 washes, the waterproofing held.  After one wash I realized that I ran out of Nikwax treatment for the outer layer and yet a lot of the rain the following day still beaded up on the jacket like it was.

I even rode all morning in rain to very wet snow and then sat down in a chair for an hour to review some Union Bindings. The rain never got through but it was starting to feel like it might.  That’s all you can ask of 2 Layer Gore-Tex under $300.  In medium snow that can often stick to certain materials, the Volcom L Gore-Tex didn’t hold onto anything and it was snow clinger free.

Breathability: Not quite as good as the waterproofing and I’ve had other jackets breathe better but it’s still pretty good with letting off some of your own steam from inside.

Overall: The Volcom L Gore-Tex Jacket is a well built and very waterproof jacket. Yeah, there are better jackets out there, but not many that can hang at this price point. It was a jacket that I was happy to have in my quiver this season.

Days: 30+
Conditions: Everything from dry snow to wet snow to straight up rain. 
Size Tried: Large
James’ Specs:
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 180-195 lbs
Chest: 44-45”
Upper Chest by lats: 45-46”
Neck: 16″
Torso Length (collarbone to pant line) 23”
Widest Width Upper Body (Just below shoulders) 21” wide (52” Circumference)
Shoulder Width 19” wide (48” Circumference)
Arm Length (pit to wrist) 19.5”

Helmet: Smith Vantage

Goggles:  Smith IO7

Size Tried: Large
James’ Specs:
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 200 lbs
Chest: 45”
Upper Chest: 47”
Neck: 16″
Torso Length (collar bone to pant line) 23”
Shoulder Width (widest point of shoulders) 22”
Arm Length (pit to wrist) 19.5”

Helmet: Smith Vantage

Goggles: Smith IO

2016 Volcom L Gore-Tex Jacket

Size Tried: Large
James’ Specs:
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 192 lbs
Chest: 44”
Neck: 16″
Torso Length (collar bone to pant line) 23”
Shoulder Width (widest point of shoulders) 22”
Arm Length (pit to wrist) 19.5”

Helmet: Smith Vantage

Goggles: Smith IO7

2015 Volcom L Gore-Tex Jacket Review

Size Tried: Large
James’ Specs:
Height: 5’10”,
Weight: 195 lbs,
Chest 44”
Torso Length (collar bone to pant line) 23”
Shoulder Width (widest point of shoulders) 22”
Arm Length (pit to wrist) 19.5”
Turn On’s: Size L Jackets that fit well around my chest, Riding with Friends, Open Roads, new gear and my wife.
Turn Off’s: Size Jackets that don’t fit well around my chest, traffic and people who can’t park inside the lines.

Size Tried: Large

Fit: So based on my specs above this jacket fits loose for a size L but it drapes well over me without looking baggy. When I’m not layered up the fit still looks good and when layers are added it fills out nicely without looking like Ralphie’s little brother from X-Mas Story. This is a good fit that works well

Construction: So even though this is low price point Gore-Tex it doesn’t mean that it’s a crappy jacket. First off Volcom makes good jackets and pans. Second off when you work with Gore-Tex you sign off on building the jacket to certain specs. Yeah it has a flap instead of a sealed waterproof zipper and stuff like that but those are the little things you deal with for Gore-Tex at this price point. Overall this jacket has solid construction for the price and it will last a long time.

Insulation/Warmth: Pretty much none. This is made to block weather so it’s all about layering up for the temps you will encounter. The fit can accommodate even a super thick puff so you can be warm underneath in balls cold weather but still have solid wind blocking with the Shell.

Waterproofing: So we aren’t really sure on how a Gore-Tex Laminate compares to a Membrane but the Volcom L-Gore has a laminate. Gore-Tex comes with certain guarantees so it should keep you dry for a while. Most Gore-Tex is over 25k for waterproofing so this should be the same and it repels water very well.

Breathability: Most entry level Gore-Tex Membranes on average offer up 17,000 to 25,000 breathability so this should be the same.

So all in all it’s nice to have Gore-Tex hanging on the jacket and it’s a well built waterproof jacket for the price. For me it’s a great mountain/resort riders shell for those that like to ride from top to bottom, see a good amount of varying weather conditions and like to make some slackcountry hikes on powder days.