ABOVE: Nick Russell in the Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit. | Photo: Fredi Kalbermatten
Style is everything to me. Over the years, I’ve regularly sacrificed waterproofing and breathability to ensure I feel comfortable in what I’m wearing. Coming from a park background, my style and ergonomic preferences lean baggy with tapered cuffs. So, I was hesitant about sporting the highly technical Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit, especially with the fit described as “regular” on Patagonia’s website. But alas, my prejudgments were far from true, and my naivety exposed.
At 6’0, 175 pounds, the L jacket and XL pant in Cascade Green is a dream kit. The jacket has a roomy, simplistic fit with solid cinches on the hood and waist, and the pants feature adjustable internal elastic tabs that hug the waist even when you size up.
The Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit utilizes 3-Layer GORE-TEX ePE Pro Fabric for top-notch waterproofing while maintaining high mobility and breathability. The PowSlayer Jacket features expandable chest pockets to fit larger items, including but not limited to skins and trail snacks. | Photo: Garrett Grove
Now, with my “look good, feel good” baseline checked off, I could finally relish in what makes the Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit so special. This iteration of Patagonia’s marquis outerwear line was finally launched after eight years of development and includes an updated PFAS-free Gore-Tex Pro ePE Pro membrane—which maintains the highest standard of waterproofing and durability while eliminating harmful chemicals. I spent roughly 30 days in this jacket and pant combo, spread across 3,000-vertical-foot splitboard ascents and 12-hour days on a snowmobile. The PowSlayer series was versatile across all settings.
While splitboarding, the flexibility and lightweight of the 3-layer GORE-TEX ePE Pro shell fabric made for smooth skinning. Both jacket and pant have a way of moving with the body’s natural range of motion with no restrictions. The pants were as comfy as a pair of gym shorts through the steepest switchbacks. The jacket’s simplicity also made for easy packability and layering, while the large chest pockets are perfect for stashing skins and boosting efficiency in transitions.
Ryland Bell in the Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit in the Clement Blue colorway. The kit is also available in Dried Vanilla, Cascade Green and Black. | Photo: Nicholas Teichrob
When snowmobiling, most of my outerwear frustrations come from the classic melt-freeze effect. Straddling an 850cc two-stroke and punching 10 miles through saturating, waist-deep powder to reach the snowboard zone, is almost guaranteed to dampen your gear. Then, once you’ve cooled down in -4°F temps and are finally ready to ride, you’re left with a layer of refrozen snow caked onto your extremities. I notice most of this buildup at the end of each leg opening, where it affects both the pants and boots.
Patagonia’s PowSlayer technology has managed to overrule this frequent phenomenon. Not once was I weighed down by crusty snow while wearing the Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit, and I’ll even argue that these pants increased the waterproofing of my boots on a daily basis. I believe the resistance to this dreaded cycle is a true testament to the elite waterproofing of the PowSlayer technology—and if it can handle this, then it can handle any Pacific Northwest conditions and beyond.
So yeah, I guess technical, top-of-the-line outerwear does make a difference. And these days, you can still look cool wearing it.
The Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit is available at fine retailers and patagonia.com for $799 (men's jacket) and $649 (men's pants).
Marie France-Roy in the Women's Patagonia PowSlayer Freeride Kit. | Photo: Nicholas Teichrob
ABOUT THE TESTER
Age: 31
Height: 6’0
Weight: 175
Jacket size: L
Pant size: XL
Years riding: 25
Home mountain: Whistler Blackcomb, BC
Riding style: ATV