Mens burton gore-tex radial insulated jacket review

This is what I just submitted to Burton's website. Basically I think it's a very good Gore-Tex jacket, but I would have preferred a slightly wider armhole design, so that it is looser there. I'm not a big guy, but even for my shorter height I'm not exactly thicc. I'm basically an average build guy, with normal BMI. I'm not complaining (too much) though, since I got it for less than half price, due to the combination of end-of-season and a world-wide lockdown - nobody shopping in stores right now.

I bought the medium Burton 2020 GORE-TEX Radial Insulated Jacket and it seems very well constructed. The plethora of pockets is very nice, including the zippered sleeve pouch for the lift pass and the front zippered pouch good for a phone. The hood is big enough to accommodate my big helmet for my fat head (large), and the powder skirt connectors match up perfectly with the loops on my ancient Burton AK snow pants. Also, at the front of the powder skirt there are two sets of snaps, to accommodate different hip sizes. I use the narrower set of snaps with good results, but those snaps would also work well for those with a slimmer build, and the other snaps would work well for those with wider hips. I also appreciate that the sleeves are insulated, not just the body, and overall the insulation is light enough to allow flexible layering.

I am 5’7” and 155 lbs, with a chest size just under 39”, with medium build and 32” waist. According to Burton’s sizing specs, this medium jacket is supposed to be for those with a 39-41” chest, and it does seem to mostly be the appropriate size, as it allows me enough room for a light base layer and moderately thick mid layer if necessary. The sleeves are a touch long for me but that’s not unexpected given my height. However, the armscyes/armholes are a bit narrower than I’d prefer. The armholes are not restrictive at all for me, but the issue is simply that I notice the jacket at the armpits. It’s as if the firmness of the pit zippers is enough to make them noticeable, since the armholes aren’t loose enough to hide their presence. It’s not a huge annoyance, but it’s an annoyance nonetheless, and that is the reason I take away one star in the review. This is a regular fit jacket, so I wonder if I might have preferred a more relaxed fit, but AFAIK Burton doesn’t sell relaxed fit insulated Gore-Tex jackets, although I see in their AK line they have something called “Regular Articulated Fit”, whatever that means. I haven’t tried the large in this Radial jacket, but I suspect overall the large would be much too big for me. For other Burton jackets, the small is restrictive, but I’m swimming in the larges, so in general it seems medium regular fit is the most appropriate for me for most Burton jackets.

Overall, I think think this a well built and well designed jacket, but I would have preferred a looser fit at the armholes.

My son has the '19 Radial Gore-Tex insulated jacket (Medium bitters/sparrow). We were able to grab it on EOS sale for $Au205 ($US126). Fantastic well equipped jacket for the price. 80/60grm insulation, meshed pit zips, pass-holder inside front left waist. The perfect budget insulated Gore-Tex jacket. Worked brilliantly in Hokkaido -10C and below.

Looks like for 2020 they have gone YKK centre zip and about time that Burton are starting to have zippered lift pass pockets on left sleeve.