Special Blend : Defend

Review:
The Defend coat from Special Blend's Eclipse series is one of the best suited snowboard jackets for Alaska's cold temperatures. It manages to have a good bit of insulation built into it, without being overly heavy, bulky, or cumbersome. The furry sewn-in vest beckons you to wear it whenever the mercury starts dropping. There is also plenty of room to add layers inside if you are somehow cold, however a long-sleeve thermal top and a t-shirt is all you will ever need when you are wearing this coat.

The waterproofing levels aren't super high, but if you are riding in an area that is warm enough to get wet snow, then you probably don't want to be wearing this coat anyway. My only complaint is that the hood doesn't zip off, but it does have a snap to keep it held in place when you aren't using it, and there are jackets in the Eclipse series that do have a removable hood.

There are tons of little features that add up to make this coat function well. There is a yo-yo lift ticket holder in the left lower seam of the coat, its easy to get to, and way cool. The hood is adjustable to whatever your desired fit is, and its snap does hold it in place very well. The coat floats on the line between having too many pockets and not having enough, meaning that it is just right. The pockets are easy to get to and hold lots of gear, without giving the coat to much puff. There is a nice pocket for a music device and a zippered inner mesh pocket for defogging your goggles.

All in all, this is an incredible coat for anyone who deals with lower temperature riding.