Dakine Zone Jacket Review
First Impressions
With more of a rep in the world of snowboarding, Dakine is making a serious splash with skiwear. The new Zone jacket provides a perfect example of how the company is extending its line into this segment. It arrived at GearGuide with baggy style, bold swatches of color and a ton of killer features.
Features
Dakine builds the Zone jacket from Toray-branded nylon. The two-layer shell is rated 15,000mm/10,000mm respectively. That’s not a high as the Obermeyer Ketchikan or the Salomon Shadow II, but in our tests we didn’t see a huge difference in the real-world performance. The Zone held its own and didn’t let any water penetrate into the interior of the jacket in our test.
Dakine covers the Zone’s exterior with pockets. Two very large hardwarmers are located on the lower torso. On the left sleeve, the company placed a small pass pocket. The napoleon was placed exactly where you expect it, on the left chest.
Inside, Dakine lined the Zone with a touch of mesh and fleece for warmth and to aid in ventilation. Two pockets sit at the left chest. The zippered one is large enough for goggles. The smaller holds an iPhone or iPod.
Specs
Fabric: Toray Nylon
Weight: 2 lbs 1 oz
Pit zips – nicely lined with mesh – elastic cuffs with thumb holes, helmet-compatible hood, and zip-out snow skirt finish out the Zone.
Fit
The Zone’s fit can be described in one word, baggy. And I like it. Whereas some ski jackets can feel constricting with their more physique-hugging cuts, the Zone feels nice and loose. It also hangs a touch lower than a traditional ski jacket, another welcome feature of the Zone. What’s not to like, the odd left-hand zipper. Definitely not a fan.
Final Verdict
The Dakine Zone is a great addition to the company’s more snowboard-centric line. We like the design influences that they bring to the jacket including the longer, baggier cut and bold colors. Nicely done, Dakine.
