Review: Arc'teryx Sabre Jacket and Bibs

MSRP:

Jacket: $550-$750
Bibs: $350-$700

You can buy this kit here.

Context:

I wore the Sabre on a below-zero day at Vermont's Bromley Resort, a sunny spring day at Whitefish Mountain Resort, splitboarding on the East Coast, powder days at Loon and Waterville Valley in New Hampshire, and at Sun Valley in Idaho.

What Arc’teryx says:

Freeride skiing and boarding is different – exhilarating, liberating, demanding, and it means respecting mountain realities. Made to meet the conditions the backcountry throws at you, the Sabre’s strong, breathable 80D 3L ePE GORE-TEX fabric shuts out wind and wet, driving snow. Its StormHood adjusts to maximize peripheral vision, and a RECCO reflector can help in search situations. And it’s made to move – articulated patterning and a fit that’s clean but not restrictive.

What Snowboarder says:

As an east coaster, it took me until my late-20s to really take my outerwear seriously. During my first trip to Montana, I witnessed a blue bird day turn to overcast, then turn to a seven inch powder dump all in a matter of minutes. I was caught in a flannel and a fleece vest. No more.

Arc'Teryx's Sabre line is the techiest of the tech. It's ePE membrane feels rigid at first, and there's a reason for that: it's built to stand up to any errant tree branches, rocks, ice patches, or anything else that might get in your way during some big mountain adventures. Not only does it hold up structurally to the rougher elements of riding, but after a season of heavy use, it looks almost exactly the same as it did when I unboxed it. That is intentional.

You will struggle to find a kit that will do better at keeping you dry. Both the Sabre bibs and jacket are equipped with a top-notch Durable Water Repellant coating. To solve any “wetting out” issues surrounding the waterproofing, simply throw the kit in the wash.

This kit is a shell in every sense of the word. Some shells are advertised as shells and offer some layer of insulation. I cannot stress enough that this is not the case with the Sabre. My first day on the mountain with this kit turned into a powder day relatively quickly. Temperatures dropped fast, and I only had on gym shorts and a fleece crew neck sweater underneath. That was not enough insulation. Make sure you invest in the proper insulators.

The bibs come equipped with a kangaroo pouch that is the perfect size to store either your phone or some snacks. While splitboarding, I tucked bags of beef jerky in there for later. There are pockets on either thigh that are deep enough to store most of your essentials, and zippers on the outside of the bibs to allow for some excess airflow.

Meanwhile, the jacket does a great job of hiding its pockets. Too often, a pullover or kangaroo pouch can flare out after use, which makes the fit look awkward and perform less functionally. When nothing is in your pockets, the jacket lies flat. Its helmet compatible storm hood offers an extra level of warmth without restricting your peripheral vision, and the zippers on all of the pockets are sealed watertight. There is also an internal security pocket for valuables like your wallet, and a zippered sleeve pocket for your RFID pass.

Fit

Now, let’s talk about fit. The jacket and bibs, unfortunately, do not fit the same way.

The jacket I normally use has a relaxed fit, offering plenty of room to layer underneath, and a baggier style that looks similar to something you might wear in a terrain park. The Sabre became my go-to jacket because it combined the high-tech features, waterproofing, and breathability with a baggy fit. That combination is tough to find for gear that’s designed to be used in the backcountry or in big-mountain scenarios.

The bibs do not fit the same way, however, I wore an XL in both, and with the bibs, I ran into a problem that often plagues pants that are not snowboard specific: the bottom of the pant legs hug your boots a bit too much. The bibs are not slim-fitting, by any means, but in the day and age in which no level of baggy is too baggy (hopefully, as far as snowboarding is concerned, it stays that way forever), riders could certainly benefit from ordering a size up from their typical size.

Who is the Sabre kit for?

• The rider in need of the ultimate waterproofing for the backcountry.
• The rider who wants a single kit to last them several years.
• The hard-charging rider who needs their gear to withstand extreme elements and debris.
• The rider who likes to wear several layers.