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Every snow jacket has a waterproofing rating on the label. Most people ignore it. The ones who have spent a wet afternoon at Falls Creek in a jacket that stopped being waterproof at lunch do not ignore it anymore.
Here is what the ratings mean, what the technologies actually deliver, and how to choose for Australian conditions.
The Numbers — What They Actually Mean
Waterproofing is rated in millimetres. The test works by sitting a column of water on a fabric sample and measuring how high the column gets before water passes through.
- 5,000mm and below: Light rain, short duration. Not suitable for a full day in Australian mountain conditions.
- 10,000mm: Adequate for most conditions. Fine for light to moderate snow, short periods of wet weather.
- 15,000mm: Good for Australian conditions including wet snow and rain. Recommended minimum for a week-long trip to Falls Creek or Hotham.
- 20,000mm and above: Serious all-day wet weather capability. What you want when riding through a Victorian storm system.
The second number is breathability — moisture vapour escape in grams per square metre per 24 hours. 10,000g is the minimum for real breathability. 20,000g and above is genuinely comfortable across varying output levels.
What is GORE-TEX?
GORE-TEX is a membrane technology — a thin layer of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) bonded to the jacket fabric. The membrane has billions of tiny pores that let water vapour escape from inside but prevent liquid water from entering from outside.
GORE-TEX is the benchmark because it delivers on both waterproofing and breathability consistently. Gore licenses the technology to jacket brands — Burton, L1, Jones, Salomon all offer GORE-TEX lines. The GORE-TEX range includes: GORE-TEX (standard, excellent for most use), GORE-TEX Pro (higher breathability for high-output activities), and GORE-TEX Paclite (lighter, packable, slightly less durable).
For snowboarding: standard GORE-TEX is the right call for most riders. GORE-TEX Pro for highly active riders generating maximum body heat.
Other Waterproofing Technologies
Burton DryRide: Burton's proprietary technology. Well-performing at its rating — 10K on entry-level, 20K on upper-tier models. Reliable within its rating.
L1: Uses treated fabrics with full seam taping. Performs well in real conditions, more street-influenced cut.
Salomon HyVent and AdvancedSkin: Competitive with GORE-TEX at mid-range price points.
Airblaster: DWR-treated fabrics — better suited to cold, dry conditions than wet heavy snow.
DWR — The Coating That Fails
Every waterproof jacket has a Durable Water Repellent coating on the outer fabric. DWR wears off after 20 to 30 days of use and washing. A warm tumble dry after washing reactivates most treatments. Nikwax or Grangers DWR re-treatment sprays restore a more worn-out coating. We stock both in store.
Seam Taping — Why It Matters
Critically taped: Only the main exposed seams taped. Less expensive. Fine for light conditions.
Fully taped: Every seam in the jacket taped. Genuinely waterproof across the whole jacket. Worth the extra spend for serious mountain use. Untaped seams at cuffs and underarms are the first place water gets in on a wet Falls Creek afternoon.
What to Buy for Australian Conditions
Serious week at Falls Creek, Mt Hotham or Thredbo: 15,000mm minimum, fully taped seams, 10,000g breathability minimum. GORE-TEX if budget allows. Burton DryRide 20K or Salomon equivalents at mid-range are solid alternatives.
Day trips and mild conditions: 10,000mm with taped seams is adequate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
GORE-TEX is a membrane technology — a thin layer of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene bonded to the jacket fabric. The membrane has billions of tiny pores that allow water vapour to escape from inside the jacket while preventing liquid water from entering. GORE-TEX is the benchmark because it delivers on both waterproofing and breathability consistently. For snowboarding, standard GORE-TEX is the right call for most riders; GORE-TEX Pro suits highly active riders generating maximum body heat.
For a serious week at Falls Creek, Mt Hotham or Thredbo: 15,000mm minimum, fully taped seams, 10,000g breathability minimum. GORE-TEX if budget allows. For day trips and mild conditions: 10,000mm with taped seams is adequate. 5,000mm and below is not suitable for a full day in Australian mountain conditions. 20,000mm and above is what you want for riding through a Victorian storm system.
Breathability is measured in grams per square metre per 24 hours — how much moisture vapour can escape through the fabric. Snowboarding generates significant body heat. If moisture cannot escape, you get wet from the inside out. 10,000g is the minimum for real breathability during active snowboarding. 20,000g and above is genuinely comfortable across varying output levels from hard runs to slow lift rides.
DWR stands for Durable Water Repellent — a coating on the outer fabric that makes water bead and roll off rather than soaking into the face fabric. DWR is separate from the membrane waterproofing. It wears off after 20 to 30 days of use and washing. A warm tumble dry after washing reactivates most treatments. Nikwax and Grangers DWR re-treatment sprays restore a more worn-out coating — both stocked at Twelve Board Store.
Seam taping is a strip of waterproof tape applied over seams on the inside of the jacket to seal the holes created by stitching. Critically taped means only the main exposed seams are taped. Fully taped means every seam in the jacket is taped — genuinely waterproof across the whole jacket. For serious mountain use, fully taped is worth the extra spend. On a wet Falls Creek afternoon, untaped seams at cuffs and underarms are the first place water gets in.
Yes, for riders who ride regularly or do multi-day trips in genuine weather. The consistent combination of waterproofing and breathability makes a real difference when conditions are serious. For occasional riding or mild conditions, Burton DryRide 20K or Salomon equivalents at mid-range price points perform well and represent better value. Come in and we will match you to the right waterproofing level for where and how much you ride.
