Why we chose the Planks Charger Jacket and Bib: A very nice fusion of style and functionality that allows you to enjoy the backcountry and look rad while doing it.
Price (Jacket): £370 / 400€ / $450
BUY HERE
Price (Pants): £300 / 330€ / $370
BUY HERE
Over the years, Planks have built up a reputation as one of the cool new kids on the block. You know the type; smoker, listens to obscure punk EPs (‘They’re unsigned mum, you won’t have heard of them’), and lives for hitting boxes and rails at the snow park. We don’t mean this as a criticism of Planks, far from it in fact. It’s just a comment on the fact that, to the uninitiated at least, the brand is more likely to bring to mind freestyling youth over couloir-chasing backcountry explorers.
This greater association, in the public’s imagination at least, with flips and tricks over out and out freeride is probably, in part, down to Planks close ties to Britain’s extremely rad slopestyle extraordinaire James ‘Woodsy’ Woods; a man more than capable of tackling all aspects of the mountain but one who’s clearly best known for his work in the park.
“It’s a combo that’s got all the street cred-boosting style you’ve come to associate with the brand, but one that also packs some top freeride functionality”
All of which leads us, in a pretty roundabout way, to Planks Charger Jacket and Charger Bib. It’s a combo that’s got all the street cred-boosting style you’ve come to associate with the brand, but one that also packs some top freeride functionality for those skiers who like nothing more than escaping the resort boundaries and having an adventure.
Planks Charger Jacket
When the climbs are gruelling, the snow is dumping, and you’re out in the middle of a snowy alpine wonderland you could do a lot, lot, worse than Planks Charger Jacket. It’s a love child of 1980s mountaineering gear and British streetwear. More importantly, for a product targeting off-piste terrain, it’s also bursting at the seams with pure functionality.
Materials
RIDEdry20 is highly waterproof and breathable (20,000mm waterproof / 20,000g/m2 breathable, no less). It’s a premium three-layer fabric that will keep the wearer dry and comfortable when they’re working hard and the weather is at its least hospitable. The inside is finished with a soft mesh backing and, all in all, you’re looking at a durable 3L fabric that’s perfect for a piece of technical mountain outerwear.
“RIDEdry20 is highly waterproof and breathable”
Shoutout also to Planks for the eco-minded implementation of 45% REPREVE recycled polyester here. The lightweight face fabric made with Repreve recycled polyester yarn is bonded to a technical membrane. What’s more, solvent-free DWR coating is applied to the outside of Planks’ fabrics to aid water beading. The fabrics are Bluesign approved.
