After ten years building its foothold in the U.S. snowboard market, California-based Jones Snowboards announced today that the brand will start selling apparel for the first time later this year. A new line of outerwear including jackets, bibs, pants, and base layer pieces will hit retailers sometime in the fall, a spokesperson for the company says.
Founded by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones, the brand has a long history of creating products that address gaps in the market. The new apparel line, Jones says, will be no different.
“Our desire to create outerwear came from the same feeling I had when I launched the snowboards,” Jones told OBJ. “I was not getting the product I wanted and I knew that if I felt this way, others did too.”
The new line will include three separate collections, which the company is calling Shralpinist, Uphill, and Mountain Surf. The line’s 11 total pieces are designed for a “more core user group,” according to Jones, meaning they’re aimed at dedicated skiers and snowboarders rather than beginners.
“Each piece went through about eight rounds of prototypes, which resulted in roughly 300 days of testing,” Jones said of the design process, which took more than two years and involved significant input from Jones’s wife, Tiffany.
“Tiff led the charge with all aspects of the clothing from the start—more than any other person,” said Jones. “She is incredibly detail oriented, which is especially critical with clothing because there are so many little pieces that need to be perfect.”
That effort has resulted in a product line that is notable not only for its technical advantages, but for its 360-degree attention to sustainability as well.
“Every piece in the line is made with the most sustainable materials possible,” a release issued by the company said. “All materials are Oekotex and/or Bluesign certified, and a vast majority are recycled. Jones’ production facilities are all BSCI [Business Social Compliance Initiative] or WRAP [Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production] certified, which guarantees that the people who make the apparel receive fair salaries and work in a safe and clean environment. As a member of 1 percent For The Planet, every tee, jacket, or pant Jones sells also gives back to environmental organizations that help protect clean air, clean water, and a healthy planet.”
Safety is featured prominently in the line, too. To encourage responsibility in the backcountry, all the jackets include avalanche rescue diagrams inside the lining. All jackets and pants feature Recco reflectors, and many items are available in a high-visibility “Safety Red” colorway.
Asked which collection in the line is his favorite, Jones says he’s particularly excited about the Uphill.
“With our Peak Bagger Jacket, we are bringing a new 20K breathable/ 40K waterproof, four-way stretch fabric that is 100 percent recycled to the market,” he said. “This jacket, coupled with our High Sierra Pant, is the touring kit of my dreams that allows me to keep hiking without messing with layers or overheating.”
For now, the line features only men’s items, but Jones says women’s gear is already in the works, and will be available at retail sometime in 2022: “We have been working on women’s stuff from the start. We will bring it to the market when we feel like it is ready. Hopefully next year.”
MSRPs for all products in the line are still pending.
Shralpinist Collection
The line’s first collection, the Shralpinist, includes theShralpinist 3L Gore-Tex Pro Jacket andShralpinist 3L Gore-Tex Pro Pant, both of which are designed, the company says, for “shredders who climb peaks like alpinists.”
Both items are constructedwith Gore-Tex Pro and include a 100 percent recycled nylon face fabric with a solution-dyed backer. The hood and arms of the jacket, as well as the seat and knees of the pants, are made with a more rugged version of the fabric for greater durability at the products’ stress points. The torso of the jacket and insides of the pant legs—areas of the body that generate greater heat—are constructed with a more breathable form of the material.
Uphill Collection
The Uphill Collection features items designed for longer days, with a big focus on all-day comfort for touring.
ThePeak Bagger Jacketis made with a proprietary fabric developed with Teijin that offers “remarkable four-way stretch and 20K waterproof / 40K breathable performance,” according to product specs. The fabric is “soft to the touch, abrasion resistant, 100 percent recycled, and excels in all conditions, whether cold, wet, or warm.”
The High Sierra Pants, designed for touring,feature a four-way stretch fabric that is 52 percent recycled and abrasion resistant.
Mountain Surf Collection
The Mountain Surf collection is built for generalists who want gear that works for any kind of riding. The defining feature here, the company says, is versatility.
The Mountain Surf Parka features a slightly more relaxed fit and two kinds of 52 percent recycled body-mapped fabrics.It’s lightly insulated with100 percent recycled Primaloft insulationand lined with 100 percent recycled stretch polyester.
“The hood and arms, where you most often get wet, are made with rugged, abrasion-resistant 20K waterproof / 20K breathable ripstop fabric, and the torso, where temperature regulation is critical, is made with four-way stretch 20K waterproof / 20K breathable fabric,” the product specs say.
The Mountain Surf Bib is similar to the parka, with more rugged fabric used on the seat and knees and breathable fabric used on the torso and thighs. Like the jacket, the bib is lined with 100 percent recycled stretch polyester.
Layering Pieces
To round out the line, Jones has also released a set of layering pieces to accompany the collections above.
Re-Up Down Puffy: A technical puffy featuring Allied Feather’s upcycled down and a water-repellent, 100 percent recycled outer shell. According to Jones Snowboards, this is the first technical puffy in the world to feature 750-fill recycled down.
December Fleece Shirt: A cozy, midweight polar fleece button down made with 100 percent recycled polyester. Features snap-closure front and cuffs. MSRP: $119.95.
Mountain Aloha Shirt:A lightweight, quick-dry sun shirt made with 100 percent recycled polyester and PFC-Free DWR coating.MSRP: $79.95.
Mountain Merino Tee:A soft and warm tech tee made with 100 percent mulesing-free merino wool. MSRP: $79.95.
Mountain Surf Tee + Ama Dablam Tee:A comfortable and quick-drying tee made with 95 percent recycled polyester and 5 percent Elastan.MSRP: $39.95.