Oakley 453 Gore-Tex BioZone Down Pants Review
Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants
Initial Impression of the Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants:
If you are looking for some classic looking snow pants that perform as good as they look, you need to try our these before next snow boarding season! The Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants deliver! Being an avid snowboarder for almost 20 years, I get picky over what I wear while out on the slopes. In my older age (I’m only 38) I have also begun to appreciate quality over style but it seems nowadays, the two go together!
My first impression of the olive green color pants was quite good when I first opened the box. The color was a nice neutral one that pretty much goes with any of my jackets (black, red, and even my Orange). I did some reading on the features and was impressed by all that these pants offered. I mean how many things can you put into a pair of snow pants, right? Well if you’re Oakley, you put a lot in because these folks know how to create a quality product. The zipper lines were clean with two zip pockets on each side and only one side pocket.
Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants Front Pocket
The back has two pockets as well but I never really use the pants pockets much so to me, that was plenty. The feel was nice in that you could tell it has some insulation value with the fluffiness of the down in the pants. I immediately noticed that the down was not in the entire pants but only in the most needed sections….seat and knees. That just makes sense because as a boarder we spend time on both when getting strapped in. I couldn’t wait to try these out. A size Medium fit my 5’10”, 165 pound frame perfectly. The length was true with a little bit of bagginess at the bottom, which was to be expected so it covers my boots properly.
Performance of the Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants:
Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants in Action
There is no doubt these pants are warm! The Gore-Tex Pro system boasts that the pants are waterproof, breathable, and comes with a triple layer membrane. I honestly have never rode in pants this light yet this warm. You can see from the picture above that my first time out was a very cold day. These pants performed. It also helped to have the RECCO system imbedded into the pants for quicker search and rescue in case I’m buried in an avalanche. This day I was in the back country, and in Colorado we’re in a very high risk avalanche part of the country. Keep in mind though that this is not a substitute for avalanche mountain safety measures and equipment.
Recco on Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants
You can see the loose fit of the pants as well which I require so that I can move freely while navigating terrain and trees. With down insulation and what they call 2L Gore-Tex lining, it’s no wonder I love these pants! Fair warning though, they can be a bit too warm on days that are above 30 degrees. On those days, I just wear my normal shell pants.
The Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants with Topographical map of Mt. Baker. This matches the Jacket for a stylish look together!
These pants will keep you warm, and as the day warms up on the slopes, I recommend unzipping the inner thigh vents to let some cool air in. It’s a perfect feature and I use it often. The mesh netting is small enough that you will rarely get snow inside the pants unless you really take a full digger in some deep powder!
Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants Leg Vents
The last feature I wanted to talk about is the waistband. I like to wear my pants with a little sag in the bag (I’m a snowboarder please forgive me!). These pants are so well designed that it’s a little tough to pull this off. The waistband is fairly tacky and does a great job of keeping your pants up. That is a great thing but from a style point of view, I guess it could be viewed as a negative. I’m just really being picky and trust me this feature is still a great one! There is nothing like keeping snow out of your pants on a good powder day and plus let’s be honest, I’m probably getting too old for saggy snowboarding pants!
Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants Tacky Waistband
Final Thoughts on the Oakley 453 Gore-Tex Biozone Down Pants:
Overall, these are great snow pants! Go get them! Get them now! Why are you still reading this…..well ok I’ll forgive you. These pants perform. They are warm. They have features that really make sense and they should because these pants are on the upper end of cost, so it’s important to get what you pay for. The Oakley 453 Down Pants are an all-around great addition to any skier or snowboarder’s apparel collection. Please check out their website at www.oakley.com for more information and details on this amazing product!
Retail Price: $365
Colors: Jet Black or Worm Olive
