It’s rare to meet a skier or snowboarder that isn’t battling some kind of injury. A tailbone that hasn’t quite recovered from a fall. A hip that you’re especially worried about. A lower back that can no longer handle bumps.
Sadly, injuries are inevitable as we get older and our bodies get less capable of what we throw at them – whether it be a powder day, a mogul run, a hike up a hill while lugging ski gear, or even just a fast-paced groomer. And yet injuries, or fear of injuries, can be the exact thing holding you back from becoming the skier or rider you want to be.
One Aussie company is looking to change that with their new range of outerwear, which is an industry first in that it includes removable padding to protect your injury-prone limbs while also keeping you dry, comfortable and warm (on those cold mountain days) or nice and cool (on those warm spring days).
The best part? All pieces in the range are also super reasonably priced.
Drifa has designed their range of outerwear to suit every athlete, keeping key impact zones in mind: the elbows, the tailbone, the hip and lower butt.
drifa is Inspired by the same technology that rugby players in New Zealand utilise for their head protection on the field.
The result is lightweight and durable padding that continues to perform in cold conditions – as low as -30ºC – while also flexing and moving with the rider. Each outerwear item has pouches so that you can slide the protective pads in or out – depending on how your injuries are feeling, or whether you just feel like going a little harder and trying a new trick or run that day with some extra protection on hand.
And don’t worry – the padding has been streamlined, so you get all that protection without any bulk.
Our picks
The Andean: A jacket with 20K waterproof and 20K breathability, made to Japanese standard and fully seam-sealed. Plus high-quality removable protection in the elbows – if you’re a snowboarder and landing on your elbows rather than your wrists, you’re going to want this baby – and all for AU$524.
The Chough Pant: 15K waterproof and 15K breathability, which will keep your butt dry during a day on the slopes, especially for snowboarders who are sitting on the snow to do up their bindings or rest up. The best part about these pants is the removable padding in the tailbone and hip. Plus they come in at a super reasonable price point of AU$386.
The Duck Down Jacket: An AU$359 puffer that weighs in at 400 grams and has a mix of ethically sourced duck down and down feathers to produce a jacket that’s deliciously warm while also being super easy to compress? Yes please. Plus a water-repellent outer fabric layer to keep you comfortable no matter what the conditions.
The tech tee: It’s the endless battle – finding layers that are moisture-wicking, comfortable, breathable and warm, yet also look good at après when you strip off your jacket and mid layers in the sweltering-hot bar. Drifa has addressed this with their long-sleeve tech tee, which would not look at all out of place at a bar and yet still manages to be quick-drying, stretchy and perfect for a base layer at AU$76.
The waterproof bag: The cheapest and easiest way to keep all your things dry, no matter how heavily the snow starts to fall. This bag is only AU$21 and yet built with high-grade waterproof material and water repellent zippers to protect all your important bits and pieces.
The other good bits
Did we mention free shipping, regardless of where you are in the world? Plus no import taxes – Drifa cover them all, so you really are paying the amount that you see in the checkout. And our favourite part, a solid lifetime warranty that will ensure your outerwear is either replaced or fixed if it gets damaged while you’re riding.
Find Drifa and their product guide online here.
WIN a Drift Puff Jacket in our Snowvember competition.
