We test a lot of gear at RideApart. From helmets to jackets, boots to gloves, and pants and tech, we do it all with all manner of manufacturers represented. But we rarely, if ever, test the gear that’s produced and sold by a specific machine’s manufacturer. You know, the sort of branded apparel and technical gear that’s sold at dealerships and online through a company’s catalog.
But that’s doing you all a disservice.
These pieces of gear are often overlooked by the general media as it’s seen as OEM cash grabs by my ilk or that we’re playing favorites to those companies. But a lot of people buy this gear as it’s easy to stock up on all the essentials when you’re buying a new machine. Do you want to go to one place or seven to be ride-ready? So when I was given the chance to test Ski-Doo’s latest snowmobile apparel—everything from boots to bibs to a jacket to gloves and a helmet—I jumped at the chance to do a piece of service journalism that literally no one ever does.
How’d the gear hold up to trail blasts through West Yellowstone, backcountry powder up a mountain, and one death-defying evening in Utah’s backcountry? Would it be good enough to recommend or would it suffer the Ferrari branding effect of being over-priced junk?
Honestly, it all surprised me with how good it was. I was expecting far more mediocrity, but this is solid gear for a reasonable price. So let me run you through everything and talk about how I feel about each piece.
Corida 3-In-1 Jacket
Yeah, I’m partially colorblind and one of my favorite colors is orange, as it’s usually neon orange and I can actually see it. That might’ve colored (pun intended) my initial perception of the Corida jacket, as the navy blue/orange colorway is tight.
But while colors are cool, that doesn’t necessarily translate to good outerwear—please see 1980s fashion for examples. Yet, I was quickly won over by the Corida, as not only does it keep you warm as all hell, but the utility of all of its pockets and storage areas are second to none.
I’ve now ridden with the Corida on trails, through powder, and in the deep backcountry of Utah. It’s been spit at by falling fluffy snow and hard-pack ice crystals alike, used as a swimsuit to dive into deep powder, as well as a three-mile hike when a snowmobile died on me very far from my truck. And through it all, I couldn’t ask for a better companion. It’s warm, but not stifling, though if you run hot, I’d say leave the baselayer at home—I usually run Klim 2.0s, but haven’t needed it once. And the upper chest pockets are perfect to keep your fingers nice and warm and close to your body.
Likewise, the inner and outer layers separate and you get a neat orange puffy for your more everyday walking, hiking, or honestly, you could use it during a cold-weather rifle hunt cause it’s absolutely blaze orange. It’s a helluva package as it just shrugs everything off.
The Corida is also reasonably priced, with a time of writing MSRP of just $286.99. Compare that to some other name-brand snowmobile or winter jackets folks use and you’ll find it’s a solid contender, definitely a plus in my book.
Stava Hybrid Pants
The bibs were orange, too, so you know they had that going for them.
But like the jacket, their orange exterior was only a cool part of the package. The bibs are incredibly adjustable, with shoulder straps, a waist strap, and adjustable boot areas to fit all body types, as well as attach directly to your boots so that you don’t get snow up in your business.
The pockets are fully sealed, as well as a chest pocket perfect for your phone, wallet, and whatever else you want to bring. And the lining and outer 10k/10k layer make for an incredibly warm package. Again, you can run a baselayer if you’re in frigid conditions, icy locales with heavy wind gusts, or are usually cold. But if you’re like me and run warm, you can leave them at home.
They also have reflective areas for those late-night blasts or long-runs home to get back to your truck. And as I found out on my night tow, the knees are padded so even when your getting roost hucked at you with machine-gun-like efficiency, you’re knees are good to go.
The Stava Hybrid pants also come in three colorways, so you don’t have to have the cool orange color, though you should consider it. As for price, Ski-Doo currently has it available for $258.99. Again, not terrible, folks.
Tec+ Rec Boots
Snowmobile boots are designed to be warm, comfortable on a sled, and a good platform with good grip when absolutely on a tear. And these Tec+ Rec boots absolutely dominate in those categories. They’re super warm. So warm I had to switch my socks the second day I was in West Yellowstone to something a little thinner, and they provided stupid good hold on the sled’s decks when I was railing the Summit up our impromptu hillclimbs.
They are, however, not built for a 3-mile hike. Now, that can’t be a true knock. No snowmobiling boots are built for such things. But I have to say, I got pretty uncomfortable when I was walking back to find service and get extracted out of the backcountry. But again, so long as you’re not hiking, which you shouldn’t be anyway, you’ll be fine.
What they are designed for is to be comfortable up to -58 degrees F, so I’ll take that over walkability any day. The Tec+ Rec boots are priced at $189.99.
Mountain Gloves
About the only thing that does get cold on me are my fingers. I don’t know why, I feel like I have good circulation and eat enough red meat that I shouldn’t be cold, but my fingers are always popsicles when the barometer falls sharply.
That didn’t happen with the Mountain gloves.
What’s odd is I’m not sure why either, as they’re not super thick, which is something I tend to despise in gloves. But the insulation around my fingers held up, even when we were riding through gale-force winds atop one peak in West Yellowstone, as well as the night I was stranded.
I also like that Ski-Doo put in the time to make sure they worked with the touchscreens available on the Summit and Freeride. They’re also easy to get on and off thanks to the pull tabs and work even when you’re making snowballs with your kids.
Priced at $79.99, they’re a little more expensive than some other brands, but I dig them. That said, I’m betting they’ll be on sale during the summer months, so wait for a good deal.
Pyra MX Helmet
Last but not least, BRP’s house helmet brand; Pyra. Featuring both DOT/ECE 2206 certification, the MX helmet is comfortable, feels robust, has easy-access ventilation, a simple visor mechanism, and conformed to my head like all my other name-brand helms. It’s also well-padded and warm, so I didn’t really need a balaclava most of the time, though that might’ve been more so due to our cadre’s quick pace…
What I also like about it is that I can use it on a dirtbike, an ATV, in my personal Can-Am, or on a snowmobile without issue. It’s solid enough for all of them, so if you have one or more type of machine, you can just grab one helmet to rule them all.
Equally good, however, is the price. Most of the well-known helmet brands are pretty damn expensive, though you usually get what you pay for. But the composite shell construction designed for impact resistance, as well as a 4-year warranty, make the Pyra’s $179.99 price tag seem like an insane deal. It’s not the end-all, be-all helmet, but it’s a perfect addition to your gear.
So What’d We Learn?
I do understand why most folks would tend to stay away from OEM-branded gear. You don’t know if you’re getting good shit or trash, as it can go either way. I’ve seen my fair share of crap quality come from manufacturers.
But it seems like Ski-Doo, and its parent company Bombardier, really put in the effort to make quality and affordable gear. Maybe it’s a Canadian thing? They do good work up in the great white north.
Whatever the case may be, if you do need some new gear or are just starting, you could do far worse than scrolling through Ski-Doo’s apparel site.
