Mountain Hardwear Back Country Jacket
Mountain Hardwear's tents and sleeping bags show exceptional attention to detail, and so it is with the Back Country ($300). The hood's three adjustments can all be managed one-handed, a convenient sleeve pocket fits your lip balm, and the underarm zips allow for good ventilation. You could ski anywhere in this high-cut, lightweight jacket, under any conditions--the Back Country uses a durable waterproof-breathable coating, and the seams are sealed. Only snowboarders wanting a longer cut may disagree. A women's model is available.

Obermeyer Electric Shell
The Electric ($175) is a snowboarding update of the classic 60/40 parka: basic protection from the elements. The shell has an integrated hood and underarm zips. The breast pockets, although shallow, are thoughtfully angled for easy access. Strapping on my board before heading down the Lenawee Face at Colorado's 13,000-foot Arapahoe Basin, I was glad to have the Electric's long, reinforced tail to sit on. There's no powder skirt, and the seams aren't sealed, but the jacket feels light on your shoulders.

Stryke Boardwear Fury Jacket
You'll encounter few conditions when the Fury ($219) isn't appropriate, because it's actually three garments in one. Frigid morning? Zip in the vest for supreme warmth. Mild afternoon? Wear only the vest, a quilted piece with pockets and a water-repellent finish. Wind kicking up? Use just the heavy nylon shell, which is reinforced with ripstop nylon at all the hems. Beyond versatility, though, I had beefs with the shell's temperature regulation: The hook-and-loop-secured flaps over the underarm zips and back vent kept closing of their own accord, hindering ventilation, and the Fury has no hood.

Wave Rave Zealot Gore-Tex Jacket
For wet-weather protection, the Zealot ($300) is without peer. The Gore-Tex membrane assures long-lasting waterproofness, the seams are sealed, there's a double storm-flap with a gutter, and big flaps over the four pocket zips keep contents dry. Employing the hood is a simple, one-handed affair. The thigh-length Zealot even delivered on a beautiful spring day, as I opened the mesh-backed chest zips and thus assisted the breathability of the Gore-Tex.

PANTS
Bonfire Silver Pant Three
What strikes you about the Silver Three ($145) is that it looks like a pair of jeans. But the pockets in front and back have hidden zippers to keep out snow, and pockets sewn into the lightweight, wicking liner at the butt and knees hold soft, thick, removable rubber pads. The pads, along with supremely grippy gaiters, kept me protected during a frustrating, daylong bout with heavy snow.

Burton Universe 4/2 Hi-Top Pant
What you get in the insulated 4/2 ($220) is supreme adjustability. Big hook-and-loop straps above the hips help fit the pants to those with big quads and a tiny waist, the wide suspenders are easy to adjust, and the legs and gaiters adjust for both ski and snowboard boots. The extra insulation in the seat and knees served me well on my snowboard and was unobtrusive on skis.

Descente Mountain Cruise Trail Bib Pants
You'll try on the Trail Bib ($235) because of Descente's quality, and you'll wear it skiing and snowboarding--even shoveling the driveway--because it's so macho. The soft, nylon shell is covered at knees and seat with giant patches of Kevlar, and for good measure, so are the front pockets. Beginner snowboarders won't likely get wet--but they may get hot because the armoring is so thick. The Trail Bibs also boast comfortable suspenders, and both the waist and cuffs have adjustable straps to secure the fit.

Hard Corps Radon Bib Pant
The budget-minded downhiller might instead try the Hard Corps Radon Bib Pant ($180): It has the same design as the Descente pants, with reinforcements made of slightly less bulletproof Cordura nylon. Skiers will like the scuff guards on the lower legs, and snowboarders will appreciate a fit roomy enough to accommodate knee pads.

Lowe Alpine Fall Line Pant
The streamlined Fall Line ($169) will suit skiers as well as snowboarders who spend relatively little down-time in the snow. What the pants lack in bulletproof reinforcement and suspenders, they make up for with a watertight coating, as well as a light-on-your legs feel. The side zips only go as high as your knees, minimizing bulk, and Lowe's pants are the lightest we reviewed. Women's sizes are available.

Nike Storm-F.I.T. Full-Zip Pant
Nike? It may seem unlikely here, but the Storm-F.I.T. ($190) is only slightly less rugged than the Descente and Hard Corps pants, yet it has the most durable form of waterproofing and is appreciably lighter. The seam-sealed pants have a waterproof-breathable membrane developed by Nike and W. L. Gore, so it's no accident that the Storm-F.I.T. performs a lot like a Gore-Tex shell. On one hike above the lifts I never got too hot, and the pants shed snow whether it was falling on me or I was falling into it.

Andrew Tilin, a former senior editor of Outside and a skier for 20 years, started snowboarding last year.