Are GORE-TEX Snowboard Pants Worth It? Waterproof Ratings Explained

Are GORE-TEX snowboard pants worth it?

Yes, for riders who spend a lot of days in wet conditions, and no, for riders who mostly ride cold, dry days a few times a season. GORE-TEX costs about twice as much as a good 20K pant. What you get for that money is a waterproof promise that covers the whole garment, plus the heavier-duty features brands put on their top-line pants.

The way we put it at the counter: the more often you ride, and the wetter the days you ride, the more GORE-TEX pays off. A rider with a season pass who rides Killington from November to May sees every kind of weather, including rain in January and slush in April. A rider who books two weekends in February is far more likely to see cold, dry snow, and a 20K pant will keep them dry.

There's also a durability side. Pants get the hardest wear of anything you ride in. You sit in snow to strap in, you kneel on wet lift seats, and your cuffs drag through slush in the lift line. The GORE-TEX pants we carry pair the membrane with reinforced cuffs, kick panels and boot gaiters, which matter as much over three seasons as the membrane does.

What is GORE-TEX, and how is it different from a 20K membrane?

GORE-TEX is a waterproof, breathable membrane made by W. L. Gore, licensed to brands like Burton, and tested by Gore as a full garment rather than as a fabric swatch. A 20K membrane is a brand's own waterproof layer, rated by a lab test on the fabric. Both keep water out. The difference is in who sets the standard and what gets tested.

A membrane is a thin layer with pores small enough to block liquid water but large enough to let water vapor (your sweat) pass through. Every waterproof snowboard pant has one. Burton calls its in-house version DRYRIDE, and other brands use their own names. GORE-TEX is the best-known membrane, and brands license it from Gore.

Why GORE-TEX has no mm number

Gore doesn't publish a 10K or 20K style rating for GORE-TEX. Instead, it sells the fabric with a "Guaranteed to keep you dry" promise and requires the brand's finished garment, including the seam tape and construction, to pass Gore's own testing. That's why you'll never see a GORE-TEX pant labeled with an mm figure. Any article that gives you one is guessing.

What a 20K membrane promises

A 20K rating tells you the fabric resisted a 20,000mm column of water in a lab. That's a strong number. It doesn't tell you how well the seams are sealed or how the zippers are built, which is where most leaks start on cheaper pants. For a closer look at how waterproofing fits into your full outfit, our East Coast layering guide covers the basics.

What do 10K, 15K and 20K waterproof ratings mean?

The number is a hydrostatic head test: how tall a column of water, in millimeters, the fabric can hold back before water pushes through. A 10K fabric resists 10,000mm, a 15K fabric 15,000mm, and a 20K fabric 20,000mm. Higher numbers hold up better when water is pressed into the fabric, like when you kneel or sit in wet snow.

You'll often see two numbers, as in 20K/20K. The first is waterproofing. The second is breathability, which measures how much water vapor the fabric lets out, so your own sweat doesn't soak you from the inside. Both matter on a long day of hiking park features or riding hard laps.

Here's how the ratings line up across the 2027 pants we stock, at regular prices.

Two things stand out. First, the jump from 10K to 20K costs very little: the ranges overlap, so you can often get a 20K pant for the price of a 10K one. Second, the jump from 20K to GORE-TEX is where the price doubles. One note on the 10K examples: Vans describes the Kingvale as water-resistant, so treat it as a pant for dry days and park laps, not for rain.

How much waterproofing do you need for East Coast snowboarding?

For most East Coast riders, 20K is the floor we'd recommend, and GORE-TEX is the upgrade for anyone who rides through rain, spring slush or a full season. Our snow is wetter than the West's, temperatures swing above freezing mid-winter, and a rain day in January isn't unusual in Vermont.

Wet snow is the real test. Dry powder brushes off. Wet snow and slush sit on the fabric, and every time you sit down to strap in or kneel on the slope, your body weight presses that water into the pants. That pressure is exactly what the hydrostatic head test measures, which is why the rating number matters more here than it does out West.

Chairlifts are the other East Coast problem. A lift seat that's been rained on or snowed on all morning soaks a lower-rated pant through the seat on a long ride up. A wet seat after the ride up usually means a lower-rated fabric or an older pant whose outer finish has worn off.

• 10K: fine for cold, dry days, park laps and riders who ride a handful of days a year. Expect to get damp on wet days.
• 15K to 20K: the right fit for most riders on the East Coast. Handles wet snow and lift seats on a normal winter day.
• GORE-TEX: for rain days, spring slush, riders who sit in the snow a lot, and anyone riding 30 or more days a season.

Coverage matters as much as the rating. Snow that gets in at the waist or lower back soaks you no matter what the fabric is rated, and our bibs vs pants guide covers when a bib is worth the extra coverage.

How does a 20K pant compare to GORE-TEX from the same brand?

The clearest way to see what GORE-TEX adds is to compare two Burton women's pants from the same 2027 line, one 20K and one GORE-TEX. Same brand, same rider, different membrane and feature set. The price difference is $270.

The Reserve is a solid resort pant with a relaxed fit and a 20K membrane that handles most days. The [ak] Cyclic adds the GORE-TEX guarantee and the features that matter when conditions get bad: boot gaiters that seal over your boots, kick panels and anti-scuff cuffs that hold up to edges and lift lines, and longer vents for hiking. If you ride a few weekends a year, the Reserve is the better value. If you ride all season or into spring, the [ak] features earn their keep. Both are part of Burton's outerwear, and you can see the full Burton winter 27 line in one place.

What is the difference between 2-layer and 3-layer GORE-TEX?

In 2-layer (2L) GORE-TEX, the membrane is bonded to the outer fabric and a separate liner hangs loose inside. In 3-layer (3L), the membrane is bonded between the outer fabric and an inner backer, so the whole thing works as one layer. Most resort pants are 2L. 3L is usually found on backcountry and freeride gear.

2L pants feel softer and a little warmer because of the hanging liner, and they're less expensive. 3L pants are lighter (Burton calls its 3L GORE-TEX lighter than its 2L), pack down smaller, and hold up better to hard use because there's no loose liner to snag. The trade-off is price and a slightly stiffer feel.

• GORE-TEX 2L: in our 2027 lineup, the Burton [ak] Cyclic pants and bib and the [ak] Swash Insulated pants, $479.95 to $529.95. The right choice for most resort riders who want GORE-TEX.
• GORE-TEX 3L: the Burton Men's [ak] Freebird GORE-TEX 3L Stretch Bib Pants, $699.95, our only 3L GORE-TEX pant in stock. Built for riders who hike, ride sidecountry, or ride hard every day.

If you're buying GORE-TEX for resort riding at Killington or Okemo, 2L does everything you need. 3L makes sense if you're hiking for turns or want the lightest pant you can get.

What are the downsides of GORE-TEX?

The biggest downside is price: GORE-TEX pants cost about twice as much as a comparable 20K pant. The second is that GORE-TEX still needs care, because its outer finish wears off like any other. It's a better waterproof system, not a maintenance-free one.

• Cost: the cheapest GORE-TEX pant on our 2027 wall is $479.95, against $189.95 for the cheapest 20K. For riders who don't ride wet days often, that money goes further on boots or a better board.
• Fewer fit and style options: most GORE-TEX pants are technical cuts. If you want a baggy park pant, a denim look or a chino style, you'll find more of those at 15K and 20K from brands like Beyond Medals and Souvenir.
• Breathability has limits: no membrane breathes fast enough to keep up with a hard hike in warm spring sun. Vents do more for you than the membrane on those days.
• It still wets out: when the DWR finish wears off, the face fabric soaks up water. The membrane still blocks it, but the pant feels cold and heavy until you reproof it.

Fit matters too. A GORE-TEX pant that's too tight in the seat or too short at the cuff will let snow in no matter what the membrane does. Our snowboard pants fit guide covers sizing, length and how baggy to go.

Which GORE-TEX snowboard pants are the best?

The best GORE-TEX snowboard pants are the ones that match how and where you ride: 2L for resort riding, 3L for hiking and hard use, and insulated GORE-TEX if you run cold. All of the 2027 GORE-TEX pants we stock come from Burton's [ak] line. For picks at every budget, including 20K pants, see our best snowboard pants for 2027.

• For resort riders, men's and women's: the Burton [ak] Cyclic GORE-TEX 2L Pants, $479.95. Crossflow vents, boot gaiters and kick panels.
• For riders who want a bib: the Burton Men's [ak] Cyclic GORE-TEX 2L Bib, $529.95. Same build as the Cyclic pant with more coverage at the back.
• For riders who run cold: the Burton [ak] Swash Insulated GORE-TEX 2L Pants, $499.95, which add insulation to the GORE-TEX shell for January lift rides. Not sure you need the fill? Our insulated vs shell pants guide helps you decide.
• For hiking and hard daily use: the Burton Men's [ak] Freebird GORE-TEX 3L Stretch Bib Pants, $699.95. Lighter 3L build with stretch.

If GORE-TEX is over your budget, past-season styles show up in our outerwear on sale, and it's worth checking there first. When you match a jacket to your pants, keep the ratings close: a GORE-TEX pant paired with a lower-rated jacket leaves you wet at the top instead of the bottom.

How do you keep GORE-TEX pants waterproof?

Wash them a few times a season with a technical cleaner, then restore the DWR finish with a reproofing treatment when water stops beading on the surface. Dirt, sunscreen and body oils clog the fabric and break down the finish, so a dirty pant actually performs worse than a clean one.

1. Check the beading. Splash some water on the thighs and seat. If it beads and rolls off, the finish is working. If it darkens the fabric and soaks in, it's time to wash and reproof.
2. Wash with a technical cleaner. Regular detergent and fabric softener leave residue that hurts water repellency. Close all zippers and Velcro first, and follow the care label.
3. Reproof. Apply a wash-in or spray-on DWR treatment, following the product's directions. Some brands, like Beyond Medals and Souvenir, use PFC-free or PFAS-free DWR on their pants, so check the label before you pick a treatment.
4. Heat to reactivate. Many care labels call for a low-heat tumble dry to reactivate the finish. Check the label first.

This applies to every waterproof pant, not just GORE-TEX. A 20K pant with a fresh finish often stays drier than a GORE-TEX pant with a dead one.

Frequently asked questions about GORE-TEX snowboard pants

Is GORE-TEX actually waterproof in rain?

Yes. GORE-TEX is sold with Gore's "Guaranteed to keep you dry" promise, and the finished garment has to pass Gore's testing, seams included. In heavy rain, the outer fabric can still wet out if the DWR finish is worn, which makes the pant feel cold and heavy, but the membrane keeps water from reaching you. Washing and reproofing restore the finish.

Is 10K waterproof enough for snowboarding?

For cold, dry days and a few days a season, 10K is enough. On wet East Coast days, it isn't: sitting in slush or on a wet lift seat pushes water through a 10K fabric. Some 10K pants, like the Vans Kingvale, are described as water-resistant rather than waterproof. If you ride often or in mixed weather, step up to 15K or 20K.

Is 20K the same as GORE-TEX?

No. A 20K rating is a lab test of the fabric holding back a 20,000mm column of water. GORE-TEX has no published mm rating; instead, Gore tests the whole garment and backs it with a dry guarantee. A well-built 20K pant handles most resort days. GORE-TEX adds that guarantee and, in the pants we carry, tougher cuffs, gaiters and vents.

Why are GORE-TEX pants so expensive?

GORE-TEX is a licensed membrane, and Gore requires the finished garment to pass its own testing, which adds cost. The brands also put their top-line features on GORE-TEX pants: in our 2027 lineup, that means boot gaiters, kick panels, anti-scuff cuffs and long mesh vents. That's why the cheapest GORE-TEX pant we carry is $479.95 and the cheapest 20K is $189.95.

Is GORE-TEX worth it for beginners?

Usually not. Beginners do sit in the snow a lot, so waterproofing matters, but a 20K pant handles that well for a fraction of the price. Most new riders get more out of spending on well-fitting boots and lessons. If you already know you'll ride every weekend all season, GORE-TEX is a pant you won't outgrow.

Where to start?

Decide how wet your riding days are, then pick the rating that matches. Cold, dry, occasional days: 10K to 15K. Most East Coast riders: 20K. Rain days, spring slush and full seasons: GORE-TEX.

To shop online, start with these collections:

• Waterproof snowboard pants, from 10K park pants to GORE-TEX 3L bibs
• GORE-TEX and waterproof snowboard jackets to match your pants
• The whole outerwear wall, pants, jackets and bibs in one place
• Past-season GORE-TEX deals and other outerwear on sale

If you're still on the fence, come try both on. Our Killington and Okemo shops carry 20K and GORE-TEX pants side by side, so you can feel the difference in the fabric and the cuffs. You can also order online and pick up at either shop.