Review: Burton AK 2L Cyclic Jacket

Intended Purpose: The Burton AK 2L Cyclic Jacket delivers a lightweight shell with Gore-Tex to stay protected from the elements.

Fit: The 2L Cyclic Jacket is designed to mimic the body’s natural movements so it’s not as loose fitting as other models in the Burton line. I found the fit fine if I didn’t need any layering underneath but on the tight side if I did layer up on the colder days. I probably should have sized up for my more loose baggy comfort that I like.

Appearance: I received the AK Cyclic jacket in the smurf colorway which is a mix of black, blue and grey in one jacket. It was a popular colorway since it was very neutral colors but also not too boring on the mountain. I still like the brighter designs that Burton puts out.

Features: The 2L Cyclic Jacket featuresa two layer Gore-Tex performance shell and Gore-Seam that’s guaranteed to keep you dry. The waterproofing rating is 28k and breathability is 20k. The jacket features pit zips, jacket to pant interface, fully taped seams, removable waist gaiter, Riri Aquazip water-resistant zippers, fixed hood, taffeta and mesh inner lining, 2 microfleece-lined handwarmer pockets, 1 chest pocket and 1 pass pocket. In terms of design, it’s a simple jacket that’s lightweight and built for the outdoors range of temperatures (especially wet, heavier snow). Probably the only thing I didn’t like is the zippers, they could easily come up from the bottom of the jacket.

Durability: I wore this jacket just a couple weeks after arriving in Washington and wore it throughout the season in Washington, BC and Alaska. It was my main winter jacket for the heavier, wetter snow in the Northwest. The jacket did well throughout the season in terms of waterproofing and breathability. If I noticed the jacket was dirty/not repelling as well, I washed/dried to re-invigorate the DWR/Gore-Tex like I was told by Gore-Tex. That certainly helped and didn’t do any harm to the jacket.

Thoughts: I pick out outerwear to match the location and conditions I plan to ride for the season. This season I had planned to be at Mammoth with drier snow conditions and sunny days but I ended up moving back to Washington midway through the season where I would be riding wetter/heavier and deeper snow conditions. Having grown up in Washington, I knew that Gore-Tex was a requirement to make it through the winter as dry as you can possibly be. I opted to try out the AK series, finally give it a test against the NW winter and take it up to AK.

The 2L Cyclic is designed as a lightweight shell that hugs your body, it’s very simple in design but does everything it’s designed for. When I first got the jacket, I was out in the elements doing my avalanche level I course. It meant standing outside, doing searches for beacons or digging pits all day in a mixture of rainy snow. By the end of the day, I was dry underneath my jacket and still staying warm despite the elements taking place outdoors. On an important day of heli-boarding in Revelstoke BC, the 2L Cyclic jacket was perfect for the mix of cold to warmth each run. Even when I left the overcast, stormy, wet weather and headed up to AK where mountain days were spent in the sun but a bit colder, the jacket still held up for keeping me protected from the wind. It’s not insulated so whatever you layer with is important but it does the job of a shell and it does a good job of guaranteeing to keep you dry.

Review Disclosure: This product was given to me from Burton.