Scott Riding Gear
For the 2015 snowmobile season I had the opportunity to test the Scott X-RAZE TP (TriPHASE) jacket and pant as well as the Scott Hustle goggles. From deep February powder to wet spring conditions in May the Scott gear performed flawlessly, always dry and always comfortable. The lightweight race style jacket comes with a fleece collar, powder skirt and waist gaiter to stop snow infiltration while the TriPHASE material takes care of the waterproof and breathability requirement.
The pants feature a removal bib and suspenders and are constructed of the same soft lightweight fabric as the Jacket. The fabric and styling of the apparel allow for easy unhindered movements, while providing a dry, comfortable experience.
The first thing I noticed was how light the material was, minimal insulation used in its construction created a suit that is designed for high mobility and freedom of movement.
The X-raze is designed for racing as is evident from the form, function and build. It is very light, manoeuvrable and comfortable to wear. These traits also apply to technical riding. Side hilling, carving, tree riding and boondocking all require freedom of movement. The X-raze suit never once hindered or restricted mobility when riding.
This suit was my primary outfit for the majority of the 2015 season from early February till my last ride in May. From waist deep powder to spring slush it provided consistent, dry, comfortable performance.
The lightweight, waterproof jacket and pants made for a very enjoyable riding season. The material provided great mobility and range of motion allowing for exceptional control and user comfort during all aspects of backcountry riding.
The TriPHASE material really does work as advertised. I remained dry all season long, deep snow, slush, sleet, rain and the occasional brook proved no match for the Scott gear. Riding without fear of getting wet allows you to focus on riding and enjoy each day you get on sled. Along with being waterproof, the material has an uncanny ability to shed snow and water, no snow buildup at all, no matter the conditions it really was like “water off a duck’s back”.
Being so light and soft did raise some doubt as to the durability of the suit to hold up to a full season of riding. Those doubts were quickly put to rest during my second outing, a missed placed hop over during a side hill resulted in my leg, knee and thigh grinding it out with the running board traction serrations. Not a scratch to be seen on the pants. Countless tree branch encounters had no ill effects on the jacket either. At the end of the season the only noticeable wear was some delamination of the Scott lettering on the pants.
The X-raze apparel is designed, designated and marketed for racing applications and as such offers very limited insulation throughout. The Jacket worked well when accompanied with appropriate base layers. The pants caused some cold rides to and from the fun zones. Layering pants is not as easy as layering a jacket and as such I never did find the right balance for the coldest days. While the TriPHASE material is breathable and contrary to the manufacturer’s information, there are no air vents on the jacket or pant. While additional venting was not required even on the warmest day, the lack of air vents is worth noting.
The Scott Hustle goggles worked every bit as well as the jacket and pants, distortion free optics and great fit made them my go to goggles all season. They proved to be very fog and scratch resistant, tree branches and icy gloves caused no damage to lens. While the goggles come with a removable nose and face guard, it didn’t fit well with my bombardier snow cross helmet but that was easily remedied with a balaclava.
The Scott website needs some work, it is very difficult to navigate and even harder to search. The only method that worked for me was to go to the archives and look at the catalogs. Scott offers a full range of snowmobiling apparel including jackets, pants, boots, gloves, helmets, goggles, base layers, body armour and neck braces to suit any riding style.
