The DC Company jacket is a fairly high end, very waterproof jacket that I have been wearing for a couple of seasons now – and I have been very happy with it. It is the first Sympatex jacket that I have owned, and I never had any problems in any of the conditions I was wearing it in.
Being DC I thought that it might be a pretty baggy fit, but for me it was just right. It has enough room to add layers underneath, but I never felt like it was too baggy. Sometimes I have to buy bigger jackets so that the arms are long enough for me, but this one was fine for me.
I have owned the jacket long enough (100+ days) and have worn it in all kinds of conditions from light dry powder, to heavy Australian snow/rain so I think I have a good idea of how it holds up now.
The Sympatex seems to work really well, I have never gotten wet while wearing the jacket – but the breathability seems to be the best feature. I never felt like I got too warm, or that it felt hot and stuffy. The breathability seems to work perfectly for me.
Although I like to buy jackets with decent waterproof/breathability ratings in general, one of the main things that I make sure a jacket has is lyrca wrist gaiters. They stop snow getting up into your sleeves if you crash, but also hold the sleeves down. The gaiters on the Company jacket are soft, stretchy and comfortable.
One other thing that I like is that the chin guard is quite high, so that when you zip the jacket right up, it covers and protects your chin nicely, even if the hood is down.
[tabs type=”tabs”]
[tab title=”Description” active=”true”]
Features of the DC Company Jacket
Sympatex
Sympatex is a high end material, that sits up there at the level of Gore-Tex. Although they work a little differently, in the end what you get is a waterproof, windproof and breathable fabric. Gore-Tex has millions of tiny holes per inch, which stop water from getting through (keeping the rain/snow out) while letting perspiration vapour (sweat) to leave the jacket. Sympatex works a little bit differently – unlike Gore-Tex it is a non-porous material, which is how it keeps the moisture out. When the membrane picks up a higher level of moisture (sweat), the membrane expands and lets the moisture out. Basically, if you get hot, it opens the vents when you need it to, then closes it when you don’t. Another giant plus is that it is eco friendly, and 100% recyclable.
45k Waterproof Rating
A very high waterproof rating, I have ridden with this jacket in wet heavy Canadian snow, to Australian rain and have never gotten wet under the jacket.
30k Breathability Rating
This is one of the most highly rated breathable jackets I have worn, and never felt like it was “stuffy” or felt hot, it always seemed to breath very well for me.
Regular Fit
Although this has a regular fit, it wasn’t overly baggy. I am 6 foot tall/160lbs, and I wore the large. It has plenty of room to add extra layers if the weather is super cold, but I never felt like I was swimming in it.
Shiny Mesh Lining
Fully Taped Seams
An expected feature in a jacket at this price, it means that tape is stitched between the seams, so that water can’t get through the tiny holes of the stitching.
Mesh Lined Armpit Venting
A pretty common feature – if you unzip the underarm vents you can get cool air into the jacket quickly. Mesh lining stops chunks of snow being able to get inside the jacket when they are open.
Detachable Waist Gaiter
Just another name for the powder skirt, it can be connected to make a nice seal around your pants to stop snow getting up and into the jacket. When it isn’t connected, it sits away nicely and you wouldn’t even know that it is there – so I have never even thought about removing it.
Fixed Hood
The neck guard also comes up quite high into the hood, which I really like. It does are good job at keeping your chin protected when it is very cold or windy conditions.
Jacket To Pant Attachment System
Clips/loops that let you connect the jacket to your dc pants.
Lycra Cuff Gaiters
This is one of the features that I think is super important in a good jacket. The stretchy gaiters let you put your hands through them, then your gloves or mitts over the top. The main job is that it keeps snow from getting up and into your sleeves, but also holds the sleeves down in place.
Welded Taping
Internal Media Cord Routing
A small path to get your earbuds from the inside of the jacket up to your head.
Hand Warmer Pockets
The front two hand pockets.
Chest Pockets
A couple of vertical zip chest pockets.
Sleeve Pass Pocket
A small pocket on the sleeve that is a handy spot for RFID tickets or passes.
YKK Aquaguard Zips
Water resistant zippers.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Pictures”]
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
[/tab][/tabs]
Question about the flap pockets on the front…are they dual entry or is the flap just for show?
I don’t have the jacket with me to check, but I am almost certain the front is a velcro flap pocket, then the side entry has a zip.
Today you think the Sympatex are still at the level of Gore-tex? Is it worth just buying at the lowest cost compared to Gore-tex?
Technically the Sympatex has much higher ratings than Gore-Tex/Gore-Tex Pro, but that is because it works in a completely different way. I own Gore-Tex and Sympatex stuff, but I can’t complain about either of them really, I would just go with what is cheaper. You are definitely paying a big premium for the Gore-Tex name.