Mens Outerwear F/W 2025/26 Retail Buyer’s Guide
After some challenges, the market for Outerwear is looking to be picking up again and Anna Langer has summed up what’ll be trending for Men in FW 25/26.
The past season has not been the sunniest for many retailers and brands, due to multiple factors. One being weather based, with the softgoods outerwear market depending on snow situation, and is nothing anyone can change. Other factors though are definitely human-made: “In a way we’re victims of our own success. We’ve spent decades building this global supply chain juggernaut and we’re paying the price. Brands can’t expect to keep doing things the same way and survive. You can’t force December order deadlines onto retailers when the snow hasn’t even hit the ground” reminds Tony McWilliam, Global Brand Director at Forward. They work very closely with their factory, who is a stakeholder in their business and allows for a lot of flexibility with ordering deadlines, production timelines and so on.
Last but not least the aftermath of Covid has deposited a lot of surplus stock on the market that needs to be dealt with. “FW23/24 saw a big surplus of inventory in the market that needed time to clear out for shops and brands” says Jones Snowboards, who have always been conservative with ordering and are now reaping the benefits for that. L1 also find that the past season “…was challenging. A tough winter for snowfall, along with a saturated market, makes it difficult for snowboard-specific outerwear brands. We’re incredibly proud of our commitment to never overproducing gear, only manufacturing what’s ordered.” Yet for this current season, the outlook is already quite a bit more rosy and there are reports of positive responses and growth among all brands. 686 highlights their ATLAS collection, Airblaster successfully launched their separates and ThirtyTwo, Brethren, Oakley and Oxbow experienced “steady performance” in the outerwear market.
“This season, overall, the market seems to have stabilised somewhat, with more opportunity; overall growth potential may be determined by where, when, and how often snow falls in different regions” muse Jesse Grandkoski, Brand Manager and Kyle Phillips, Sales Director at Airblaster. Horesfeathers’ Head of Marketing Tomas Koudela would agree to that, reporting on a solid season: “Our key territories crushed it, and we even dropped into some new ones. The warm, snowless January slowed preorders a bit, but the strong finish to the season flipped things around. Shops sold out, and we’re seeing a solid reorder spike early this season. It’s all stacking up to a nice year-over-year growth.” On top of that, CMP report that “In general, the overall market was more static than the previous year, but there is evidence of continued interest in outdoor activities, which are growing in general. We note a greater search for comfort in everyday clothing, and the increasing mixing of sport and everyday life in garments.”
THEMES
Instead of following fancy trends and getting carried away by fashion, there seems to be a strong consensus brewing to preserve the snowboard culture in as much originality as possible. “ThirtyTwo always draws inspiration from the team as it is truly a rider-driven snowboarding brand!” says Apparel Merchandise Director, Susanne Dachgruber and also 686 take inspiration from their team, pairing extremely technical bottoms with some less technical but more expressive tops.
Brethren continue their focus on “functional, comfortable and affordable. Our styling is still old school, loose cut and kept simple. Under the slogan of ‘Defend the Culture’, L1 create a line designed by snowboarders, for snowboarders: “We believe in the importance of supporting the culture itself by backing team riders, photographers, shops, reps, and filmmakers,” states Bob Plumb, Global Marketing Manager. Jones “strives to make high performance and versatile outerwear that’s responsibly made out of recycled fabrics.
All of our fits are movement focused and designed to offer the comfort and protection you need for long days in the mountains” and also Patagonia work with input from their ambassadors and tests in the roughest conditions: “this season’s snow line shows how we can reduce the footprint of our product without compromising on performance,” says Dominik Martin, EMEA BU Buying Manager. The theme of the Lotus range by Snow shepherd operates was “to show that we can manufacture a fabric, inspired by nature that performs in the toughest environments.” Oxbow also focuses on sustainability, fused with a taste of adventure: “We’re drawing inspiration from the growing trend of eco- consciousness, emphasising the use of recycled and sustainable materials while also prioritising local production in Europe” says Silvestre Aurelien, Product Manager. Old-school newcomers ELHO’s inspiration is the growing Freestyle generation and their lifestyle, while Forward combine influences across everything from ski, snowboard, skate, bike, street and fashion.
For Oakley next season is all about advanced functionality: “Designed to cater to multiple disciplines, the range includes specific solutions for backcountry, all-mountain, and freestyle pursuits” says Andrea Bay Braathe, Global Brand Manager AFA and CMP also state that “the trend that has influenced us the most is the contamination between environments, lifestyles, habits and uses, which guides us in the construction of garments oriented towards multifunctionality. It is essential for us that each garment is able to adapt to different functions and contexts of use. This is why many of our best-selling garments can be used for more than one outdoor activity, ensuring our customers a complete, high-performance and comfortable experience in any environment. Burton also mention inclusivity for all shapes and sizes as a big driver for their collection.
Last but not least, we’ll get a lot of Nordic spirit next winter as well. “The 2025 Collection is inspired by the Nordics roots! It’s a tribute to the essence of the North, where untouched wilderness and urban sophistication blend seamlessly. Drawing from the rugged beauty of fjords, forests, and Arctic skies, this collection reflects the spirit of those who thrive in nature’s extremes and the vibrant pulse of city life,” says Colourwear. And Protest report that they drew inspiration from the adventurous spirit of Nordic pioneers who explored the Arctic wilderness, “this collection captures the thrill of adventure in extreme conditions.” Main ‘news’ in fits is a rise of boxy cuts, which some of us remember from the early 90’s and can be found at ThirtyTwo, L1, Protest and ELHO, the latter highlighting their “revolutionary Performance Bomber Jacket”.
Pants are staying either baggy or at least with a loose, relaxed fit – no more skinny pants in sight on our mountains or as Colourwear put it: “Go big or go home!” Jones answer that with the Tweaker Recycled Pants and Tweaker Recycled Jacket that “reflect young freestyle riders” demand for high performance and durable technical outerwear with a relaxed fit and boxy cut that allows for completely unrestricted movement in dynamic riding situations”. Airblaster chime in: “Baggy fits are on the rise for tops and bottoms, simple gas station style, a bit of piping, we’re back in the mid and late 90’s!” and for those seeking a bold, baggy silhouette with a retro twist, the MTHOD Insulated Jacket paired with the Channel Cargo Pant from Oakley offers standout Scandi style. 686 pay high attention to tailoring in their pants, reporting their pro team wants them loose, but not completely over exaggerated which they answer with their Loose Fit pants Dojo, Ghost and the new Tommy Gesme signature Essox Pant. Colourwear highlight their oversized Box pants in light fabric, Horsefeathers are also leaning into more loose fitting pants and Protest offer new styles with a wider fit for comfort and a modern look.
Another trend when it comes to outerwear silhouettes is the growth of unisex offerings, like L1’s Axial Pro Collection which is part of their genderless line. ELHO even base their whole brand on gender fluidity, “redefining modern outdoor design by blending versatility, innovation, and style, making each item wearable by anyone, regardless of gender identity. ELHO stands for the new generation of outdoor style.” In line with their focus on inclusivity, Burton have reworked their offer for FW2526 quite a bit in many ways, including size options in slim, regular and relaxed, with both extended (short and tall) and inclusive sizing (XXS-XXXL). For Patagonia “innovation lies in the refinement of function. We’ve significantly increased storage capacity and organisation while improving fit and mobility – all with zero weight penalty!” and Horsefeathers focus on high-performance jackets for frequent riders in FW25/26. Airblaster offer the only one-piece in our line up, “the Men’s Wrench Coverall is an awesome, industrial styled coverall with trademark Airblaster full body coverage, all at a price that is less than half of the snowboard jackets out there. With free pants attached.”
COLOURS
There’s not much radically fresh to report colour-wise, the main camps we continue to see are either bold pops or earthy shades, Wich some brands, like CMP employ in different collections: “Colour has always been a distinctive element for us, and one to which we attach great importance. In the snow collection, we have been inspired by primary and bright colours, in order to affirm our heritage. In the unlimitech and outdoor collection, on the other hand, we have incorporated colours that are lower in tone, but always stand out for their character and colour mix.” ThirtyTwo go for primary colours that were staples in the 90’s, ELHO continue their 75 year history of neons, Forward found a creative way to use seams for dynamic tri-colour blocking and Jones stay true to their “high visibility” cause with Lime Green and a Bright Coral. Forward find that it’s time to revive “strong, bold traditional colours like Deep Blue and Red, Oxbow mix tonal and vibrant shades and Protest varies between dynamic blue shades paired with beige and natural tones next to blending greens, yellow-orange, and beige/natural tones for a versatile look. A similar approach can be found at Oakley, who “introduce a fresh color palette that blends bold, earthy tones with cool, misty shades. New colors include Mirror Frost (grays and whites), Mist (neutral cool tones), and Pacific (vibrant blues and greens), alongside Uniform Green and striking accents like Mercurius Red. Metallics to add a futuristic touch.”
L1 offer colour blocking and earthy tones and 686 continue with a neutral palette with pop colours, making sure their entire line works well together to accommodate their riders to pair lots of kits together depending on the spot or trick. Brethren mix some pastels into their earthy palette and Burton feature Soft Sage, Glow Green, Washed Lavender, Sunrise Coral, and Light Teal, next to Prism Violet, and Fiesta Red. In line with their Nordic theme, Colourwear have “soft blushes of twilight skies, icy blues of snow-covered peaks, and deep greens of endless forests. These hues aren’t just about style – they’re a tribute to the natural world that inspires us. Understated yet impactful, they capture the Nordic wilderness’s essence while effortlessly slipping into the urban scene.”
PRINTS
Prints are mainly revolving around all time favourites like Camouflage, with several options to pick from. ThirtyTwo went deep on camo for the season, offering a custom tree camo on several pieces, classic woodsman camo and a tribal 90’s inspired camo on the Corduroy collaboration jacket and pant; Jones have a “super cool ‘Peak Camo’ colourway designed by RP Roberts” and Burton have a Graffiti Camo next to Fiesto Pro, and City Streets prints. ELHO highlight their collab with Jean-Michel Basquiat with black & white artwork from the legendary artist, Horesefeathers partnered up with Japanese artist SAGA, blending snowboarding vibes with samurai-style art U.S. artist Jeremy Beightol and offer two back prints on their Coach jacket.
A special mention goes out to the new thermo-reactive pattern from Oakley that is featured on the Baldface Shell Jacket, which adds an innovative surprise element, inspired by Sage Kotsenburg’s backcountry adventures and reveals the Oakley monogram pattern as temperatures drop, which sounds really cool if you ask us. Looking at the FW25/26 collections, what strikes most is that all brands are upping their levels when it comes to functionality. High performance materials are steadily gaining importance and have reached all price segments. “We upgraded all our fabrics to be 20k/20k. Our customers can shop between styles without waterproofing being a decision factor, secure in the knowledge that Burton products will keep you dry. We also have regular and stretch options depending on your preference,” reports Aisling Kyte, Softgoods Merchandiser Europe. A new material that can be found in the L1 collection is the “Bamboo Charcoal membrane technology. It represents the next level in breathable, waterproof, and thermal regulation. By harnessing the natural properties of bamboo charcoal integrated into a PU fiber structure, it offers outstanding waterproofing, breathability, moisture and odour absorption, and thermal regulation – all at minimal weight for maximum comfort.”
The Lotus fabric by Snow Shepherd Lotus operates under a similar principle: “it was based off the water repellant properties of the lotus flower. The fabric underwent extensive testing to ensure its exceptional performance. As a new material, not built from plastic but done in the same way Lotus fabric was once created. It was subject to rigorous evaluation, including both laboratory and real-world physical testing.” Patagonia introduce the new Gore-Tex PRO ePE membrane in their “pinnacle, iconic revision of the highest-performing Gore Pro snow styles on the market. This new fabric marks the final chapter of our journey towards high performing products made without intentionally applied PFAS. And now all of Gore-Tex’ fabric division is PFAS-free.”
Also Jones find that “PFAS is an important topic, and starting in FW24/25 with our move to Gore-Tex ePE, all of our outerwear is now made without PFAS.” 100% of Airblaster products are made without PFC or PFAS too, all DWR coatings are PFAS-free, and the Airblaster black lining taffeta (their highest usage fabric) is either 100% recycled or 100% solution dye and 47% of Airblaster garment styles use recycled fabric as a primary fabrication. To create garments that are as functional as they are stylish, ELHO prioritised using a maximum of bio-based materials, sourcing exceptional fabrics from Japan and Taiwan like a 3-layer outer material made from 100% Sorona with a 15,000 mm water column and 15,000 g/m2/24h breathability rating and 100% biodegradable G-Loft® Eco Future insulation. The use of recycled materials is becoming ever more important for a lot of brands. ThirtyTwo utilise 100% recycled 4-way stretch fabric in their 3L and 2L products and Jones also state that all of their outerwear is made with recycled materials. 686 have updated all their Gore-Tex and GLCR 20K fabrics to 100% recycled fabrics too, positively impacting their carbon footprint and also introducing new Sorona 3L Fabrics that are 43% bio-based and have a 50% reduced carbon footprint compared to similar poly or nylon fabrics.
Working closely with their decade-old fabric mill, Forward have developed a 20k/20k recycled mechanical stretch 3-layer fabric for their Catalyst line and also add a recycled nylon down-proof ripstop into two new models. Colourwear also introduce “mechanical stretch in a 3 layer jacket and pants and swop out the spandex fiber to minimise fossil fibers into recycled polyester.” Brethren report that they have moved to a new manufacturer, which has not only allowed them to use recycled fibre fabrics, but comes from a plant that have installed solar panels to completely cover their factory roofs. “Over the year, they produce more than 50% of the energy used by the factory from these panels. They were also the first manufacturer in their country to sign up to the digital product passporting required for all textile products in the coming years. It’s not quite completed, but later this year we will be able to trace the complete product lifecycle from sourcing to manufacturer, ensuring we’re operating and producing using the right materials.”
Oxbow highlight their use of Primaloft Evolve linings in their outerwear: “This innovative material enhances insulation while being lightweight and highly compressible, ensuring that our jackets provide exceptional warmth without bulk. Primaloft Evolve is also made from recycled materials, aligning with our commitment to sustainability.” And finally, Protest share the use of denim fabric in their winter jackets and snow pants, inspired by Nordic work wear. “This denim is specially treated to withstand harsh winter conditions, providing both style and functionality. In our new collection, all paddings in the line-jacket are made from recycled materials. Additionally, all pants and active tops are PVRE Green, which mean made from recycled materials.”
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