Burton Mens Outerwear F/W 2026/27 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Mens Outerwear F/W 2026/27 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Burton
Interviewee: Benjamin Schwarz – Softgoods Merchandising Manager Europe

In 2 sentences – how was the men’s snow outerwear market in 2025/26?
The season started strong, thanks in part to the full reset of our Burton outerwear line and the introduction of the Reserve collection, which delivered double-digit wholesale growth and early traction around our relaxed silhouettes. By simplifying the line, elevating functionality, and rebuilding our portfolio for long-term growth, we entered the market with a much clearer point of view—making it easier for riders and retailers to choose the right gear and helping us regain momentum in a competitive landscape.

What are the main trends you take your inspiration from for 2026/27?
For 2026/27, we’re drawing from three powerful forces: 50 years of Burton heritage, our creative direction rooted in Elemental Alchemy—motion, flow, harmony, freedom, perception, connection, transformation—and the energy we see through rider expression and progression around the world. From global pros to grassroots heroes, rider alignment continues to fuel some unexpected style shifts, bold fits, and a more expressive, movement-driven approach to outerwear.

What new jacket fits and pant silhouettes are coming out in 2026/27?
For 2026/27, our entire outerwear architecture evolves around a simple principle: we listen to our riders—from our team to everyday consumers. All three of our key collections—Burton Reserve, [ak], and Futuretrust—receive updated fits driven by rider feedback, market needs, and a strong shift toward more relaxed silhouettes. Burton Reserve expands its fit range with a true baggy fit: a straight leg from hip to hem, simplified seams for a clean drape, and traditional cargo pockets brought back by rider demand. The cut delivers the look without forcing riders to size up, ensuring a true waist fit—especially important for women. Our [ak] 2L category sees its first major fit update since W20. Leveraging learnings from our 3L patterning and the new Rider Wrap Fit, we’ve created a more functional on-snow silhouette with consistent sizing, more ease for layering, smarter seam placement, larger thigh pockets, and improved mobility—while still living within our Regular fit. Futuretrust pushes fully into what riders asked for: baggier, more oversized, and exclusively 3L. It’s built for those who want the strongest silhouette and the highest-performing materials we offer. In total, Burton now clearly covers the full fit spectrum—from stretch slim to regular, relaxed, and true baggy—doubling down on the modern, freeride-driven fits today’s riders are looking for. Future trust is a gender neutral collection and for reserve & AK we have the same styles and naming conventions for both genders to make it super easy to navigate.

Tell us about colours and prints:
Our color and print direction is built around Elemental Alchemy—IGNITE, CONNECT, TRANSFORM—creating clear palettes that flow across men’s, women’s, and youth. We focused on stronger gender distinction, art-driven prints, and clean color stories that merchandise seamlessly across categories, including the 50th Anniversary B by Burton drop.

MEN:
In [ak], the top-performing colors for the season is Rum Raisin. Key prints include Keel Camo and Cyanotype Floral, each designed to elevate multi-style merchandising and connect outerwear to midlayers, bags, and accessories. In Burton Reserve, the standout colors are Bearhug Brown, and once more Summit taupe supported by rich earth tones. Prints such as Desert rock and Seersucker Camo offer strong commercial appeal and allow retailers to build expressive but balanced assortments. Across the full line, color stories stay connected through shared tones and seasonal flow—mixing expressive art-based prints with clean directional solids to give retailers clear ways to build depth, variety, and on-floor storytelling. Fun fact – all our prints were handmade not AI used!

How are you addressing sustainability topics, not only in production of your products (materials, transportation, packaging) but also their after-life / repurposing?
We lead with certified materials and clean chemistry: our fabrics are 100% bluesign®-approved, all [ak] outerwear is PFAS-free, and the entire [ak] line now uses GORE-TEX ePE membranes — a next-generation, low-impact waterproofing technology developed to replace traditional PFAS chemical. We’ve also eliminated single-use plastics from our softgoods packaging by switching to FSC-certified, recycled paper bags and recyclable packaging, reducing waste at retail and distribution. And to extend product life, all softgoods are built with durability at the core and supported by lifetime warranty, repair, and reuse pathways — keeping gear in circulation longer and lowering the impact per use.

Any trends that your brand is moving away from?
We’re moving away from unnecessary complexity — in features, in silhouettes, and in line architecture — to deliver a cleaner, more purposeful offering. Instead of chasing every trend, we’re focusing on clarity, function, and fit, keeping pricing flat year over year.

What are your big marketing campaigns for 2026/27?
In 2027 its Burton’s 50th Anniversary, celebrated through the 50/50 platform—a milestone that honors five decades of shaping snowboarding while setting the tone for the next fifty. As part of this moment, we’re reintroducing iconic styles like Powdershell, BioLight, Ronin, and B by Burton, rebuilt with modern tech and fits to evoke nostalgia while delivering true on-snow performance. In parallel, we launch one a more progressive initiative: the Burton x Zeb Powell Collection. it’s a completely new, disruptive ”zebulos” approach to outerwear, fueled by his creativity, energy, and boundary-breaking style. This collection stands as the forward-looking counterpoint to our heritage story, showing exactly how Burton intends to shape the future the next 50 years of snowboarding.

Key Products:

Cyclic 2L GORE-TEX Shell:
Our most versatile resort shell, now unified for both genders, featuring the new GORE-TEX 2L ePE membrane and a recycled nylon face for reliable stormproofing. The updated fit, enhanced pocketing, and refined details make it our most complete do-everything shell. A proven bestseller with upgraded materials and a cleaner, more functional design.

Men’s Reserve 2L Jacket:
A clean, modern resort shell built with DRYRIDE 20K recycled polyester, offering breathable waterproof protection in a regular, easy-to-layer fit. Fully taped seams, a helmet-compatible hood, pit zips, and smart pocketing make it a dependable daily driver. PFAS-free chemistry and bluesign® materials ensure a responsible footprint, while its performance echoes the proven Frostner lineage.

Reserve 2L Relaxed Bib Pants:
Our best-selling bib silhouette returns in a relaxed fit with DRYRIDE 20K waterproofing, recycled materials, and rider-designed functionality. Stretch panels, adjustable suspenders, no-snag venting, and comprehensive pocketing make it a staple for everyday resort riders. Fully taped seams, PFAS-free chemistry, and bluesign® materials ensure durability, comfort, and clean environmental performance.