686 GORE-TEX Stretch Dispatch Bibs Review

With the GORE-TEX Stretch Dispatch Bib, 686 has doubled down on decades of making shred gear by blending it with the most cutting-edge tech on the market. It’s like that kid who’s been ripping for years finally jumped to being the star of the gram videos everybody’s sharing. It’s got sleek OG style with protection and details beefed up to handle whatever the mountains could throw at you.

I’ve been testing the 686 GORE-TEX Stretch Dispatch Bib so far all season, from early season blowy low tide to some North Pacific Ocean typhoon-feeling skinning. Resort shred, backcountry shred, and everything in between, the 686 Dispatch doubled down on the GORE-TEX and the Stretch to make your dreams come true.

686 GORE-TEX Stretch Waterproof / Breathability

Let’s start with the 2-layer bluesign-Approved GORE-TEX Nylon stretch fabric DWR wrapping you from chest to ankles, taped GORE-TEX Seals locking it all up for 28,000mm waterproofing and 20,000g/m breathability. The 500D reinforced knees are made for us shredheads pausing on our knees on the hill with the lycra stretch panel boot gaiters for when your edges, or maybe your crampons, catch your cuffs.

686 GORE-TEX Stretch Resort Features

As for other details, there are the two pockets on the chest – one an RFId-blocking inner pocket (especially important if you have a pass to one spot and you’re going somewhere else (Targhee had some issues with people’s other RFID’s causing interference with the Ghee card, for example). The other chest one, the “hand pocket” has a key/beacon leash clip. Plus there are the two thigh pockets, super deep. Just don’t confuse them with the zippers for the outside and inside vents. And of course there’s another set, the cargo pants.

Finally you need the RECCO, like all great outerwear, and there’s BOA compatibility on the gaiters. All told these are epic bibs but really, I needed to try them out.

How Warm Are the 686 Men’s GORE-TEX Stretch Dispatch Bib?

The 686 GORE-TEX Stretch Dispatch is an epic bib I got out for the first time at the start of a slow, warm season. It moved like silk as I toured out to Thanksgiving Bowl on Thanksgiving and then kept me covered as the early-season hard rain snow blew to the ridgetop for our annual holiday celebration.

Then I rocked the 686 Men’s GORE-TEX Stretch Bibs for a couple days at Grand Targhee, showing my son how to snowboard, which involved a good amount of time rolling around in the snow and giving tips. Then when he threw on his skis, I was pushing hard to try and find anything he couldn’t ski (there was nothing) and trying to keep him running at a quick pace. Never once did I get cold, or snowy, or damp even.

In Iceland we toured up a mountain near Reykjavik as a blow came through that we felt like we’d get a sail up the hill if we worked it — or we’d get blown off the hill if it shifted. We had a moment, ducked behind a tower, wondering how we were going to get down in a full whiteout, when I had a ton of worries running through my head. But one thing I wasn’t worried about was my body. Legs were warm the whole time, even as my face went almost white.

Then we returned and the snow came down hard. It was dumping, feet of snow and heavy winds as the pow went everywhere. But it didn’t get down my bibs. I was warm even on that day where it was -10 on the hill, despite only lapping the lifts I was never cold. The 686 GORE-TEX Stretch Dispatch bibs kept me as warm as a day in Thailand with the heat on.

What Can Be Improved?

My one issue is a lack of a drop-seat, which can make it tough on some longer days in the backcountry but that’s probably because this veers a little more toward a resort pant than a touring-specific pant. It also definitely keep my bits good and toasty.

686 GORE-TEX Stretch Dispatch Bibs Pros & Cons

Pros:

• High waterproofing and breathability levels
• Loaded with resort-friendly features
• Exceptional warmth even in extreme conditions

Cons:

• Lack of a drop-seat feature
• Veers more towards resort use

Overall Impression

The 686 Stretch Dispatch Bib: Hurricane-proof Protection, Shredhead Performance In the 3 months I’ve had the 686 Stretch Dispatch Bib ($479.95), I’ve put it through every winter condition imaginable: hot pow, -15 degree moondust; sunny bootpacks and Icelandic gale-force winds. I never overheated or got cold. I never got drenched or by the wet snow, and the heavy winds didn’t make a dent.

I can spin and grab without any plasticky lock-tite freezing up my legs and skin and hike without that notorious knee-grab I’ve found on some other pants. If protection and mobility is the key to your shredding, there’s no better choice than these 686 Bibs.

Related Ski & Snowboard Bibs

1. TREW Men’s Trewth Bibs
2. Flylow Men’s Compound Bibs
3. Burton [ak] Men’s Tusk Bibs