Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket review: Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket

The Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket ($379) is a high-end snowsport jacket with an integrated iPod remote control. If you've ever taken a spill and watched your snowboard and MP3 player shoot off in different directions, then the Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket is worth more than a passing glance.

Like most Burton products, the Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket has a very hip design, constructed with materials that are both high-tech and high-style. The jacket employs taped seams, laminated fabric, and resizable fittings to keep moisture from finding its way through to your clothing. Zippered pockets can be found practically everywhere, in sizes large enough to stash away a pair of snow gloves, or snug enough for a pair of earbuds. An interior pocket is built into the field jacket specifically to cradle your iPod. With your iPod tucked away, earbuds can then be threaded through a small port within the jacket's lining and up to the ears.

The Audex iPod remote control can be removed from the Burton Field Jacket's molded rubber compartment.

While the jacket alone is worth the price, what really makes the Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket unique is the iPod remote control integration. The Audex-branded iPod remote comes in two parts: a remote receiver that plugs directly into your iPod's dock connection; and a remote control. Both the receiver and the remote use high-frequency radio signals to communicate with one another, with an expected range of 100 feet. While the Audex iPod remote receiver is basically a nondescript black nub that plugs into your iPod, the remote control has a little more going for it. The pebble-shaped Audex remote features five rubber buttons that control volume, track skip, and play/pause. Although the Audex remote is meant to be operated within the field jacket's custom-molded rubber compartment, it can also be used separately as a go-anywhere iPod remote. We found that the Audex iPod remote system worked flawlessly with both a fifth-generation video iPod and a third-generation iPod Nano.

Taken as a whole, both the Burton Field Jacket and Audex iPod remote system provide an uncompromised solution for sliding down a snow-covered mountain in style. There are other good ways to bring your music onto the mountain, but none that are nearly as cool.