Sessions Drone Jacket and Clone Pant
Reviewer: 6’2”, 160 lbs.
Drone Jacket Features:
- 20,000mm/15,000g waterproof/breathability
- Shell
- RECCO
- Fully Taped Seams
- Zip Off Suspension Storm Skirt
- Lycra Hand Gaiters
- YKK Waterproof Zippers
- Vents with Poppers
- Elastic Tightening at Hood and Hem
- Multimedia Interior Pocket
- Electronic Pass Pocket
- Whistle Zipper Puller
MSRP: USD $270
Clone Pant Features:
- 20,000mm/15,000g waterproof/breathability
- Shell
- RECCO
- Fully Taped Seams
- YKK Waterproof Zippers
- Suspension Boot Gaiter
- Snap Exterior Gussets
- Vents with Poppers
- Stealth Interior Waistband Adjusters
- Garbage Pocket
- Audio Ports in Hand Pockets
MSRP: USD $220
Days tested: 35+
Test Locations: Las Leñas, Argentina; Taos Ski Valley; Various locations around Colorado and Utah
Sessions is a locally owned and operated company in Santa Cruz, California. With its roots in skate and surf culture, the brand has had more followers in the snowboard segment of the snow sports market but has gained some greater representation in the ski game with athletes like Chris Bentchetler, Clayton Vila, and Matt Walker over the years.
We’re always interested to see how a company’s more affordable priced technical gear performs, and Sessions has gained a reputation for doing just that—putting out jackets and pants that don’t break the bank.
The Drone Jacket and Clone Pants (both non-insulated shells) are the only two items in Session’s Summit Series, the highest priced of the three in their line, yet the pieces are still $270 and $220, respectively. With that price tag for a 20,000mm waterproof / 15,000g breathability rating and technical design, we were especially curious to see how these pieces would perform.
With more than 35 days of testing that began in Las Leñas, I’ve worn the Drone and Clone in pretty much every condition you might expect to encounter in a season in Argentina, New Mexico, Colorado, or Utah. I haven’t worn them in full-on rainy PNW weather but have logged plenty of time in super warm early and late season bluebird days, up steep bootpacks, and on snowy storm days with sub-zero windchill. Through it all, the 3–layer shell material has performed very well, which I wasn’t so sure of given the price-point, so we’ll start with the breathability and weatherproofing capabilities of the Drone and Clone.
Breathability
With a snowy July and early August in Argentina, our end-of-August trip to Las Leñas was full of plenty of dry, seriously chilly days with new snow, but by the end of it we were skiing in full-on spring slush conditions toward the base. On those particularly warm days, or while hiking, neither the shell nor pants ever showed signs or poor breathability, and their performance in this regard seemed comparable to a higher priced shell like the Trew Cosmic.
The pit zips work well to vent air quickly on the descent and, despite not having taped zippers, don’t seem to compromise the jacket or pants’ windproofing. No complaints there.
Wind / Waterproofing
The shell material on the Clone and Drone, or at least the face fabric, doesn’t strike me as all that heavy for a 3-layer construction. This is nice, in part, because it makes both the pants and jacket relatively light, able to pack down well, and comfortable. But when skiing from the top Marte lift, blasted with wind and snow while traversing along high ridges to access Las Leñas’ more sheltered chutes, I did notice the material seemed to transfer cold through to my body more quickly than a jacket or pant with thick face material might. This isn’t a huge deal—after all, it’s something you’re likely to experience with a super light, packable high-end shell material too—it just meant I had to be about layering.
The Clone and Drone do just fine in terms of waterproofing, seeming to live up to their respectable 20k rating. From those days storm skiing off Marte to more mid-season powder days in the U.S., I never had any issues staying dry. The DWR on the face fabric seems as good as any I’ve tested on any other jacket, and though moisture can seep into this outer layer, the actual membrane below always did its job to keep me dry.
So far, with respect to battling the elements, the Clone and Drone have done well, and their competitive price seemed very attractive. Unfortunately, however, when it comes to the general design and features of the jacket and pants, there are a few areas that seem (at least for me) to be lacking in some significant ways.