Soft Shell
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Barriers for whatever the atmosphere dishes out
Coats for every adventure, from sunny singletrack to frigid summits
Keep moving in all conditions
These men's jackets offer versatile protection for a variety of weather
Deer, ducks, and other quarry won't even know you're there
By focusing on breathability, Polartec Alpha works when you鈥檙e moving, too
Stay comfortable on the trail, whether you're out for two days or ten
Your best defense against snow, sun, and everything in between
When to wash your shell, how to apply a DWR, and whether to choose a spray-on or wash-in
Dress for success when you get snow, rain, and sunshine, all in 24 hours
The champion of the waterproof-breathable hardshell is getting soft
Barely-there shells for all kinds of conditions
Running to work is hard, especially when you have to contend with cold weather, poor visibility, and icy roads. On those days, your gear matters.
Glow-in-the-dark apparel for after-hours commuting
I ran my first ultra, The North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile on December 7. Save two missing toenails and a pinky toe that looks like it belongs on a cadaver, I think I am far enough away from the pain to write about the gear that helped…
The Halogen can鈥檛 do it all, but it does so much so well that it rates as one of the most versatile winter jackets we鈥檝e ever tested.
This gold-standard shell holds its own come wind, rain, snow, or shine鈥攁nd plays well with others
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the Summer 2013 Buyer鈥檚 Guide, including the Rab Maverick.
A company never satisfied with the status quo has designed two new jackets that are as cozy and comfortable as some of your favorite pieces
In the past 12 months, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, Polartec, Gore-Tex, and Stoic have introduced new waterproof-breathable membranes. We won鈥檛 bore you with the wonky details of their lofty claims; all you need to know is that each is more breathable than many of the jackets we鈥檝e been raving about for years.
These shells offer equal parts protection and comfort. We reviewed the Columbia Flyin' Dry, with its waterproof, breathable membrane and roomy back pocket; the Marmot Tempo Hoody, which kept our tester toasty on mountain runs and hikes during a windy season; the super-stretchy First Ascent High Season; and others.
Nordic skiers and cold-climate runners will love this aerobic-oriented jacket, which has a wind-blocking front face and a thin, breathable back.
In 2005, I bought a Mountain Equipment Co-Op Composite 2 softshell jacket. It's the best purchase I have ever made. Unfortunately, seven years later it's starting to pile. I need a replacement. What do you recommend? Blair Turner, Saskatoon, SK
国产吃瓜黑料 picks the essentials for January, including the Westcomb Switch LT Hoody.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Nau 3/4 Length Cocoon jacket.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the K2 Rescue Shovel Plus.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Canada Goose HyBridge Lite jacket
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Helly Hansen Odin Mountain jacket.
Ice climbing season is coming up and I need to decide whether to buy a hardshell or a softshell. Which do you prefer for climbing?
Four softshells hard enough for any weather, including The North Face's Jammu.
Four softshells hard enough for any weather, including Columbia Sportswear鈥檚 Key Three.
Four softshells hard enough for any weather, including Millet鈥檚 Trilogy 颅Limited WDS Hoodie.
Four softshells hard enough for any weather, including the Eddie Bauer First Ascent Hyalite.
Cooling Agents: Our favorite ultralight gear for sweltering summer runs, including the North Face Better Than Naked jacket.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Outdoor Research Cirque Windshirt.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Arc'teryx Epsilon SV Hoody.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the First Ascent Sandstone Jacket.
What is your recommendation for a windproof soft shell woman's jacket with good breathability and water resistance? I will be operating Zodiacs in 20- to 40-degree weather in the Russian Far East and need a good range of movement. Thank you.LaurieGaylord, MI
What's the best technical soft shell? — Laura Baltimore, Maryland
I'm looking for a lightly-insulated jacket to ski in and use for general winter wear. I would love something that is waterproof, stretchy, layerable, and versatile. The big thing is, I need it to FIT. I'm a short guy (5'6") with an athletic build. Seems like whenever I try on jackets at a retailer, the sleeve cuffs are dragging on the floor. Any advice for us shorties who are in search of the magic shell? Jon Cleveland, OH
What is the best soft shell for cross-country skiing? Paul Ely, MN
My son has requested a soft shell jacket as a gift. He seeks something similar to his Columbia shell with internal fleece jackets (3-in-1) of his youth. I think he wants the shell and doesn't care if it zips into a liner. Your suggestions? Susan Cedar Rapids, MI
Good for Resort Just like the turquoise-and-hot-pink, three-in-one Columbia you skied in as a kid—only much better. The inner jacket, a trim-fitting, polyester-lined down puffy with pit zips and three internal pockets, is practically worth the price of admission on its own. Ditto the waterproof-breathable shell, with…
INSULATED CONVERTIBLE Need variable warmth for variable conditions? The two-in-one Apollo, with its removable vest, is your jacket. The vest, insulated with synthetic fill, adds plenty of core warmth, but it snaps in or out in just a few seconds and adds very little bulk, allowing the jacket to fit…
AEROBIC MASTER Good for Resort Hesitant about wearing a soft shell to the resort? Relax. In drier climates, the fleece-and-soft-shell Gamma SV is the perfect choice for hard-charging lift-lappers. Built with cozy, high-loft Polartec Power Shield fleece in the chest and a lighter version of the…
Good for Backcountry In-bounds or out-of-bounds, the Skinnard has your back. With a ski-pass window, detachable powder skirt, and headphone port, it’s ready for a full day on the lifts (it’s cut to fit over bulky midlayers). And while the Skinnard has neither pit zips nor vented…
WESTCOMB‘s SKEENA HOODY. It’s extremely water-resistant, stretchy, and lined with a warm, wicking merino layer.
HARD CHARGER Textile wonks say the Velocity’s Schoeller NanoSphere fabric—which runs across the jacket’s shoulders and back—is inspired by the especially water-repellent leaf of the white lotus. How closely it resembles its natural cousin we can’t say, but the Velocity does shed water better than most soft shells. And because…
BEST FOR BACKCOUNTRY Unlike a lot of windproof soft shells, which rely on an embedded membrane, the Winter Guide’s gale-thwarting abilities come from a supertight weave, enabling it to breathe better than most. During a day of ski touring in Washington’s North Cascades that involved everything from cold descents to…
BACKCOUNTRY STANDBY Good for Backcountry Technically, the Vanquish is a “soft” shell, but it certainly didn’t behave like one in the field. Gore-Tex’s Soft Shell material is fairly breathable and virtually waterproof—we didn’t test it in driving rain, but it easily shed several hours of…
Good for Resort Two words: Tricked. Out. The Glenn has everything from a removable powder skirt to a headphone port to pit zips. But here’s the deal: With the exception of the removable (and superfluous) “hiking suspenders,” testers approved of every add-on, especially the hand gaskets with…
Think of your winter workout gear, like SALOMON‘s lightweight, breathable MOMENTUM II SOFTSHELL JACKET, as a vacation investment—your ticket to transcending the slop and sleet to a warmer, sunnier plane (in your head, anyway).
The low-key ranch-jacket exterior of the Hard Place conceals some trick technology. A finish called NanoSphere magically repels stains and dirt from the abrasion-resistant Schoeller WB-400 fabric. A waffled liner channels sweat away from the back. And under the arms, a lightweight stretch fleece allows venting without unwieldy pit…
BARGAIN PUFFY Good luck finding an equally tricked-out, ski-specific soft shell at this price. In addition to a removable powder skirt and helmet-compatible hood, the Wildcard has everything you need—hidden pass clip, dedicated goggle pocket, and audio-player compartment with earbud port—for an organized day sans backpack. Its low-profile layer of…
DUDE CRED Good for Backcountry FlyLow has a sense of humor. The care-instructions tag in this piece advises you first to “Drink Cold Beer.” But the Denver-based company also has a solid reputation for making durable, no-nonsense gear. And by using a highly water-resistant, stretchy “kung…
Good for Resort The uninsulated, waterproof-breathable Odin was developed with input from four ski patrols across North America and Europe, then field-tested in Antarctica by ski mountaineer Chris Davenport. You can tell. Its shoulders and waist—where your pack rubs—are reinforced with Kevlar and TPU panels, there’s a…
For slogs into the backcountry, this soft shell carried its (barely there) weight with smart features like a chenille-soft chin guard and slanted pockets you can still access with a pack on. It won’t stand up to a major snowstorm—the Pro Tour is only water-resistant—but it’s the go-to jacket…
Meet the jacket version of that warm friendliness Germans call gem眉tlichkeit. The microfiber inner cuffs are soft and help retain heat, the collar is snug but not too tight, and the fleecy collar caresses bare skin. Testers favored the coziness on gusty alpine ridges, when wind-resistance trumped breathability. 1.3…
ALL-WEATHER PERFORMER Unlike most soft shells, which will keep you dry and comfy 90 percent of the time, the ultra-stretchy Tremor won’t wilt when conditions get sloppy. While OR won’t officially call the Tremor waterproof, our testers will. Thanks to a Gore Windstopper membrane and taped seams, the Tremor bested…
TOWN AND COUNTRY Good for Backcountry Don’t worry, it’s also available in black and UPS brown. We were surprised that what looks like a soft-shell sweatshirt on acid could perform so well in nasty conditions. But this hoodie felt as at home riding the lifts on…
Good for Resort It may look like it schussed in from the eighties ski flick Hot Dog… The Movie, but with all the resort-friendly features—like pit zips and a powder skirt—the Gunpowder is a seriously technical puffy. The real secret to the jacket’s performance is that the…
Welcome to Savile Row. Enter your measurements and choose options on Beyond’s Web site and a couple weeks later take delivery of a custom-fit, custom-featured soft shell—I designed a model for cycling and nordic skiing. The one nonnegotiable characteristic—Schoeller Dryskin Extreme fabric—kept me just right during a 15-mph road…
DEEP-FREEZE FRIEND During a couple of back-to-back days of single-digit chairlift rides in the Alps, the insulated Evo shined. And thanks to a patchwork of supple fabrics—including swaths of breathable, super-stretchy material under the arms—it offers way more mobility than most ski puffies. The combo is perfect for skiing in…