Do I need a Soft Shelll?

[Mike P.]

I didn't want to hijack Peakbagger's Soft Shell recommendation thread so I thought I'd start a new one.

I rarely wear a shell in warmer weather unless it's really coming down. In winter my outerwear on dry days or days with light flurries are usually vest. I have a reversible fleece vest with a nylon outer on one side and the other is a first-generation wind-bloc, Polar-tec vest. Sleeveless is the best pit-zip for me.

My understanding is that Soft Shells are pretty close to that first generation Polar-tec, great on wind blocking, a bit light on breathability. I looked at one in the bargain basement of Ragged a couple of years ago and it was less than $30. I liked it, however, when I tried to rationalize when I would wear it and what I was wearing currently in those conditions and I couldn't even rationalize the $30. (I have a first generation Wind-bloc jacket that I wore to Madison Hut on a -10 day with 50 MPH winds as a 4th layer and I was warm.
We didn't stay long either.

When do you wear your soft shell? Conditions and time of year?

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I didn't want to hijack Peakbagger's Soft Shell recommendation thread so I thought I'd start a new one.

I rarely wear a shell in warmer weather unless it's really coming down. In winter my outerwear on dry days or days with light flurries are usually vest. I have a reversible fleece vest with a nylon outer on one side and the other is a first-generation wind-bloc, Polar-tec vest. Sleeveless is the best pit-zip for me.

My understanding is that Soft Shells are pretty close to that first generation Polar-tec, great on wind blocking, a bit light on breathability. I looked at one in the bargain basement of Ragged a couple of years ago and it was less than $30. I liked it, however, when I tried to rationalize when I would wear it and what I was wearing currently in those conditions and I couldn't even rationalize the $30. (I have a first generation Wind-bloc jacket that I wore to Madison Hut on a -10 day with 50 MPH winds as a 4th layer and I was warm.
We didn't stay long either.View attachment 6954

When do you wear your soft shell? Conditions and time of year?

Except for warm summer months, I have worn my MH soft shell (see other thread) year round for the past decade directly over base layer and sometimes under a goretex anorak or perhaps another insulation layer in winter or above tree line. Cannot even remember what I wore instead previously.

 

[JoshandBaron]

My jacket only gets used as an active layer in extreme cold. My winter hiking pants are soft shell.

 

[nartreb]

Soft shells are great when you've got the balance right between warmth and conditions - they shrug off minor wind, rain, snow that would be unpleasant, for opposite reasons, with either no shell or a hard shell. Softshell pants for winter hiking, for example, are great for preventing your base layer from getting wet from casual contact with snow, and can offer a touch of extra warmth while maintaining breathability - exactly what you need when you're exercising in the cold. Softshell jackets give you options in wind and drizzle - especially when you're exercising enough that a hardshell would make you perspire.

But you don't *need* one. Over the years I've found myself using them less and less. If I'm taking a road trip for a hike in the mountains, I'm always carrying a hard shell (jacket and pants), in case of hard rain/wind and/or I end up immobilized. A softshell really doesn't cut it in those scenarios outside of midsummer. So given that I'm already devoting weight and pack space to a hard shell, it's hard to justify carrying the softshell too unless I know the weather is just right for it and I'll start out wearing it.

 

[DayTrip]

Soft shells are great when you've got the balance right between warmth and conditions - they shrug off minor wind, rain, snow that would be unpleasant, for opposite reasons, with either no shell or a hard shell. Softshell pants for winter hiking, for example, are great for preventing your base layer from getting wet from casual contact with snow, and can offer a touch of extra warmth while maintaining breathability - exactly what you need when you're exercising in the cold. Softshell jackets give you options in wind and drizzle - especially when you're exercising enough that a hardshell would make you perspire.

But you don't *need* one. Over the years I've found myself using them less and less. If I'm taking a road trip for a hike in the mountains, I'm always carrying a hard shell (jacket and pants), in case of hard rain/wind and/or I end up immobilized. A softshell really doesn't cut it in those scenarios outside of midsummer. So given that I'm already devoting weight and pack space to a hard shell, it's hard to justify carrying the softshell too unless I know the weather is just right for it and I'll start out wearing it.

Ditto for me. I went through a variety of soft shells of various weights over the years and find I generally never use one. Most of them have become my "around town" jackets for poor weather. Most times of the year all I really need is a wind shirt or light rain jacket over base and/or mid layers like regular fleece or a puffy. My hard shell also weighs quite a bit less than all of the soft shells I own and considering the hard shell is far more versatile I'd just assume have the hard shell with me. The biggest factor for me choosing hard shell vs soft shell is in Winter when you're in the trees brushing against wet snow constantly, having blobs of snow drop on your head, etc. or of course if you're out in steady or heavy rain. A wetted out soft shell is quite a bit heavier and more unpleasant than a wetted out hard shell. I much prefer the hard shell in these scenarios. For everything else, I'd say it's a personal preference.

I have recently become semi-obsessed with Gore Tex Infinium however and have started rethinking many situations. I find it works better with moisture resistance than a typical softshell and is also much lighter than other soft shells but still cuts the wind out extremely well. I have a Mammut jacket made of this which I'm pretty sure will replace my hard shell in most scenarios and also have tights, gloves and mittens made of the fabric and am quite impressed with it. It is pretty expensive though, which is probably the biggest deterrent.

 

[Peakbagr]

thanks for posting the softshell offshoot. When temps are warm I carry or wear (if it's raining) a rain jacket, but carry or wear a softshell on cold or winter days. It's my standard outerwear in winter. When not on hikes, we're out for hilly, exposed doghikes on the local golf course. 5 miles with little windbreak when it's 5 degrees and breezy and the softshell is the best choice for me.

 

[jfb]

My understanding is that Soft Shells are pretty close to that first generation Polar-tec, great on wind blocking, a bit light on breathability. I looked at one in the bargain basement of Ragged a couple of years ago and it was less than $30. I liked it, however, when I tried to rationalize when I would wear it and what I was wearing currently in those conditions and I couldn't even rationalize the $30. (

The first time I tried on a soft-shell, I didn't like it either. The material was pretty thick and it looked like it would take up quite a bit of room in my pack and I never bought any. Sometime later, it seems like some marketing folks decided that what had been commonly called wind shells in the pre-GoreTex 1970s were now part of the soft-shell family. That didn't bother me because I had always been a big fan of wind shells, but I think it can be confusing that some soft shells are a thin layer of nylon and others have thicker fleece type insulation as an inner layer. I suppose many have never tried the thin, single layer wind shell version and therefore haven't experienced the advantages that they provide. So, I'll suggest you try the thin, wind shell version as an outer layer and see how it works.

 

[jfb]

Most times of the year all I really need is a wind shirt or light rain jacket over base and/or mid layers like regular fleece or a puffy.

I'll typically wear a wind shell over a base layer/midlayer and carry a light rain jacket and pants.

Depending on the weather conditions, I might also carry an insulated shell.

 

[jfb]

I rarely wear a shell in warmer weather unless it's really coming down. In winter my outerwear on dry days or days with light flurries are usually vest. I have a reversible fleece vest with a nylon outer on one side and the other is a first-generation wind-bloc, Polar-tec vest. Sleeveless is the best pit-zip for me.

If you do decide to try a windshell, you may find that your mid layers are too warm and don't allow moisture to travel from your skin to the shell. In that case, you should consider changing from your current fleeces to plain fleeces or lightweight wool sweaters.

 

[sierra]

I absolutely love softshell pants, total game changer. I still swear by and love my 3-layer Gore-Tex shell jacket and would never be without it year-round.

 

[Mike P.]

My jacket only gets used as an active layer in extreme cold. My winter hiking pants are soft shell.

Don't even get me started on hard or soft shell pants. Wish I had worn rain pants twice that I regretted as wet diaper like pants suck for hiking and twice where I wore the hard shells and sweated all day and that sucks too. These days in hiking pants, either lined or unlined and with or without Long Johns under them.

 

[Mike P.]

The first time I tried on a soft-shell, I didn't like it either. The material was pretty thick and it looked like it would take up quite a bit of room in my pack and I never bought any. Sometime later, it seems like some marketing folks decided that what had been commonly called wind shells in the pre-GoreTex 1970s were now part of the soft-shell family. That didn't bother me because I had always been a big fan of wind shells, but I think it can be confusing that some soft shells are a thin layer of nylon and others have thicker fleece type insulation as an inner layer. I suppose many have never tried the thin, single layer wind shell version and therefore haven't experienced the advantages that they provide. So, I'll suggest you try the thin, wind shell version as an outer layer and see how it works.

In the summer I'll wear a running vest which sheds wind pretty well & I have a couple of pullovers that are less fleece and more nylon which I may pack if drizzle and fog are likely. I pack the hard shell, just in case.

 

[Mike P.]

If you do decide to try a windshell, you may find that your mid layers are too warm and don't allow moisture to travel from your skin to the shell. In that case, you should consider changing from your current fleeces to plain fleeces or lightweight wool sweaters.

Mostly in lightweight button-down fleece, (90's EMS micro). That jacket in that picture is my winter coat these days. I did Moosilaukee in winter in 200 weight fleece but seldom wear that except in the fall as it's bright orange. I do have a heavy LL Bean fleece for colder days.