https://kinsta.altitude-sports.com/en/what-is-a-softshell/ Outdoor Gear Guides, Stories & Reviews Wed, 13 Sep 2023 01:28:54 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.9 https://kinsta.altitude-sports.com/en/what-is-a-softshell/#comment-1445 Mon, 14 Oct 2019 21:46:31 +0000 https://altitude-blog.com/?p=69284#comment-1445 I didn’t see any mention of Polartec Neoshell, which is a hardshell, is waterproof, and is highly breathable. The article was well written but there are so many exceptions to the rule that its almost impossible to categorize them. Neoshell and Polartec Power Shield come in dozens of styles, and each offers something different. For example, Neoshell comes in a smooth laminate lined finish, fleece lined, Hi-Loft lined and even lined with Polartec Alpha Direct insulation…so its both warm, breathable, and waterproof. Google those fabrics and you’ll find out more.

]]> https://kinsta.altitude-sports.com/en/what-is-a-softshell/#comment-1444 Sat, 21 Jul 2018 01:38:07 +0000 https://altitude-blog.com/?p=69284#comment-1444 Breathability should be the main concern when purchasing a softshell. Yes, you want some weather and wind resistance, but not if breathability is heavily degraded.
Softshells are also luxury items. Don’t build your layering system around a softshell. Get a good fleece, insulated jacket and hardshell first. This combination will handle more varied and extreme weather conditions than a softshell centered system.

]]> https://kinsta.altitude-sports.com/en/what-is-a-softshell/#comment-1443 Mon, 23 Apr 2018 23:34:08 +0000 https://altitude-blog.com/?p=69284#comment-1443 the earliest Softshells were made by a british company called Buffalo; the concept was popularised by Mark Twight with the idea of the ‘action suit’ in his book Extreme Alpinism.
I would argue (and this is a matter of opinion) that the reason softshells died off after the early 2000s hype was because many of them were rubbish – a softshell should give enough insulation and breathability to be more comfortable than a hardshell when moving around outside wet conditions, but many of the ‘sharkskin’ type softshells were neither particularly warm nor breathable.
A jacket like the Rab Vapourrise, on the other hand, is an excellent example. Not quite waterproof but protective enough to keep the wearer warm, and breathable enough to stop them overheating even when active. Interestingly, the VapourRise uses a pertex face material – just like the original Buffalo shirts!

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