Softshell jackets, Why?

[MikeLA]

Help me out here ?

Just bought a decent make softshell and although they are hard wearing, boy they are cold and that’s just walking around town. How many layers needed for the hills they are designed for probably too many.

I like a fleese like a polartec 300 and wanted to try a softshell. Why do you wear one and what do you think of them.

 

[gra_farmer]

The only one I have is a work branded one, but although I agree on its own it can be cold, it is wind and shower proof, and good in getting through undergrowth. You do need layers underneath to get the best from them.

Would I buy one with my own money, no, but the one I have is worn a lot and still looks very good and pleased I have it.

For my own personal used, a fleece or wool jumper and a jacket or coat.

In really wet weather I double the waterproof jackets up, and layer below for warmth

 

[SaraR]

It really depends on the thickness of the fabric! I’ve got one that’s great as a windproof layer with a bit of insulation for summer use (get’s rid of one layer) and a few that are thicker and actually quite warm. Windproof and shower resistant but no need for a fleece underneath like under a shell jacket, and more comfortable as less bulk and fewer layers. Also looks smart enough to wear as a jacket where a fleece might be a bit out of place.

Great for when rain is less likely and it’s too warm for a fleece and gortex, but a thin windproof jacket will be too cold. Soft and comfortable and breathable. What’s not to like?

 

[Ozmundo]

The US army rolled them out a decade two back as a layering item. It’s then become a bit of a fashion item

Ironically they seem to be relegated to garrison wear in the military. They look smarter than hard face kit but are not so great on the field.

 

[MikeLA]

Without the layers mines not that windproof, looks like a town jacket only and fleese everywhere else.

 

[Erbswurst]

I recently asked an older German soldier what he thinks about his new issued soft shell jacked and he told me that it's great for railway train use and nothing else because outdoors either too cold or too sweaty.

That fits exactly my experience with civil versions. I wear them off around the house and will buy no more. I don't see any reason to carry them in the rucksack around. A thin fleece under a thin polycotton jacket is hundred times more comfortable and 100 times more versatile.

That's approximately by the way what the German soldier was used to before, he can choose between an Ulfrotte woolpower shirt or something like that in cotton, and wear over both layers a padded jacket that's made like a sleeping bag and another polycotton layer over it and / or a Goretex jacket. All that is better in his opinion.

I honestly think that soft shell is bought because it's sold and worn in town because its bought already. I don't see in Germany softshell on serious outdoor persons in use among forest and field.

I can imagine that it's usefull for climbing though and owned one of the first softshell suits for down hill skiing that was very good over other layers, much better than everything else before.

 

[MikeLA]

Yes, think mine going the same way or to my oldest child.

 

[Erbswurst]

If it's adult that's an option.
But teenagers should get exclusively the best of the best and only what you already tried out yourself over an extended period of time.

Teenagers and children trust in your experience, they don't try alternatives and the given equipment gets a sentimental value. They should keep the first Victorinox Spartan, Climber or Compact for ever and not a cheap non convincing copy for example. It's the same with every other item apart from usual clothing that they outgrow anyway.

Don't gift them much, but gift them only the best of the best! They will keep and use it for decades!

 

[Tiley]

I reckon softshells are neither fish nor fowl. When backpacking, where everything has to justify its rucksack space, they just don't cut it for me. If it's windy, I'll put on the shell layer; if it's cold, I'll add a fleece/woolly layer; if it's raining, it's the shell again. For me, they really don't have a particularly useful function. If I want a windproof, pertex does the job perfectly and doesn't weigh much and certainly isn't as bulky. For everything else, in every permutation, the shell + insulation works fine.

That said, the one time where a softshell has been useful is when climbing in the Alps. There, it was a combination of it being stretchy, vaguely warm and wind resistant that made it a good garment to wear for that particular day on that particular route.

Would I buy another one? No: I just don't feel that they're worth the money and they really don't tick enough boxes to be included in my rucksack.

 

[Ozmundo]

Pertex windshirts all the way.

Although when wearing a buffalo shirt I did seem to pick up a lot more speed when glissaiding than anyone in gortex.

Type 2 fun. I never slide down the mountain on my bottom. Honestly never.

 

[Paul_B]

Buffalo shirts are technically softshells too. Paramo waterproofs too. I think you need to state what you mean by softshell. It's a marketing term that in itself means nothing.

Your use obviously is a major factor in what you use. As is the right choice of garment for your intended use and style of use. Out of interest I was on top of helvellyn a minute after the felltop assessor did his readings. Minus 13C with high windchill that by the various windchill tables put the feel of the temperature significantly lower. All reported in the felltop assessor's record for that day. My clothing of choice that day was helly hansen protocol base layer on my upper body with just a rab vapour rise jacket over the top. I was warm enough without being too warm when moving. When stopped a rab generator smock went over the top while stopped.

My point is that softshell only suits you if it does. Stating the obvious but they can and do work for what they're intended for but only if you're doing that. In my case rapid moving walking trips in winter where you have matched your clothing to suit conditions when moving. I'm a firm believer in starting off cold so I'm just right when moving, then layer up, when stopped and only stopped. You sweat less and maintaining warmth is then easier.

If you're wearing a thin softshell in stationary activities such at around town or woods bimble then you've probably picked the wrong garment. Not the fault of the clothing just the decision to use it inappropriate to it's suitability.

As to squaddie suitability, that's not exactly transferable to civvy use I reckon. Demands are different.

 

[Ozmundo]

There are a lot of jackets marketed as “soft shell” that are primarily fashion wear for those who want to have the look.

They are styled after products that are designed to be capable in the outdoors. Such is the way of marketing and trends. Quite a few functional items have features derived purely from fashion, pretty common through history.

My sense of the OP’s comment was why are so many the essentially casual jackets that ape the tacticool/mountaineering look with very limited utility.

To make money!

 

[MikeLA]

Mountain equipment frontier softshell in a sale thankfully.

 

[Herman30]

Pertex windshirts all the way.

Pertex windshirt IS a softshell.
Softshell = any jacket that is windproof and can stand up to a little drizzle of rain.

 

[Paul_B]

Mountain equipment frontier softshell in a sale thankfully.

Where?

 

[Paul_B]

I've got softshells from thin pertex equilibrium through to pertex-pile. Each have their own uses and range of conditions they're used in.

As to fashion? No idea about that, I just match weather resistance, warmth, etc to the conditions I'm expecting, plus comfort and fit then you're there in the sweet spot in clothing. I'm pretty sure that's what everyone does with their clothing choices.

 

[SaraR]

For casual wear, they pretty much fill the niche of ordinary lighter-weight (non-outdoorsy) jackets and for outdoors use they fill the gap between rainwear-needed and baselayer-/shirt-only weather.

 

[MikeLA]

Where?

Wasn’t recent in the winter LD Mt centre Newcastle, just been wearing it recently instead of my faithful Buffalo.

 

[MikeLA]

I understand there of many versions/types of soft shell but the frontier and others like them material wise as mentioned by you all, aren’t as good for me at least.

 

[Stew]

I bought an Ayacucho soft shell some years back. I should have taken it back and I’m not sure why I didn’t.

For outdoors use, largely useless.

It’s handy having something that looks smart ish though but not the intention when I bought it.