rab.uk.com. When it is fully zipped, the collar is too snug and stiff to be comfortable, and it poked us in the neck. We assess versatility by considering features, durability, style, and ease of use between various activities and climates. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support, Number of Pockets (zippered unless otherwise noted), How to Choose a Softshell Jacket for Women. No ads. This jacket is a perfect companion on windy days, multi-pitch rock climbs, or high on alpine walls in the summer. Then, it will be much easier to decide whether you need an active, technical, casual, or hybrid jacket. The four-way stretch fabric allows an athletic fit without inhibiting range of motion. We perused over 80 of the best Seeking a deliciously warm fleece jacket? It has a flattering cut while not skimping on the features you want out of a softshell, including Napoleon-style harness-compatible pockets that are mesh-lined for extra ventilation and a two-way cinched helmet-compatible hood for an excellent fit while climbing, hiking, or ski touring. One of the only reasons it did not garner higher marks in this category is that it lacks a hood, so if you're caught in the rain with this jacket, you better hope you have your umbrella to keep your noggin dry. It is breathable and weather resistant, but warm; durable without sacrificing mobility; and all with a flattering fit! Softshell jackets are designed for backcountry adventures like climbing, skiing, and trail running all activities that demand unhindered movement. This fleece-lined jacket is an ideal option for mixed conditions and cold days while ice climbing or mountaineering. (mens medium) The Borealis is another of our top performers in this category as it features 4-way stretchy fabric and a well-tailored design that enables unencumbered mobility while climbing just what you need when you crave a little wind protection while high up on a wall or ridgeline. The patented Wee Burley fabric is abrasion-resistant and durable while still providing excellent mobility. Each of these stretch easily and move more like a shirt than a jacket. It has a thicker lining than most active softshells but is nowhere near as warm as most technical softshells. The Proton FL has the best weight to warmth ratio of any jacket in our review, making it an easy choice for cool hikes and long climbing routes. Jackets in this review ranged from 6.5 ounces at the lightest to 22.5 ounces at the heaviest. We have worn, torn, used, and abused hundreds of jackets to help you find the best layers for whatever adventures you're planning to do. To be honest, there is very little this jacket can't do: it is lightweight, has great mobility, and with an ultra-soft fleece lining, it is super cozy, even next to bare skin. The only jacket that bucks convention in this category is the Gamma LT. If you can afford a specialized item like a softshell, you probably still want to make the most of your money who doesn't? This fleece-insulated but breathable hybrid features a moisture-wicking liner to manage sweat and keep you sufficiently warm in cooler weather. Rab claims this jacket is waterproof, but it wetted out in monsoon storms and isn't waterproof enough to trust it in an all-out rainstorm. Enter the softshell. Not only do active jackets have the stretchiest materials, but most technical and casual softshells are thicker and have a fleece lining that typically makes them a little stiffer. The stretchy Schoeller fabric allows for unhindered mobility on or off the rock. The new hood is fully fleece lined and more spacious than previous iterations. Casual softshells offer great features for urban adventures but are durable enough to use in the backcountry, while hybrids attempt to triangulate between sub-categories and move between seasons. The Arc'teryx Proton FL Hoody is a jack-of-all-trades hybrid for those who want something extra from their softshell. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. We love it for shady mornings in the desert and windy summits in the summer. If you're looking for a casual hybrid that offers insulating warmth and breathability, without weighing you down, then the Rock Ridge is a good option to consider. Related: How We Tested Softshell Jacket for Women. It is also not the most versatile jacket, mostly because it is not as warm as some of the other technical softshells. We have tried to distill the main types of softshells into three broad categories: active, technical, and casual. The plush fleece-lined Proton FL strikes a balance between a warm insulating layer and a breathable softshell. The Alpine Start, Borealis, and the Ferrosi each offer great wind and sun protection while rock climbing, summer mountaineering, trail running, and cycling. A few models constructed with very thin material scored well in this category. Sandstone splitters, steep ice and mixed crags, windy coastlines, alpine wonderlands, granite domes, and technical trails made up just a portion of our testing playground. We love the barely-there feel of the Alpine Start. When she can get away, she chases sun the rest of the year in Colorado and the deserts of Utah, Arizona, and California. Sadly, the Proton FL does not have this feature, so if you need to stash your jacket mid-route, you'll have to get a stuff sack specific for the job. This jacket is so lightweight that you'll almost forget you have it with you, and it can be stuffed into its chest pocket for clipping it on your harness or stowing it in the bottom of your pack when not in use. Mary spends her summers alpine climbing in Colorado and California. They aim to split the difference between comfort and weather protection, all without hindering movement. Each year, the technology continues to get more innovative and the designs more varied, so our review features a diverse array of jackets, including active, technical, and casual softshells, as well as a few hybrids, to offer a multitude of options for your favorite outdoor pursuits. We looked for softshells that layered and fit well, were comfortable, and those that had stretchy fabric or other features to enable movement. We also appreciate the harness-compatible pockets and two-way adjustable, helmet-compatible hood. We love the versatility and style of this jacket for cruising around town or on the trail, and we never felt weighed down by it. That said, it is soft, stylish, well-constructed, and very water-resistant. Rab Boreas/Aurora Pull-On Notably, this jacket can withstand dryer moisture like snow but has below-average water protection, especially when compared with the technical softshells and hybrids in our review. Short wonder the Gamma LT steals the show. Americas Best Backpacking and Outdoor Adventures, Lightweight Soft Shell When hybrids are well executed, they tend to be the most versatile of the jackets in our review, but sometimes adding bonus functionality backfires and makes them uncomfortable or less useful than the jackets they're trying to mimic. The Alpine Start features a lightweight and stretchy Schoeller fabric that ensures you can move well without being stifled by sweat. It is also the most subjective of our review criteria. The reason the Proton FL doesn't earn higher marks is that while it is warm and highly wind-resistant, it is among the least water-resistant of the jackets in our review. By and large, softshells are only water and wind resistant. Both of these layers are quite thin though for thicker liners made for more inclement weather, you'll have to pay more. The Borealis is Rab's lightest weight softshell and it certainly provides in terms of premium breathability and mobility, all while being incredibly affordable. The Ferrosi is so stretchy, it will have you jumping for joy! Truth be told, even though softshells claim to do everything, there are specialized niches for each style of jacket. Its not coated for water resistance, so expect it to wet out in anything more than a light rain or snowfall. However, with extended exposure to moisture, the Kinetic 2.0 will eventually absorb water like other softshells in our review, proving to be more water-resistant than waterproof, as the manufacturers claim. The Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody is an incredibly lightweight jacket that bridges the gap between softshell and windbreaker. Many of the softshells in this review come with excellent features that we thoroughly enjoy and regularly use. These softshells are not designed to keep you ultra warm or to provide premium weather protection, but they are great layers to keep you comfortable in wind or shade in otherwise warm weather. The Borealis provides a surprisingly excellent barrier to the wind but doesn't provide the weather protection of less breathable options. In terms of mobility, it even outperformed some of the active jackets. The zippered chest pocket doubles as a stuff sack when you want to stash your jacket on the back of your harness or in your backpack. For this reason, softshells can be great jackets for alpine climbing, ice/mixed climbing, ski-touring, or even around town on a chilly evening. Technical softshell jackets are ideal for surprise technical pursuits like ice/mixed climbing, winter mountaineering, backcountry skiing, etc. This means it can move between warmer days of ice climbing and cooler days of alpine rock climbing. Many of the technical and casual softshells make up for their heft by providing extra warmth, something that is critical when you're miles into a backcountry winter adventure. Let us know! Armed with the Gamma MX, we hiked into frigid temps and blowing snow and climbed ice for hours, staying sufficiently warm and moving without feeling stifled. Unlike potentially life-saving layers such as waterproof hardshells and insulative baselayers, a softshell is great to have but won't keep you as warm as an insulation layer (like a puffy jacket) or as dry as a hardshell if you get caught in a serious storm. Stow-away pocket for clipping to your harness. Add to this a flattering fit and attractive color options, and you can move easily from the backcountry to the bar without feeling like you look too sporty. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. These drawbacks aside, this hoody is a great lightweight wind layer that moves and breathes well for all manner of alpine activities. The Alpine Start Hoody proved to be the lightest-weight softshell in our review, weighing a scant 6.5 ounces. Across the desert southwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierras, our testers climbed, scratched, scrambled, hiked, ran, and cycled, to put every aspect and feature of these softshells to the test. Another great option, if you want a warmer jacket that still delivers on the breathability front, is the Arc'teryx Proton FL. The jackets that weigh in the 20-ounce range are the less technical offerings in our review. The fit is a little on the boxy side, so if you're between sizes, you might consider sizing down. This review is brought to you by a team of amazing women, headed up by Mary Witlacil. It still features unbeatable water and wind resistance for a softshell with unbelievably soft fabric. Truth be told, these drawbacks are minor, and this plush hybrid, water-resistant, softshell is an impressive and lightweight jacket to add to your mountain repertoire. Hikes and trail runs on crappy fall and spring days, fast-changing mountain weather in summer, highly aerobic activities in winterfor all of these things, nothing beats a highly breathable, lightweight pullover or jacket. The top performers in this metric are the three ultra-stretchy and thin active softshells in our lineup: the Rab Borealis, the Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody, and the Outdoor Research Ferrosi. While style is subjective, it is important no one wants to pay top dollar for an ill-fitting or unattractive article of clothing. We tested the softshells in our review in the sun and shade, rain, snow, wind, deserts, and mountains, doing various activities designed to get the blood moving and the sweat flowing. The Gamma MX is an awesome layer for cold and blustery winter days. All that aside, if you need a cozy mid-layer with breathable insulation, the Proton is an excellent choice. The impressively constructed Arc'teryx Gamma MX earns top marks in this category. Each of these jackets also has a pocket that doubles as a stuff sack, a feature we really like. If your primary need is weather protection, then you will want a fully waterproof hardshell, but when your weekend adventure plans include getting rowdy in the backcountry, a hardshell will never do. The primary objective of a softshell jacket is to increase comfort through breathability and supple flexibility while offering some degree of weather protection. Finally, it does not come with its own stuff sack, as previous generations did. The ideal softshell should triangulate between weather protection, breathability, and mobility all without weighing down your pack. Both are great options for moving quick and fairly light. Softshells are ideal during the shoulder season when temperatures vacillate wildly or for aerobic backcountry activities in the winter when you need premium breathability to avoid getting chilled by your sweat. Material on GearLab is copyrighted. It is comparatively lightweight and enables unimpeded movement, owing to Rab's ultra-plush and stretchy ProFlex fabric. Privacy | Cookies | Terms, We played in all manner of terrain and weather in women's softshell jackets from Arc'teryx, Rab, Black Diamond, The North Face, and more. Of the technical softshells, we found that the Arc'teryx Gamma MX boasted a stellar mobility to warmth ratio. High up on an ice route is not when you want to be worried about the mobility of your softshell, which is why we love the mobility offered by the Gamma MX. They can leave you feeling swampy, suffocated, and stuffy. Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hoodie - Women's, Fjallraven Bertagen Stretch Half-Zip - Women's, Black Diamond Dawn Patrol Shell - Women's, impressively constructed Arc'teryx Gamma MX, exceptionally water-resistant Apex Bionic, stretchy Black Diamond Dawn Patrol is great, the world's most carefully tested and objective gear reviews, Excellent mobility, great weather resistance, breathable, durable, harness-compatible hand pockets, Lightweight, durable, breathable, affordable, premium features, quick drying, Very flexible, flattering fit, long torso, comfortable cuff, Inexpensive, stellar mobility and breathability, stow-away pocket, harness-friendly pockets, excellent fit, Insulated, highly breathable, moisture-wicking, comfortable, warm, wind resistant, Below average water resistance, baggy fit, hand pockets inaccessible with harness, Gets wet very easily, thicker fabric is heavier, Not very warm, below average water resistance, Spendy, no pocket that doubles as a stuff sack, some sleeve slippage between fleece and shell, A feature-rich, aesthetically pleasing technical softshell with great mobility, breathability, and excellent weather resistance, This lightweight and breathable jacket has an arsenal of premium features for an affordable price, This comfortable jacket will keep you protected and stylish, from climbing with friends to hanging at the coffee shop, This wicked light softshell has great mobility, is highly breathable and well-tailored - a perfect layer for fair-weather climbing or hiking, A fantastic fleece-lined hybrid that is great as an outer softshell or insulating layer, Wee Burly Double Weave (56% nylon, 34% polyester, 10% elastane), DWR finish, Body/hood: 86% nylon 14% spandex 90D stretch woven ripstop, Schoeller w/Eco-Repel Bio (93% nylon, 7% elastane), Lightweight Matrix single weave with 2-way stretch and DWR, Fortius Air 20 (84% nylon, 16% elastane) Octa Loft knit insulation (100% polyester), Whether alpine climbing, mountaineering, or hiking, this layer is breathable, moves well, and effectively protects from the elements in style, This versatile jacket is a well-priced layer for many mild weather applications, This versatile jacket can take you on grand outdoor adventures or just around the town, This jacket is lightweight, breathable, easy to move in, and affordable - a great combination for the active outdoorswoman, A nimble, lightweight, breathable softshell that is fleece-lined and features great mobility, A breathable but water resistant hybrid with adjustable cuffs, soft fabric, and harness compatible pockets, A fairly lightweight and water resistant active softshell anorak that features quick-drying four-way stretch fabric but is abrasive against bare skin, Whether ice climbing, mountaineering, or heading to dinner with friends, this layer effectively protects from the elements in style, With incredible four-way stretch material and a generous fit, this jacket is one of the most comfortable pieces in our softshell review, An urban-styled, casual hybrid softshell that pairs synthetic insulation with plush fleece panels, though is not the most breathable or mobile, A weather-resistant casual softshell for urban adventures or staying warm around the campfire. Mobility is one of the most important elements of a softshell jacket. The Fjallraven Bergen pull-over is among the lightest jackets in our review. The Rab Kinetic 2.0 is an upgrade to the previous generation of the Kinetic jacket. Another unstoppable contender in this category is the Proton FL. Some sleeve slippage between fleece and shell, No stow-away pocket for clipping to your harness. Meanwhile, it has fantastic ventilation in the pockets, making it almost as breathable as the thinnest jackets in our review. With almost as many jackets to choose from as there are stars in the sky, it can seem overwhelming to find the right one for you. but also shockingly breathable. You wouldn't even know the Borealis was on your harness except for how pink this one is! We ended up with a diverse set of contenders whose performance spread all over the board. By contrast, casual softshells are more ideal for winter and shoulder-season layering in urban environments. We paid attention to how well each jacket performed relative to its retail price and considered their value in terms of jacket features, weather protection, and the niche they fill in your backcountry kit. Lightweight and stretchy, the Borealis is an ideal layer for climbing or running. It has great features for the price including a pocket that doubles as a stuff sack, so you can clip your jacket to your harness when not in use. The stretchy fabric and looser fit allow for unimpeded mobility, ideal for trail-running, summer mountaineering, and rock climbing. Each of these jackets provided more warmth than all but the best technical softshells without sacrificing too much in terms of breathability or mobility. No matter what your needs are, our review has some fantastic options. That being said, none of the jackets we reviewed are so heavy to raise red flags. The heavier weight owes to it being part softshell, part synthetic puffy, with fleece side panels and PrimaLoft insulation. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. In our review, we do have one jacket that nearly proves the exception to this rule: the Rab Kinetic 2.0. With stretchy Schoeller fabric, comfortable cuffs, an "alpine" gusseted fit, and a helmet-compatible hood, it provided incredible mobility so that we barely noticed we were wearing it. We were especially impressed by the plush and warm Arc'teryx Proton FL and the PrimaLoft insulated Athleta Rock Ridge. Part of why this jacket is so light is that it is a half-zip pullover, a feature we love for when you don't want to deal with a zipper underneath your harness.
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