A GearTrends® Buying Guide brought to you by Marmot

There is no such thing as a soft shell. Soft shell is not one thing. Soft shell is a range of performance criteria of windproofness, water resistance, breathability, stretch and insulation. Soft shell is a range of fabrics, from light, airy, stretchy, sweater-feeling knits to stiffer, laminated, dense, waterproof wovens. The key word in understanding soft shell garments is “range.” There are no rules, no boxes to fit into. To buy the right soft shells for your needs, you gotta know the territory and place your waypoints. And there is a lot of territory to know.

In general, what has made the soft shell category so popluar is that a soft shell is designed to provide comfort across a wide range of temperature and weather conditions, as well as varying levels of physical exertion, and in so doing, it means you don't have to keep stopping and starting to add or peel off layers.

A Short History
The original concept of soft shell was developed first in Europe for trekking and ski touring. Soft shell began as a mid-weight woven garment that was highly breathable, slightly wind proof, slightly water resistant, slightly warm and that stretched with active movement. And perhaps most importantly, it was comfortable. Whether pant or jacket, its great attribute was you could put it on and leave it on throughout a day of active sport use, summer or winter. It wasn’t rainwear, it wasn’t fleece, it wasn’t outerwear, it wasn’t mid-layer, but it was all these things at the same time – sort of. Whatever the feature set, one thing remained constant: Soft shell was really comfortable and people liked it.

Once discovered, soft shell was naturally exploited, much the same as a starlet. Some companies claimed to own the name “soft shell”; others claimed to have invented it; most claimed to have the “best”, whatever that meant, because it meant so many different things.

To Find Your Way Around Soft Shell Choices, You Have To Establish Waypoints
As market opportunity increased, so did the array of choices of soft shell fabrics. Companies introduced their own brand of soft shell fabrics, increasing the growing number of fabric constructions, names, claims and descriptors. Again, no rules; there is no road map to help you navigate through this soft shell forest. You must make your own map and fix some waypoints for reference.

Given the standard soft shell criteria as a stretch woven fabric, there are two important variables or waypoints that can be used to establish some order to this fabric forest: water resistance and air permeability. Generally, as water resistance increases, air permeability decreases. Translated, this means that as a soft shell fabric becomes more water resistant, it also becomes less air permeable, less breathable, and less suited for warmer weather.

Few soft shell fabrics have the same ratio of water resistance to breathability or air permeability. Because these fabric ratios are all different and nearly unique, it is these ratios that become the key to buying the right soft shell for your needs. These ratios are your waypoint. These ratios become the means to position the use of, and explain the performance differences in, the soft shells you will find on the rack.

Establishing Waypoints To Whittle Down Your Soft Shell Selection


If you know the performance criteria of a soft shell fabric, you have the waypoint to position each garment in the array of soft shells offered. Work with the salesperson to place the soft shell garments you are interested in on a particular waypoint. In that way, you'll be able to more easily narrow down your choices to a soft shell that will work best for you.

Waypoint 1: Lightweight, stretchy knit or woven fabric ideal for mild, dry conditions and active use

Waypoint 2: Mid-weight, more densely woven fabric with good weather resistance, moderate breathability and some thermal protection. Best for cold, dry conditions.

Waypoint 3: Heavier fabric, perhaps with fleecy brushed inside. Little stretch. High weather resistance. Best for cold, wet conditions.

Try creating a waypoint and a corresponding explanation for every soft shell you are interested in.

Choosing the Right Soft Shell
Next, further narrow your selection of possible soft shell choices by answering these questions to identify specific performance criteria:

Where will the garment be used primarily?

• Desert
• Mountain
• Trail
• Expedition
• Trekking and travel

When will the garment be used primarily?

• Summer
• Winter

What specific features are necessary or important to you?

• Hood
• Pit zips
• Cuffs
• Pockets: inside and outside
• Special fit requirements: snug or loose

How will the garment be used primarily?

• As a protective outer shell
• As an insulating mid-layer
• For highly aerobic activities
• As part of a multiple layer clothing system

Answers to each of the above questions will help you to pin-point your choices of soft shells by finding your needs on the associated waypoint.

Buying Soft Shells – Final Talking Points:

1. Once you have found one or two styles you like, move to a full-length mirror and review the features you expressed interest in and need for with your salesperson.
2. How does the fit, the “hand” and stretch of the fabric feel to you? Remember, soft shells tend to have a more athletic fit because they are more performance oriented.
   

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