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. That said, it is soft, stylish, well-constructed, and very water-resistant. Being made out of a more durable fabric and being well-suited for cooler alpine temps, it is on the heavier end of active softshells in our review. For long rock climbing routes, it can be helpful to have a stow-away pocket with a loop to clip to your harness. (mens medium)
This includes activities such as climbing (rock, ice, mixed, or alpine), skiing (backcountry or cross-country, although for alpine/downhill, you'll want something warmer), snowshoeing, mountaineering, trail-running, peak-bagging, or hiking. By contrast, casual softshells are more ideal for winter and shoulder-season layering in urban environments. This is because it splits the difference between a technical and an active softshell. The Black Diamond Alpine Start is a lightweight and supremely breathable active softshell. Featherweight and it packs down to the size of your fist, you'll hardly notice the Alpine Start in your pack or on your harness. It is everything a hybrid should strive to be. Some of the models we tested are more water-resistant than others, but these pieces are not as dependably waterproof as rain jackets in a severe storm. Technical softshell jackets are ideal for surprise technical pursuits like ice/mixed climbing, winter mountaineering, backcountry skiing, etc. The thinner Gamma LT also scores well in this category despite not being nearly as warm because it fends off light moisture and wind admirably. It ticks nearly every box that a durable wind layer for climbing or hiking should. Another great option, if you want a warmer jacket that still delivers on the breathability front, is the Arc'teryx Proton FL.
The new hood is fully fleece lined and more spacious than previous iterations. This review is brought to you by a team of amazing women, headed up by Mary Witlacil. 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. 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.
They are also ideal for activities where you need wind or weather protection but are likely to build up a sweat, so breathability is a must. Some of our favorite pieces in this review could move seamlessly from the trail or crag to dinner with friends (as long as you don't mind rocking brightly colored gear at the pub), a clear bonus in our book. All trademarks property of their respective owners Depending on how you intend to use the Gamma LT, this jacket's downsides may be inconsequential.
The only jacket that bucks convention in this category is the Gamma LT. It even has UPF-50 fabric to protect your skin from the sun. When it was paired with another softshell, it proved ideal for ice/mixed climbing and for approaches to ice climbs on warmer days. 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. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. Finally, it is rather spendy. The Fjallraven Bertagen Stretch Half-Zip is another lightweight active softshell, weighing only 13 ounces. I found the sleeves a little long but easily rolled up. Active softshells are great as wind layers during aerobic activities. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. We're here to help! This jacket offers exceptional wind and water resistance. We have tried to distill the main types of softshells into three broad categories: active, technical, and casual. When it is fully zipped, the collar is too snug and stiff to be comfortable, and it poked us in the neck. The Alpine Start features a lightweight and stretchy Schoeller fabric that ensures you can move well without being stifled by sweat. That said, the stretchy Black Diamond Dawn Patrol is great for some applications like downhill skiing (when paired with extra insulation) and casual snowshoeing on a packed trail. The ideal softshell should triangulate between weather protection, breathability, and mobility all without weighing down your pack. They're also perfect for days when your heavy ski jacket or hardshell are overkill. While the Proton is not made to be an ideal layer for activities like ice climbing, it is among the most versatile because it can be worn as an outer layer on warmer days or as an insulating layer on colder ones. Our reviews wouldn't be objective if we ignored a product's flaws, and the Ferrosi is not without its minor caveats. 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. $75, 9 oz. That said, given their mobility, breathability, and weather protection, softshell jackets are an ideal layer for many backcountry activities and mountain athletes. The Gamma MX is an awesome layer for cold and blustery winter days. 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. We love the Rab Borealis for striking a similar balance between excellent features and affordability. This means it can move between warmer days of ice climbing and cooler days of alpine rock climbing. It has a thicker lining than most active softshells but is nowhere near as warm as most technical softshells. A few models constructed with very thin material scored well in this category. Let us know! 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. We perused over 80 of the best Seeking a deliciously warm fleece jacket? We tend to associate ultralight gear with wearing out ultra-fast, but not so with the Alpine Start it bucks the trend by being ultra-light and ultra-durable. The jackets that weigh in the 20-ounce range are the less technical offerings in our review. Another unstoppable contender in this category is the Proton FL. On the flip side, if a jacket says that it's fully windproof (as opposed to just wind resistant), it's a safe bet that it won't be super breathable. A softshell jacket will never be as impenetrable to water and wind as a hardshell (aka a rain jacket) because hardshells are waterproof and windproof. When she can get away, she chases sun the rest of the year in Colorado and the deserts of Utah, Arizona, and California. The patented Wee Burley fabric is abrasion-resistant and durable while still providing excellent mobility. We were especially impressed with how well the ever-affordable Outdoor Research Ferrosi performed in this category. The Borealis moves so well that you barely notice it while climbing or hanging out at the belay. Rab Boreas/Aurora Pull-On The Ferrosi performed well across nearly all our metrics, and does so at a completely reasonable price. Each of these jackets also has a pocket that doubles as a stuff sack, a feature we really like. The Kinetic offers more weather protection and is the most water-resistant jacket in our review. We loved the Arc'teryx Gamma LT for its high performance across the board and for striking the proper balance between opposing metrics, which is why it earns top honors. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. 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. The Kinetic 2.0 has soft, supple, and supremely water resistant fabric, making it hard to beat on long days in the backcountry. While it is a little heavier than our favorite trail running jackets, the Gamma LT provides excellent breathability and warmth for cool weather trail runs. Mobility is one of the most important elements of a softshell jacket. The primary objective of a softshell jacket is to increase comfort through breathability and supple flexibility while offering some degree of weather protection. Breathability is one of the top reasons people buy a softshell jacket. A true outdoor enthusiast, when she isn't rock climbing, this gal can be found swinging ice tools, climbing mountains, backpacking, riding bicycles, or sitting on a rock gazing at the clouds. That being said, the downsides may be irrelevant, depending on the jacket niche you seek to fill.
We hope this review has answered some of your softshell questions and helped guide you toward the right model for your next outdoor adventure. Unfortunately, technical and casual softshells don't earn the highest marks in this category. 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. Our review team maintains that while versatility is important, it is the least important metric we consider. Early morning approaches to long routes are an ideal match for a softshell. No sponsored content. We've tested 45 unique jackets in the last 8 years, with the best 11 in our current review. We looked for softshells that layered and fit well, were comfortable, and those that had stretchy fabric or other features to enable movement. When you're miles deep in the backcountry, you don't want a heavy softshell weighing down your pack. but also shockingly breathable. 
This active softshell moves incredibly well and is ridiculously comfy, all without breaking the bank. Many of the other active softshells and active hybrids performed well in this category as well, including the Gamma LT, Proton FL, and the Kinetic 2.0. The Alpine Start also performed impressively well in this category. The Kinetic 2.0 earns top marks in this category for being a silky-smooth, highly water-resistant jacket ideal for summer mountain adventures or traveling. The jackets that ranked highest in this category were ideal for myriad activity types and could handle well in diverse weather. The Borealis is Rab's lightest weight softshell and it certainly provides in terms of premium breathability and mobility, all while being incredibly affordable. Related: How to Choose a Softshell Jacket for Women.
Truth be told, even though softshells claim to do everything, there are specialized niches for each style of jacket. We also wish that the hand pockets were accessible while wearing a harness or the hip belt of a backpack. The close cut of the hood permits wearing it under a helmet; while the hood isnt adjustable, it stays put on your head in wind. Even some of the burlier active softshells, like the Gamma LT, have a fairly average weight relative to the other jackets in our review.