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Softshell Jackets

Anonymous Mon 23 Dec 2013 03:02:59 No.243783 View View Reply Original Report

Looking to get a new softshell from either Northface, OR, Mountain Hardwear, or Marmot. (Getting a discount from a friend). Anyone here own one from one of these brands and has some input? Looking for a lightweight, wind resistant jacket with some insulation so I'm not always having to layer.
pic unrelated

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 23 Dec 2013 03:47:18 No.243799 Report

Quoted By: >>243823

Arc'teryx all the way. Something that will last forever

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 23 Dec 2013 03:50:21 No.243801 Report

Quoted By:

But if you are going by discount and have to choose...mountain hardwear is the best choice out of those three as far as durability goes

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO buy local.jpg, 53KiB, 480x273

Anonymous Mon 23 Dec 2013 04:43:54 No.243820 Report

Quoted By: >>244286

OR > Marmot > Mountain Hardwear

Fuck North Face, overpriced and poorly sewn, avoid like the plague.

Look for straight stitching double or triple stretch stitched. How it fits you is very important.

I like that OR is a smaller local company, everything they make has a lifetime warrenty.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 23 Dec 2013 05:07:43 No.243823 Report

Quoted By:

>>243799
yeah I would like to go with Arc'teryx but the 65% discount I'm getting with OR and Marmot is too much to pass off and I doubt the quality is that big of a difference.

cascadian !!r9pXIOWeOHO

cascadian !!r9pXIOWeOHO Mon 23 Dec 2013 05:31:26 No.243832 Report

Quoted By:

patagonia > OR > mountain hardwear

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 23 Dec 2013 18:36:19 No.244101 Report

Quoted By:

>>243783
Best bet is to go try the fit of a few. I'm really picky with softshell jackets. Some a super breathable but have no wind resistance, others are great at keeping the wind out, but leave you a bit sweaty (never as bad a a hard shell tho.) I've found the balance between wind resistance and breath ability to be different jacket to jacket.
In terms of brand reliability, my first choice is OR I have never had an issue with the. Standing behind their product (only gaiters I'll ever buy) marmot is second in line in terms of quality, though their cheapo mass produced stuff sucks (steal towards some of their stuff really tailored to climbing/albinism) tho know that marmots cust service sucks, they take forever. Mtn hardware and north face suck iin terms of quality.
Also, one last protip, always go for the soft shell with a hood, and I'd suggest stear clear from the insulated ones, they're not nearly as useful.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 23 Dec 2013 18:54:37 No.244111 Report

Quoted By:

OR is an awesome company. I own 2 softshell pants and they really give you a very specific cut and features that work perfectly with the intended purpose.

Marmont was a nice collection but I don't like their newst line which trys to be too... modern. 5 fabrics in one jacket are overkill and the cut is moderate/good. But doesn't reach GOAT Arcteryx level by a fair distance.

Also: For which activities will you be using the jacket?

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 23 Dec 2013 19:01:00 No.244114 Report

Quoted By:

OR has the best warranty of the brands you listed.

If at any point you feel dissatisfied with he jacket you have just call OR and explain your situation. They will more than likely send you a brand new jacket.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 23 Dec 2013 19:14:31 No.244116 Report

Quoted By:

go with OR. despite what everyone says and bitches about the companies are all a similar level of quality, TNF's summit stuff is really solid. for me OR just has better design in term of aesthetics and feel a little more durable.

Anonymous

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Anonymous Tue 24 Dec 2013 06:36:36 No.244286 Report

Quoted By:

>>243820
I just bought the Foray, hands down the best shell i've ever put on. Beads water, breaks wind like it's bitch and doesn't afraid of a thing because of said warranty.
Pic related: my jacket on some granola eating hippy.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 24 Dec 2013 06:46:53 No.244296 Report

Quoted By:

OR Mithril, to be specific.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 24 Dec 2013 13:20:59 No.244373 Report

Quoted By: >>244374

>>243783
>either Northface,
fashion brand mostly. They do have some stuff thats OK, if you can get it for cheap, but i wouldnt want to have to rely on TNF for "critical" outerwear.
>OR,
Supposdly quite good
>Mountain Hardwear,
My hardshells from them rock (but they are all quite old, so dont know if their current quality is still the same, but given that they did not move fully into fashion territory the chances that they are still good is quite high.
However i had a softshell from them, back when softshells were a new thing, and that was crap. Built quality was fine, but the fabric was 100% windproof gore windstopper. Nothing came in, nothing came out. If you started moving, you got cooked…
>or Marmot.
I like their gloves

Personal fav softshell:
Arcteryx Gamma SV.
Mine is from 2004 and now it slowly starts to show some wear, after multiple climbing trips and field trips from the artic to the tropics.
dont know how much they got worse, now that they have all their manufacturing in china too.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 24 Dec 2013 13:26:09 No.244374 Report

Quoted By:

>>244373
forgot to add:
I guess its really down to fabric!
The mentioned MH was gore windstopper (early gen) which does not really fit my definition of softshell (the current gen I have on mammuts top of the line model is the same shit, so I guess windstopper is just bad (for me!?) in general), whereas the arcteryx is made from polartec powershell, which happens to be the perfect fabric for anything colder than 20° and with less rain than heavy rain with no to not much wind.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 25 Dec 2013 15:23:26 No.244623 Report

Quoted By:

It's annoying that almost all outdoors brands have have horrible branding

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 27 Dec 2013 05:34:38 No.245255 Report

Quoted By: >>245257

For the money, I'd rather have Patagonia then Arc'teryx. But to be completely honest, I prefer Norrona and Fjällräven. I trust Scandinavian design and production, it has yet to fail me (Ikea furniture notwithstanding)

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 27 Dec 2013 05:38:33 No.245257 Report

Quoted By:

>>245255

I should add, Scandinavian companies also know how to make clothing for tall people. I like Mountain Hardware and Marmot but they can't make a proper cut for anyone over 6'1''

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