Soft Shell vs. Hard Shell Jackets

Hard Shell

When you think of a hard shell, think of a rain jacket. Hard shells are designed to keep water out. As a result, the average hard shell has no insulation and requires layering in colder conditions. Hard shells tend to be crinkly and make a bit of noise when moving. However, when the weather gets nasty outside there is no substitute. When you’re going in to a blizzard or a downpour, this is your first line of defense.

As with everything in life, there is a trade off. By keeping the water out it’s harder to let your sweat evaporate and escape. So while Gore-Tex and other laminates may breathe so it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing a garbage bag, they can get clammy. This can result in a layer of built up sweat on high exertion days that can chill you to the bone when you stop for a rest.

To get around this problem, manufacturers have tried to come up with quite a few ways to manage how breathable hard shells are. One of these innovations was the pit zip. The pit zip is a large zipper that runs under the armpit of a jacket and allows you to open a large section of the jacket to the outside air. This way you can get more air flow to the hottest parts of your body and hopefully prevent water build up.

Gore-Tex was a giant revolution in hard shell design. This laminate is composed of a material that allows water vapor to pass through while stopping water. This way sweat can evaporate but the rain won’t penetrate the jacket. Since its original invention, there have been several advances in how breathable the fabric has become. Today this has resulted in Gore-Tex Performance Shell and Pro Shell. In 2008, eVent started to come to the US market as a major competitor to Gore-Tex. The manufacturer claims that eVent is more breathable than Gore-Tex Pro Shell.

Breathable fabric doesn’t come cheap. While competition has finally arrived to Gore-Tex’s crown of the outdoor fabric of choice, prices haven’t come down. Expect to pay at least $200 for a Gore-Tex or eVent jacket and the prices go up from there. High end hard shell jackets retail for $400 to $600.

Soft Shell

So what exactly is a soft shell jacket? Soft shells are actually a range of fabrics that comprise the anti-hard shell. While hard shells are stiff and loud, soft shells are stretchy and quiet. The main claim to fame of a soft shell is how breathable they are. The average soft shell jacket is much more breathable than even Gore-Tex Pro Shell or eVent. As a result, soft shells don’t typically need pit zips.

The ability to breathe comes at the cost in its ability to block the wind. The more wind that is blocked, the less breathable the fabric is. As a result in the number of activities people do in soft shells, there is a wide assortment of fabrics that all block varying amounts of wind. With the constantly changing product lines and fabrics, your best choice for picking out the proper soft shell for you is to try them on in the store.

Besides breathability, soft shells are far more flexible than hard shell jackets. In a soft shell jacket you get a full range of motion that can allow you to more naturally move in any environment. A soft shell will stretch and move with your body instead of crinkling and restricting movement.

The attraction to soft shells is in its versatility. While you use a hard shell for the worst weather, you can use a soft shell for pretty much anything else. A soft shell jacket is at home in conditions from light rain to mild spring days. On a mild day you can wear a soft shell jacket skiing and will be much more comfortable than in a hard shell jacket.

So what is this all going to cost? A good soft shell isn’t going to be cheap, but it will be cheaper than a good hard shell. Expect to pay anywhere from $150 to around $300 for a decent soft shell. As an added bonus, since they’re designed to be worn in mild weather, you don’t need to buy a fleece to go under it like a hard shell.