ASmith Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 My wife needs a new jacket and I need your help. If money was no object, what would be your choice for a 3 layer type shell climbing jacket for ice and alpine use? Lets hear your pros and cons. What would you consider to be the best? Alpha SV or ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genepires Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 the best goretex jacket is the one that stays in the pack or car because the weather is so nice. I am not a big fan of wearing hard shells all day, only when it gets really bad and wet, in which case I am going back to the car. So my preference for hard shells is one that is very light and there is a patagonia anorak type shell is very good. I forget the name or even if they still make it. How about a very thin n light shell for bad weather judgement days with a wind shell (wild things) for day to day use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevino Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 That is a good philosophy and all but some people go climbing regardless of weather and sometime it changes and you can't help it. Anyway, the shell I bought and have been happy with is the Rab Latok jacket. Its event fabric and cut really nice. I tried it on and bought it at Feathered Friends, good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hafilax Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Hardshells are good for standing still when it's wet with a working DWR. The breatheability is poor. Softshells are good for moving and wet but require maintenance of the DWR. Down jackets are good for standing around when it's cold. It can be stretched into wet use if it has a really good DWR. Synthetic fill jackets are good for standing around when it's cold and possibly wet. Fleece holds its volume better than puffies as under layers but puffies pack smaller and are warmer for the weight. Take the properties of the layers and apply them to the conditions you expect. For backcountry skiing in the Squamish/Whistler area I wear a polypro baselayer with a thin fleece for most of the climbing. If I'm cold I add a softshell while active. Once I stop I put on a puffy synthetic belay jacket (over the softshell if it's on already). I just bought some softshell alpine pants for all day wear and if it get wet or cold I have a pair of hardshells that I can put over top. I intend to use a similar philosophy if I ever get out ice climbing. It should be noted that I sweat a lot and start feeling nauseated if I'm sealed up in hardshell. My girlfriend is perfectly happy in hardshell jacket and pants hiking in the rain where I would have everything unzipped and be ready to puke. I'm much happier in softshell for the most part. As for fit, like anything it depends on the correlation between how the company thinks people are shaped and move and your actual physical being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickster Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 (edited) For whatever it is worth, my system consists of the following... Base layer - under armor cold gear shirt ($50) Soft shell - Mammut clime jacket ($120 from Sierra trading post) Hardshell - Arcteryx theta AR in pro shell (REI basement $50) Insulation - Feathered Friends volant in eVent fabric (mine was XXL and custom $550) Depending on the conditions I can mix and match to take on anything the state of Washington has to offer weather wise. I was in a hellish Ice/freezing rain/snow storm last spring with high winds. I wore my Theta AR over my Volant and wasn't even phased. Other folks were experiencing sheer misery. I tend to shy away from synthetics because they are bulky. But if I had to choose a synthetic, it with be a Wild Things Belay jacket or something along those lines. That said... if I could do it all over again and had the cash... I would have replaced my Theta AR with a Westcomb or Rab eVent shell. They have them at Feathered friends.... Or check out the Wild Things eVent shell, they look good too. Edited November 10, 2008 by Vickster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomtom Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Anyway, the shell I bought and have been happy with is the Rab Latok jacket. Its event fabric and cut really nice. I tried it on and bought it at Feathered Friends, good stuff. The Rab Latok Alpine is also a nice jacket. http://geargals.wordpress.com/2008/04/21/rab-latok-alpine-jacket/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climbsonrocks Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Polypropelene undershirt Wool shirt Down jacket Gortex outer shell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbconlin Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Polypropelene undershirt Wool shirt Down jacket Gortex outer shell Old skool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike1 Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Durable, light weight, functional hood, sheds water, breathable. Arc'teryx Beta AR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willygoat Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 The Backcountry.com Stoic eVent shell is awesome. Breathes great when it's sunny, but keeps you warm when the sun disappears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearGals Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Hey, I saw a bunch of traffic on the Geargals site from this thread, so I dropped by to check it out. Thought I'd mention that the MHW Adaro shell is one of the best we've tried. We reviewed it in the summer, but I've been using it this winter and I think it's one of the best shells available. http://geargals.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/mountain-hardwear-adaro-jacket/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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