Tough Soft Shell Jacket that does NOT have a membrane and with limited stretch

Leatherneck

Lil-Rokslider
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Mar 31, 2018
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Anyone know of a tough soft-shell jacket that does not have a membrane? I find the wind resistant membrane ones don't breathe well enough for being active. I have a Ferrosi, but find the body too stretchy for walking through brush as limbs poke and grab it easily. I see the military used to use one that only had 2% spandex and the rest was nylon. Any civilian soft shells that are available that can handle rough brush, but don't have a film or membrane?
 
Was going to suggest the level 5 Ecwcs as a good option. I have a level 4 wind shirt which is supposed to be the same material. It definitely would live up to the tough requirement.
 
Kuiu guide jacket is a bonded fabric. So no membrane per se, but the fleece liner is glued to the face fabric, and the glue itself is part of what they use to block some additional wind. There are a lot of similar fabrics, schoeller WB-400 is one, jackets like the arcteryx gamma MX use this. More breatheable than a membrane, more wind and weather resistant than a woven softshell--but definitely a lot less breatheable than a woven softshell.

Unless you are looking for ultra-light (BD alpine start), then Schoeller Dryskin is the benchmark fabric you are looking for. It's a double-layer weave, which means the outer face is made with a tight, "hard" weave, while the inner surface has more of a softer brushed feel--but it's still just woven fabric with no physical barrier to blowing air thru it. It'll block wind and very light precip, but is extremely breatheable. Your ferrosi is a cheaper fabric version of this stuff. Most of it is pretty stretchy--I am not aware of any otions that arent pretty stretchy--but the full weight fabric is pretty durable in brush, and I havent had any issues with it barring really bad briars. I dont know these jackets so perhaps a call to ask about whether they have any sort of bonding or a membrane--but a few to check out would be the arcteryx gamma LT (I think just gamma now?), OR Ultima, Rab borealis, etc. I think mountain equipment, norrona, patagonia, all have options. Any questions just hold it up to your mouth and blow air through the fabric--if there's any resistance it's not what you are looking for.
 
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