Why do we buy soft shells?

[S.Clancy]

I don't have a true softshell, never have. But, my wind jacket is made of softshell material, albeit very light. It is heavier than a traditional wind jacket (8-9 oz) but is way more durable. I have had it for 4-5 years and it keeps taking punishment

 

[Jason Snyder]

I use one quite often. Wind proof. Does a pretty good job of water resistance. Quiet.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Funny, got home and my mtnops grid fleece was on the porch. They make those for guys with skinny arms!

 

[flyfisher117]

Kuiu guide DCS jacket is the one piece of gear I bought and don't know what to do with lol.

Too hot for early season. Too cold for late season. Only like a 1-2 week window where I really appreciate it. Though I will say it's durability is top notch and it's quiet.

 

[JF_Idaho]

Love the Kryptek Vellus jacket. Been good down to 0° and has never wetted through. Full zip and pit zips if ventilation needed. Silent practically. The only negative is how every burr sticks to fleece.

 

[mtwarden]

I’ve been a softshell naysayer for a long time. Always thought it made a lot more sense to throw in a light windshirt instead.

When I received a Sitka Evo to evaluate I pretty much guessed on what my overall thoughts would be (not overly positive). I was wrong.

For one the Evo is much lighter than “typical” softshells. Two with breathable panels under the arms and on the back, he doesn’t breathe poorly like most softshells.

I’ve ended up wearing it a lot more than I thought I would and has even made it on some backpacking trips where a softshell would never before make the cut.

I definitely see a use for a softshell in day hunting scenarios- they are typically very robust, they typically have very good wind and precipitation protection and weight day hunting isn’t near the issue is for backpack hunting.

While I might not always have a softshell, I have one a lot more than I did a year ago

 

[ccoffey]

Funny, got home and my mtnops grid fleece was on the porch. They make those for guys with skinny arms!

There’s so much hunt clothing that’s made for guys built like a mannequin haha

 

[ccoffey]

I’ve been a softshell naysayer for a long time. Always thought it made a lot more sense to throw in a light windshirt instead.

When I received a Sitka Evo to evaluate I pretty much guessed on what my overall thoughts would be (not overly positive). I was wrong.

For one the Evo is much lighter than “typical” softshells. Two with breathable panels under the arms and on the back, he doesn’t breathe poorly like most softshells.

I’ve ended up wearing it a lot more than I thought I would and has even made it on some backpacking trips where a softshell would never before make the cut.

I definitely see a use for a softshell in day hunting scenarios- they are typically very robust, they typically have very good wind and precipitation protection and weight day hunting isn’t near the issue is for backpack hunting.

While I might not always have a softshell, I have one a lot more than I did a year ago

I will say the mountain jacket and evo are outliers from the typical soft shell. I consider the SG dehavilland jacket to fall into the typical soft shell category. Way to go and blur the line

 

[5MilesBack]

Do people really decide between the two? I almost always wear a grid fleece (usually lightweight) and then keep a puffy for the really cold days or while glassing.

My puffy stays in my pack, and the only lime I use it is when I get to where I want to be before first light and am freezing while I wait, so I put it on. But once day break happens, it's back in the pack and I'm on the move again.

 

[5MilesBack]

Funny, got home and my mtnops grid fleece was on the porch. They make those for guys with skinny arms!

Are you sure you didn't buy a youth size? Or perhaps the wrong brand? Seems like a lot of clothes these days are made for the skinny jean crowd. I haven't counted, but I'll bet I have a couple dozen fleece jackets or including my favorites.......my microfleece mock T's. Love my fleece. Most of mine are regular fleece, not grid fleece.

When I'm hiking in in the morning, I generally don't have any insulation layers on because I will be sweating from the hike. But more generalized hunting when I get to where I want to be, the fleece comes in handy if it's cold. And that means less than 70 to me.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Are you sure you didn't buy a youth size? Or perhaps the wrong brand? Seems like a lot of clothes these days are made for the skinny jean crowd. I haven't counted, but I'll bet I have a couple dozen fleece jackets or including my favorites.......my microfleece mock T's. Love my fleece. Most of mine are regular fleece, not grid fleece.

When I'm hiking in in the morning, I generally don't have any insulation layers on because I will be sweating from the hike. But more generalized hunting when I get to where I want to be, the fleece comes in handy if it's cold. And that means less than 70 to me.

Fits like a damn youth! Either that or my popeye arms are coming in hot! It works fine without layers, but with some layers it’ll be an issue.

 

[5MilesBack]

Several years ago when I was wearing 34's, I ordered some Eddie Bauer Guide Pro pants and couldn't even get them on. So went to their local store here and returned them and tried some 36's........nope. Tried the 38's.......they finally went on, but barely got over my thighs........and I'm skinny. Then just a few years ago I tried Cabela's "new" Microtex Lite pants in a 36L. I couldn't even get the waist above mid thigh because the leg portions were so tight even above my knees. And my thighs are only 25". SMH

 

[LongWayAround]

I still haven't discovered why people like pullovers so much? Having a zipper is so much more versatile to be able to put it on over your bino harness/remove it, regulate temps etc. What am I missing other than they are a tiny bit lighter with no zipper? Why do you like a pullover? - not meant to derail thread!

I prefer a quarter-zip pullover to a full zipper. Not any real particular reason.

You don't have to be missing anything. I'm sure most people don't care about the zipper weight.

Personally, I don't know who buys Henley shirts or crew necked sweatshirts. Or worse, v-necked t-shirts.

 

[LongWayAround]

As far as soft shells jackets, I think they're a great option for moderate exertion in mild weather. It's not a backpacking piece but for day trips when you know it's not going to rain.

I wasn't aware that some people don't believe in fleece either. It strikes me as odd to go from t-shirt to puffy. There's a lot of times where I want something more than a t-shirt but less than a jacket.

 

[Mosby]

I wear a soft shell for pheasant hunting. Flexible piece of gear for bird hunting. I like it.

 

[doverpack12]

I find real value and better performance from specific soft shells.
10-12 years ago I tried going the wind shirt/rain gear with puffy, base and 100-200 fleece. I was always compromising somewhere and not achieving what I wanted from a layer system.

Most softshells don’t function well for hunting. I’ve found the KUIU axis performs exceptionally well when the cold and snow sets in with wind. Wind cuts through most layers and if a rain jacket or wind shirt is sized to go over an appropriate puffy for temps staying below freezing then you are swimming in it with just a base layer.

The axis hasn’t let any wind through I’ve been in for 5 or so years, is waterproof on areas expecting to see moisture. I’m confident it would soak through in an all day hard rain but then most breathable rain jackets will as well. Axis breathes well enough. It essentially does what the jetstream always planned to do but never could.

I’ve been backpacked in 12 or so miles in snow and cold and never taken a jetstream, peloton 240 and base off, only added puffy on top and rain pants to cut wind.

Come late season my soft shell will be on or in my pack.

 

[TheTone]

Guess I’m weird too; own multiple soft shells, hunt and hike in them regularly and will own more in the future

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I find real value and better performance from specific soft shells.
10-12 years ago I tried going the wind shirt/rain gear with puffy, base and 100-200 fleece. I was always compromising somewhere and not achieving what I wanted from a layer system.

Most softshells don’t function well for hunting. I’ve found the KUIU axis performs exceptionally well when the cold and snow sets in with wind. Wind cuts through most layers and if a rain jacket or wind shirt is sized to go over an appropriate puffy for temps staying below freezing then you are swimming in it with just a base layer.

The axis hasn’t let any wind through I’ve been in for 5 or so years, is waterproof on areas expecting to see moisture. I’m confident it would soak through in an all day hard rain but then most breathable rain jackets will as well. Axis breathes well enough. It essentially does what the jetstream always planned to do but never could.

I’ve been backpacked in 12 or so miles in snow and cold and never taken a jetstream, peloton 240 and base off, only added puffy on top and rain pants to cut wind.

Come late season my soft shell will be on or in my pack.

It's incredible how individual perspective is different. My first ever high dollar hunting clothing purchase was the Jetstream. I ended up a few years later buying Kuiu stuff and bought the Axis to replace it. IME it's heavier and doesn't cut half the wind the Jetstream did and doesn't breath as well.

 

[wind gypsy]

I love soft shells for day hunting any time it’s cool/windy enough that a guy gets cold in a hurry with minimal activity in the standard wool/poly baselayers. Pit zips or very breatheable side panels are typically a requirement to avoid sweating too much though.

I get that they aren’t ideal if a guy is counting ounces or on a backpacking hunt but that’s in the minority for me.

 

[IBen]

the majority of the hunting market is made up of casual buyers and soft shell jackets are always the number 1 seller for most hunting companies. Theyre good for SxS’s and four wheelers and stuff. I dont own one