If you could only take one jacket with you, a soft shell jacket would be a great choice. The best soft shell jacket gives you plenty of warmth, breathes well and will also keep you dry through a few showers. They're a versatile option for when you don't really know what kind of weather to expect. And if you are a hiker or backpacker, there are some excellent options as far as soft shell jackets go that will perform very well on the trail.
Best Soft Shell Jacket
A few features that you should be looking for when reviewing soft shell jackets.- Water Resistant - You wont find any waterproof soft shell jackets, but you should definitely look for soft shell jackets that have some degree of water resistance. A good soft shell jacket should be able to shed enough water to get you through a few showers without needing to pull out a waterproof layer.
- Pockets - Another feature that most people will want on their soft shell jacket is a few zippered pockets. If you're going to be wearing a lot of a soft shell jacket, you will likely want to keep a few things in an easy to access area, especially if you are camping, hiking or backpacking. Most of the best soft shell jackets come with a pocket or two to do just that.
Soft Shell Jacket Reviews
A selection of the very best soft shell jackets, broken down by gender.Soft Shell Jackets for Men
- Rab Boreas Pull-On - The Boreas was the 2011 winner of the Backpacker Magazine Editor's Choice award, so you know it's a quality soft shell jacket. It's a pull on, so the zipper is only half length. It's lightweight and breathable, and even has 50+ UPF rating for those cold, sunny days. It also comes with a hood, which allows you to stay a little warmer when you need to, and a zippered breast pocket for stashing a few small items.
- Arc'teryx Gamma LT Softshell - The Gamma LT is a great jacket for a wide variety of conditions. You don't get a hood, but you do get a total of four pockets and a DWR finish to keep water out. Small touches like gusseted underarms also help to increase the functionality. Finally, a hem drawcord means that you can vary the internal temperature a bit.
Soft Shell Jackets for Women
- Arc'teryx Hyllus Hoodie - Winner of the 2008 Outside Magazine Gear of the Year award, the Hyllus is a fantastic soft shell jacket. It's warm, with a hood for when the temperature really drops. It's also hip length, to give you a bit of extra protection for those who are active, and has three zippered pockets for a few small items. A fantastic soft shell jacket for cold weather.
- Arc'teryx Epsilon AR Softshell - Another soft shell jacket from Arc'teryx, this one a much lighter, breathable option for warmer weather. No hood is a drawback for anyone who is looking for a soft shell jacket that will perform in the widest possible set of circumstances, but a water resistant finish means that it will at least perform well in wet conditions. A total of three zippered pockets is also a nice touch.
