The Best Hardshell Jacket Review

The Hardshell Jacket: Ultimate Protection From The Elements
Hardshell jackets represent the best waterproof breathable protection science can offer. These are high level innovative products that provide increased comfort and durability compared to rain jackets. We carefully researched the global hardshell market and choose 21 shells to accompany our testers on backcountry adventures all over the world. We went Backpacking, ice climbing, alpine climbing, mountaineering, skiing, bike tourbng, and city slicking.

Waterproof breathable technology is changing quickly. See our Buying Advice Article for the latest information on the materials used in the jackets we tested.

Types of Hardshell Jackets
There are numerous approaches to hardshell design. The models included here are primarily designed for ascent oriented acitivites. They're lighter and more versatile than snowsport/descent shells that have powder skirts and large interior stash pockets. Unlike ski jackets these offer the advantage of being able to join you on any trip anywhere on the planet, not just on the slopes.

Hardshell design is trending toward specialization. The majority of the jackets we tested are designed for a specific set of activities, and some just one activity. On one end of the spectrum we have classic bombproof mountaineering jackets that are best for extended trips and extreme weather conditions. While they’re extensive feature list makes them good for traveling and living in, they’re far too heavy for shorter trips or backpacking (most weigh over 20 ounces). Examples include the Millet K PRO GTX, Rab Latok, and Arcteryx Theta SV. We have categorized these as Heavy Duty. Next we have a group of all-purpose shells that are lighter, less featured, and generally more versatile, but still best suited to cold weather trips of medium to long duration. Highlights from this Medium Duty category are the Patagonia Super Pluma, Arcteryx Alpha SV, and Mountain Hardwear Drystein II. Finally, we tested a selection of lightweight hardshells designed for fast and light, high output activities. These weigh less than 13 ounces and are significantly more breathable than shells found in our Medium and Heavy Duty categories. Lightweight shells excel at trips of shorter duration, where you may carry it more than you wear it, when weather conditions are less likely to be severe, and when durability is less of a concern. We list categories in the specification table found in each individual review.

Fitness for use
Based on our testing we’ve come to several conclusions about the waterproof breathable technologies used in hardshells. First, a shell’s face fabric, features, fit, and warranty matter as much or more than the specific type of membrane. But each membrane is fit for specific uses. In general, Gore-Tex Pro Shell was our top choice for trips of extended duration or those that encounter extreme weather conditions – expeditions of all types. This is partly because Pro Shell is completely windproof (water and air cannot pass through the non-porous membrane), and partly because the product is guaranteed for life. When choosing between lightweight jackets that use Dry Q Elite, Active Shell, eVent, NeoShell, and Omni-Dry, our testers mostly ignored the specific type of membrane and focused on fit, features, durability, and weight. Air permeable membranes are slightly more breathable than Gore-Tex but they're also not as warm. See our Buying Advice Article for a detailed discussion of the pros and cons of various materials and features. Below we describe the specific criteria by which we evaluated each jacket.

Criteria for Evaluation
Breathability
We rated each shell’s breathability based on observations from real world environmental conditions. We found eVent, Dry Q, and Gore Active Shell to be slightly more breathable than Gore Pro Shell. All of the jackets tested steam up and stay humid inside, some just steam up slightly slower and dry out slightly faster. Jackets with thinner face fabrics (Mountain Hardwear Quasar) are more breathable than thicker ones (Rab Latok). None of the shells tested are ultra breathable (most have pit zips and some have mesh-backed pockets, neither of which would exist if the jacket could release all moisture vapor). And, when it comes to keeping you dry on the inside, ventilation is more important than breathability during periods of high exertion. We weighted each jacket's breathability rating as five percent of its total score.

Although we didn’t rate the shells on their ability to keep you warm, it’s worth noting that air permeable materials are not as warm as non-porous materials. Gore-Tex (non-porous) believes that something cannot be windproof and meaningfully air permeable at the same time. We found the Arcteryx Alpha SV (Gore Pro Shell) to be more wind resistant, i.e. warmer, than the Mountain Hardwear Quasar (Dry Q Elite). The former is best for fast paced high exertion activities, like alpine climbing and hiking, but not for crawling along a snowfield in frigid, high wind conditions. You can’t have both bombproof protection and a highly breathable jacket. Get a softshell jacket if you want a day use cold weather jacket that's highly breathable.

Features
Here we evaluated each jacket’s features based on its intended use. We compared the quality and placement of zippers, zipper pulls, vents, pockets, hoods, and adjustable closures. We tested features by backpacking, mountaineering, climbed alpine climbing, and alpine skiing. This allowed us to see which features are useful for what types of activities.

This variable also contains our assessment of construction quality. For example, two key “features” of every jacket are its construction type and pocket design. Garments with welded seams have no needle holes or thread and are lighter, more packable, and – more importantly – their seams are no less water resistant than the fabric itself. Welded seams are also lower in profile than sewn seams and tend to be less prone to abrasion, which can help the jacket last longer. Pocket design is critical to a jacket’s end use. A snowsport-specific shell for the resort will have copious storage: handwamer pockets, internal zippered pockets and mesh pockets, a headphone port, and a powder skirt. On the contrary, a fast and light alpine climbing shell, such as the Mountain Hardwear Quasar and Arcteryx Alpha FL, have minimalist styling: no pitzips, a low profile hood, and perhaps one chest pocket. None of the all-purpose shells tested had our ideal set of features; the Patagonia Super Pluma came closest. Of the bombproof mountaineering shells, our favorite pocket design was found on the Rab Latok, which has two high set hand warmer pockets and two cross-over chest pockets. The shell is the only one that provides space for your hands and quick external access to small-item storage. We’ve listed each jacket’s construction type and the number and location of pockets in our specifications table, found in each review. We weighted each jacket's features rating as 20 percent of its total score.

Mobility
Here assessed the extent to which each hardshell felt like a constricting, crinkly plastic bag. We found that lighter jackets were less restrictive than heavier jackets, and some have disappointingly restrictive cuts. The Outdoor Research Maximus, for example, is bulky and boxy and has tubular arms that lack articulation, making it less comfortable. Three of four Gore Active Shell jackets and the Mountain Hardwear Quasar (Dry Q) tied for first place in this category. We took photos of our lead tester, this author, in every jacket so that you can best estimate how a shell will fit you. We weighted each jacket's mobility rating as 20 percent of its total score.

Versatility
Here we evaluated how well each jacket performed at activities it wasn’t designed for. Can you take the 9 oz. climbing-specific Mountain Hardwear Quasar backcountry skiing? Yes. Can you take the 33 oz. ski-specific Mammut Parinaco alpine climbing? No, it weighs more than a good 20-degree down bag. The Patagonia Super Pluma was the most versatile jacket we tested. We weighted each jacket's versatility rating as 20 percent of its total score.

Mobility
Here assessed the extent to which each hardshell felt like a constricting, crinkly plastic bag. We found that lighter jackets were less restrictive than heavier jackets, and some have disappointingly restrictive cuts. The Outdoor Research Maximus, for example, is bulky and boxy and has tubular arms that lack articulation, making it less comfortable. Three of four Gore Active Shell jackets and the Mountain Hardwear Quasar (Dry Q) tied for first place in this category. We took photos of our lead tester, this author, in every jacket so that you can best estimate how a shell will fit you. We weighted each jacket's mobility rating as 20 percent of its total score.

Durability
This variable assesses the durability of each jacket. Here we took into account for the face fabric, type of membrane, and construction type. Tied for the most durable were the Arcteryx Alpha SV and Rab Latok. With numerous rips, tears, and delaminating parts, the Mountain Hardwear Quasar was the least durable shell tested. We weighted each jacket's durability rating as 15 percent of its total score.

Weight
Here we ranked each jacket from lightest to heaviest. Weighing only 9 oz., the Mountain Hardwear Quasar topped the charts and was jaw-droppingly compact to boot. The heaviest and most tank-like shell we tested was the 33 oz. Mammut Parinaco, a fully featured snowsport “shell.” With improved face fabrics and membranes, durable is no longer synonymous with heavy. All of our award winning shells weigh less than 17 ounces. We weighted each jacket's weight rating as 20 percent of its total score.

Editors' Choice Award: Arcteryx Alpha SV
Our Editors' Choice award goes to the Arcteryx Alpha SV, an alpine climbing-specific shell that’s exceptionally durable, has room for layering, a suite of near perfect features, and – to top it all off – weighs less than 17 ounces. The Alpha SV has the best durability-to-weight ratio of any shell tested. Yet it's also shockingly compact and comfortable to wear. When venturing into demanding conditions for extended periods there's no other shell we'd rather wear. Bonus: it works well for everything!

Top Pick Award for Ultralight: Arcteryx Alpha FL
The 10 oz. Arcteryx Alpha FLis a dream come true for ultralight hikers and climbers. This shell combines several well designed features with the highly breathable Gore Active Shell membrane. We found that other jackets (namely the 9.5 oz. Mountain Hardwear Quasar) fell to pieces while the Alpha FL kept ticking. This jacket is lightweight and durable. The Alpha FL has a large external chest pocket for stashing gloves, a camera, or energy bars. If you don't need the superhero durability of the Alpha SV we highly recommend this shell; our testers, who do a variety of trips that are generally short than longer, reached to this shell more than any other.

Top Pick Award for Handwarmer Pockets: Patagonia Super Pluma
The two above shells do not have handwarmer pockets. Although the majority of our testers believe crossover chest pockets offer increased performance for most activities we do recognize that some people have a strong preference for handwarmer pockets. And rightfully so- they protect your hands when you don't have gloves. Thus, we present the versatile, lightweight, and well-featured Patagonia Super Pluma with a Top Pick Award. Trip after trip, week after week, month after month, our testers used this dependable piece for all types of mountain excursions. The Super Pluma weighs 14.1 ounces, features durable and warm Gore-Tex Pro Shell, and performs well at nearly every foul weather activity. The Super Pluma is our top rated all-purpose shell for those who love hand pockets, or want something a touch lighter and cheaper than the Alpha SV. We took it ice and alpine climbing, skiing, and to the top of Denali.

Best Value Award: Rab Stretch Neo
The Rab Stretch Neo offers budget conscious adventurers a high quality shell for bottom basement prices (for top-tier hardshells). This jacket is nearly half the price of the Arcteryx Alpha SV, weighs nearly the same amount, and has a similar feature set. Although it doesn't offer the ultimate in durability or comfort it's an excellent value and represents a massive step up in performance from 2 or 2.5 layer rain jackets.