Black Diamond Sharp End Review

This jacket manages to be super durable with 70D shell fabric yet stay competitive weight wise. Folks who are really counting grams, however, will want something lighter like the Arc'teryx Alpha FL. In terms of weather protection and features, the Shap End is nearly on par with the highest scoring models.

Perormance Comparison

Weather Protection

Gore-tex Pro, combined with a 70D nylon shell fabric, keeps out precip of all kinds, from driving rain to pelting grapple. The hood on the Sharp End only has a single rear adjustment point — most of its competitors feature drawcords in the rear and the front of the hood to secure it in the optimal spot for comfort and keeping precip out of your face. The single rear adjustment seems adequate for hiking around, and we didn't experience any leaks during our shower testing. However, we prefer hoods with front adjustments for skiing or climbing in the worst conditions.

Weight and Packability

The men's size large Sharp End Shell weighed 16.8 ounces according to our scales. That's right in line with similar models including the stretchy Patagonia Galvanized Jacket. While we don't consider this "ultralight" (check out the stripped-down Arcteryx FL if that's your game), this jacket has plenty of features without being too heavy. The shell fabric isn't especially packable, so we're only likely to carry this jacket if the forecast suggests we'll be wearing it for the majority of the day.

Mobility and Fit

This jacket provides plenty of mobility through the shoulders, and the arms are of adequate length. We thankfully never experienced the sleeves riding up when climbing or skiing. The tight fit of the collar is a major flaw in the design of this jacket and results in a low score in this metric. Even without a mid-layer or helmet, the collar pressed uncomfortably into our necks when we zipped the jacket all the way up. Putting the hood up doesn't make it feel any better, and the overall experience is a claustrophobic one. We could size this jacket up to potentially get some more room in the collar, but the shoulders and torso fit well and allowed for plenty of room for a mid-layer - so we think we ordered the right size.

Venting and Breathability

Breathability is a challenging metric to measure. Gore-Tex requires the humidity inside the jacket to be greater than the humidity outside the jacket for moisture to diffuse through the membrane. Gore-Tex Pro is on the more durable and less breathable side of the Gore-tex spectrum. To keep you from becoming too sweaty in the first place, the Sharp End features two 15" pit zips. Open them up at the bottom of the hill so you won't be clammy at the top. Opening pit vents negate the moisture diffusion process, but it cools us off in a substantial way we can feel.

Features

The Sharp End has some sweet features for easy operation when it's cold, number one being the large, rigid plastic zipper pulls. These are very easy to grab ahold of while wearing gloves, even when you can't see them because the jacket is zipped up all the way and you're feeling around for the pit zippers. The cuffs also employ a stiff molded plastic tab to operate the velcro closure. They keep the cuffs in place, seal in warmth, and are easy to adjust while wearing gloves or mitts. For pockets, you get two hefty sized handwarmer pockets, an external chest pocket, and an internal chest pocket. BD refers to the internal pocket as a stretch pocket with a cord port, but the version we purchased didn't have a porthole, and it's not at all stretchy. Still, it's nice to have a place to store the small items you need to keep dry.

Value

A $550 investment gets you a durable weatherproof layer and isn't an insane amount of money for a garment that uses the Gore-Tex Pro membrane considering that there are $600+ offerings from Arc'teryx and The North Face. For a better, less expensive choice for alpine climbing, we suggest the Patagonia Glavanized Jacket.

Conclusion

The tight collar and small-fitting hood are the two big deal breakers for our testers. For this kind of money, you don't want to make many compromises, and even though this jacket provides excellent defense against the elements, the fit is not something we want to compromise. If you have the opportunity to try this model on and the hood and collar don't bother you, then you should feel great about purchasing this tough and functional jacket.