The Best Softshell Jackets for Men

Best Overall

Patagonia KnifeRidge Jacket

$224.00 at Patagonia See It

Due to their specialized nature, it's tough to call any single jacket the best. With that said, the Patagonia KnifeRidge Jacket comes the closest to covering all of the bases, performing very well for a variety of activities. Earning our Editors' Choice Award, it was the highest overall scoring jacket tested, as well as the most weather resistant. Surprisingly mobile, it's not quite as breathable as lighter models, but for moderate exertion, it served our testers well. It brings a high level of water resistance to the table as well, and its features are meticulously crafted. The KnifeRidge is a favorite for activities like ice climbing, alpine climbing, and backcountry skiing. If you want this jacket, buy it now. Patagonia will discontinue this jacket in the Fall of 2017. Fortunately, this means the once super expensive KnifeRidge is now discounted up to $200 off the original price! Use our retailer links to get the best deal on the best softshell, but act fast.

Read review: Patagonia KnifeRidge Jacket

Best Bang for the Buck

Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hoody

$104.45 at Backcountry See It See all prices (3 found)

Outdoor Research continues to impress with the Ferrosi Hoody. It remains a stand-out product for several years running, even snagging our prestigious Editors' Choice Award in the past. While the KnifeRidge is a superior jacket overall, we love getting high-quality performance out of the Ferrosi without having to face a staggering price tag. The fit, feel, and high breathability of this model are the most noticeable attributes. It moves with your body as you move quickly through all types of terrain, horizontally or vertically. Its minimal design aligns well with the "less is more" adage. The update in this model's 2017 design includes new, robust thumb loops, various color options, and a minor change to the elastic cuff. Versatile, accommodating, and priced right, many of our testers purchased this model following the conclusion of the review. Do note, though, that this jacket doesn't provide as much weather protection as other contenders in this review.

Read review: Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hoody

Top Pick Award for Skiing

Black Diamond Dawn Patrol Shell

$198.95 at Amazon See It See all prices (3 found)

The Black Diamond Dawn Patrol Shell is ideal for backcountry skiing because of its combination of weather resistance and breathability. In late 2016, Black Diamond updated this contender's fabric, which contributed to an $80 price drop from the older model to the latest version. The pocket location also changed. We confirmed that despite these changes, the jacket is still designed with backcountry skiing and ice and rock climbing in mind. With a mobile cut, it's a versatile jacket that competes head-to-head with the other top performers in this review. This Top Pick Award winner is also an excellent choice if you are eyeing the technical performance of the Patagonia KnifeRidge, but can't carve out $450 for a softshell.

Read review: Black Diamond Dawn Patrol Shell

Analysis and Test Results

For three months, our expert testers wore these jackets across a range of outdoor recreation. The lead author also designed tests to tease out the differences between the jackets, such as checking water resistance with the aid of a wintery waterfall. Through field use and intentional testing, we discovered differences in performance across several key areas. The table above displays the combined weighted scores overall. Below, we describe how we scored the models in each metric, as well as highlighting the best performers in each area.

Weather Protection

In this metric, we evaluate how well these jackets keep you comfortable in windy and wet conditions. During our testing period, we used each softshell on windy alpine ridges, stuck our arms out the window while going 60mpg, and even jumped in a waterfall with each jacket. Warmth didn't factor into our evaluation of this metric since we don't think that warmth is one of the primary reasons for buying a softshell. If you're looking for a warm, water resistant jacket, check out the Rab Xenon X Hoodie.



Over the years, we've tested weather resistance in a myriad of conditions, from mountaineering in Alaska to ice and alpine climbing in Maine and New Hampshire. In our most recent update, we ice climbed and skied throughout Colorado's Front Range and combined our field-testing with a series of controlled tests, including our now-infamous waterfall test. In the weeks before ice season in Colorado, one tester jumped on the opportunity to test these jackets in a frigid soon-to-be-ice climb. Jackets with hoods fared better than those without and allowed our tester to further submerge in the torrent than those without hoods. Because mountain weather is fickle, we think that hoods are a mandatory feature for activities above treeline.



In our tests, the most weather resistant softshell jackets have a laminated membrane (see description above and in the specifications table). The membrane-lined Patagonia KnifeRidge was the most water resistant softshell we tested followed by the Patagonia Adze Hybrid Hoody. The Adze fell behind as water leaked through the untaped seams. Keep in mind, however, that neither of these jackets breathes very well. On the other end of the spectrum, the Black Diamond Alpine Start defended against the torrent poorly; however, both these jackets are very breathable and therefore allowed us to dry out quickly. These pieces are best for winter running, cross-country skiing, and spring/summer alpine rock climbing.

Breathability

Breathability is the calling card of a softshell jacket and one of the most important benefits of a softshell jacket. In fact, we think that that breathability is the main reason to choose this type of layer over a waterproof jacket. If you have ever worn a cheap, plastic poncho from the dollar store you understand why breathability is important. The term breathability describes the ability of a material to transport moisture. Even if a waterproof jacket helps you stay dry from the rain, during high activity our bodies can perspire two liters per hour! If you sweat that much while wearing a cheap, plastic rain layer, you feel soaked and gross. If you sweat that much in a lightweight softshell you feel much drier and much happier. Staying dry is also one of the biggest keys to staying comfortable and warm in cold climates since water transmits heat much faster than air. This fact is of critical importance in cold climates. You might be surprised that most cases of hypothermia occur in temperatures above freezing. When temperatures are lower, water freezes and it becomes harder for us to get wet and subsequently chilled. One great way to get chilled in the snow, however, is to get soaked in sweat by wearing too many clothes or clothes that aren't breathable enough. Once your cardio output declines, you will chill rapidly.


As you increase your output (i.e. your level of aerobic activity), breathability becomes more and more necessary. For example, cross-country skiing and backcountry ski touring demand highly breathable jackets, but activities like moderate hiking and downhill skiing do not. Breathability is largely determined by the presence or absence of a laminated membrane and/or a fleece liner, both of which decrease breathability compared to jackets that don't have membranes or liners. Additionally, the thickness and weave of the fabric influence breathability; thin loose knit fabrics are the most breathable and thicker fleece insulated jackets are less breathable.


After every outing, we gathered breathability feedback from each tester. These scores are subjective and reflect our testers' personal opinions about the level of breathability of each jacket. The Black Diamond Alpine Start received a score of 10 and is the most breathable jacket that we tested. It also, however, earned a weather resistance rating of 2. The Outdoor Research Ferrosi received a score of 9 but did a little better at providing some protection from the wind and falling snow. These uninsulated non-windproof jackets were the only ones that we could wear when charging hard uphill without unzipping or taking them off. The Patagonia KnifeRidge and Adze Hybrid were much less breathable, but in turn, offer more weather protection.

The right shell for you largely depends on the amount of sweat you generate while playing in the mountains. Our bodies vary, which means that some of us need more breathable jackets than others. If you sweat a lot or frequently engage in highly aerobic activities, you'll love the excellent breathability of a jacket like the Ferrosi or Alpine Start. If you're not planning to wear your shell during high output activities, then consider a more weather resistant shell like The North Face Apex Bionic 2 Jacket.

Mobility & Fit

If you enjoy the restrictive feeling of wearing formal clothing, disregard our comments on mobility. But if you're like most people, then mobility is a key factor to consider when buying technical clothing. Most outdoor apparel is moderately mobile and is comfortable if you're walking around. However, many outdoor sports involve things like stretching your arms above your head to reach an out-of-reach climbing hold, twisting your hips into a joyous powder turn, or looking up with a hood on to see a magnificent mountain peak. Because we are searching for the highest performing gear for outdoor activities, we rank mobility as a high priority for our needs.


Our mobility metric assesses each product's overall comfort during aerobic activities. We took into consideration whether it rode up when lifting our arms, if the shoulders allow for full rotation, and whether we could layer underneath it without feeling restricted. During our testing, we not only studied the design of each product's arms and shoulders but also how they performed during all our day-to-day outdoor activities.


Some jackets were mobile enough in the body for activities like skiing, but when we took them ice climbing, the jackets either pulled out of our harnesses when reaching up, or our cuff fell below our gloves exposing our wrists to the cold and snow. Longer wrists and underarm gussets are both designed to help counter this problem.


Another factor that has a large influence on mobility is stretch. A stretch body reduces the influence of a poor fit and makes the jacket feel like it's moving with you. Stretch allows a jacket to fit quite snug without impairing mobility. A great example is the Outdoor Research Ferrosi which fit nearly as snug as the Marmot Gravity but was far more mobile because of the great stretch. Another benefit to stretch materials is that they are less noisy than windproof fabrics.

Overall, the most mobile piece tested here was the Patagonia Adze Hybrid. Despite its bulky fabric, it was the only jacket that allowed full mobility without the cuffs falling or hem rising. Surprisingly it even beat out jackets made with stretchier materials. When we handed the Adze to one tester for the first time, he was less than excited to use this jacket based on the weight and bulk, but after putting it on and raising his arms, his first comment was, "Wow, this thing is mobile!" The Patagonia KnifeRidge, Black Diamond Dawn Patrol, and Arc'teryx Gamma MX all performed admirably as well. The Columbia Ascender Jacket scored lowest in this category.

Weight & Packed Size

Weight and packed size can be very important attributes especially on long trips or anytime you have to put the jacket in your pack. We don't place as much of an emphasis on the weight of these products as we do on many other types of outdoor gear. The reason for this is that these products are designed to be breathable enough that they can be worn all day without having to throw them into your pack. Weight carried on your body isn't as noticeable as weight in a backpack. For this reason, we do not think that weight and packed sizes are the most important factors when choosing a softshell jacket. Our scores range from one to ten and reflect the full range between the lightest jacket tested (the 7.4 oz. Black Diamond Alpine Start) and the heaviest jacket tested (the 25.2 oz. Patagonia Adze Hybrid Hoody).

Features

Here we assessed the quality and quantity of each jacket's features as they contribute to its specific end use. We looked at the design of hand warmer pockets, chest pockets, zippers, zipper pulls, pit zips, interior pockets, hoods, thumb loops, and adjustment cords. Well-designed features are critical for overall comfort, ease of use, and storage. Whether you're hoping to stash an entire day's worth of energy bars into your chest pocket or tote around your wallet and keys, great features can make your life easier. To rate each product in this metric, we included the feedback from the dozen or so people that contributed to testing.


Hoods are one of our favorite things, especially on softshells. If you're strolling about in the hills and it starts to snow, you are going to need something on your head to keep you from getting soaked. If you don't have a hood on your softshell, you're going to need some other layer to cover your head be it an insulated jacket, rain jacket, or helmet.


Hoodless softshells are less versatile but still work well in many instances. If you are carrying a rain jacket (which will have a hood) to put on over your softshell, you might be perfectly comfortable without a hood. The Mountain Hardwear Fairing Jacket is a fantastic hoodless option. For cross-country skiing, we rarely put on our hood and instead prefer a balaclava. Finally, if you're cruising around town, we think that hoodless models are more stylish.

Pocket design is also important. For climbing and backpacking, cross-over chest pockets are best since they won't get in the way of your harness or hip belt. Meanwhile, hand warmer pockets are best for around town and general use (See the Marmot Gravity). Fleece-lined pockets can add extra comfort and coziness for your hands, but can also add unnecessary weight and warmth. All of the pockets in this review have zippered closures; without this, snow and water can enter the pocket and make you wet. If you plan on using your jacket with big gloves on, you'll want to look for big zipper pulls that can be easily manipulated.

The Patagonia KnifeRidge earned the highest scores in this category because nearly every component is designed with the utmost attention to detail and balances function with ergonomics and style. With its super easy to use draw cords, this jacket was also easy to adjust.

Style

We feel that it's important that you look good in a jacket you spend a lot of money on, especially one that works so well around town. Therefore we scored each jacket based on our testers' perception of its aesthetic appeal. We recognize that our assessment is subjective and, consequently, we make it a mere five percent of each jacket's total score.


In our opinion, simple exteriors look better than complex multi-color patterns. For around town, our testers prefer basic, handsome jackets like the Mountain Hardwear Fairing and The North Face Apex Bionic 2 over models like the Patagonia KnifeRidge, which have offset colored zippers and duo-chrome fabric designs. It's also important here to consider the fit of your jacket. Our scores in this category ranged from 9 to 4 and multiple products received our top score.

Accessories

Softshells, especially uninsulated models, are great to pair with other layers, such as a fleece, to increase the warmth. Most softshells pair well with our fleece jacket Top Pick Award winner, the Patagonia R1 Hoody. As we've mentioned multiple times in our review, we recommend purchasing a hardshell or rain jacket and an insulated jacket before you invest in a softshell.

Best for Specific Applications

Cross-country skiing: Black Diamond Alpine Start
Around town: Mountain Hardwear Fairing
Winter day hikes: Patagonia Adze Hybrid Hoody
Rock climbing: Arc'Teryx Gamma MX Hoody
Summer alpine climbing: Outdoor Research Ferrosi
Winter alpine climbing Patagonia KnifeRidge
Ice climbing: Patagonia KnifeRidge
Resort skiing: Patagonia KnifeRidge
Backcountry skiing: Black Diamond Dawn Patrol
Most versatile: Outdoor Research Ferrosi

Conclusion

For those of you adventure junkies doing high energy activities in the cold weather, a softshell might be just what you are seeking. Combining weather protection with breathability, these jackets work best when you are working hard. Depending on your intended use, the best model for you may differ. Some materials work better on cold, wet, and windy days, while others specialize in breathability and work well for laying. By using our in-depth research, testing, and analyses, we hope you find the right jacket to fit your lifestyle. Take a look at our Buying Advice article for further help in making your decision.