Comparison review: We've compared the perfect hard shell for backcountry, from powder to tours.

Hard shell is an outerwear that is essential for winter mountain climbing. In the past, robust models that could withstand the harshness of winter mountains were the mainstream, but nowadays, various models have been introduced to suit the needs and purposes, and I often hear people say that they are troubled by the price of the product, which is difficult to reach.

we tried out all the hard shells with a variety of materials and features , but as you can see from the comparison review, there are no perfect hard shells in all items, so it is important to understand the characteristics of the model, the pros and cons, and use them according to the purpose of use.

The models featured in these reviews are still active as of January 2019, so if you're interested, please take a look.

This season's hard shell was a "lightweight, highly breathable, comfortable" model.

Among the hard shells that were newly released or remodeled in the 2018-19 season, I was particularly interested in the lighter backcountry model, which has been developed mainly in terms of comfort, with the aim of reducing the weight to the very least, and has improved breathability and flexibility of the fabric. So this time, we'll pick out three popular models and compare them.

To put it in advance, as all of these models are developed specialized brands that cover serious mountain climbing, all three models are of a high level of basic construction compared to ski brands such as hard shells, which is a troubling comparison among them.

table of contents

• About the items we compared and tested this time
• Test results and spec comparison table
• Impressions of each model
• summary

About the hard shells compared this time

Three models compared this time. *The moisture permeable material in the () is

• Teton Bros. TB Jacket (Polartec NeoShell)
• Norrona lofoten Gore-tex Active jacket (Gore-tex Active)
• Mountain Hardwear Cloud Seeker Jacket (Dry Q Elite)

Test environment

Winter mountains in Hokkaido from November to December. It can be worn on slopes, backcountry (snowboarding), as well as on snowy mountain hiking to check for sweat. The weather was sunny, cloudy, snow, and snowstorms, and all the experiences were all there. Inside is a base layer and fleece. The moisture permeability was evaluated after a minimum of 1 hour hike and sweating. It was perfect for me, who was sweaty. In addition, in order to thoroughly verify the moisture permeability, we did not release each ventilation for at least an hour after starting to sweat, and tested the goodness of peeling from the fabric. After that, we opened up each ventilation and checked the ventilation, comfort and other details.

The following five points were set as indicators for review of the evaluation items.

• Weather-resistant: Weather-resistant, as a performance that blocks rain, snow, wind, and cold air, is the most important thing when carrying out hard activities amidst all weather changes.
• Comfort and mobility: Stock work on skis, driving axes when climbing, shoveling snow at Russell, etc. It moves surprisingly actively in winter outdoors, so it is necessary to have a shape and comfort that can handle intense movements.
• Breathability and ventilation... No matter how cold the weather is, sweating is a must when you move violently. Is there a mechanism to prevent the sweat emitted from the entire body as water vapor and prevent the body from getting wet?
• Weight: It is certainly true that the thicker the material, the easier it is to prevent outside air, but with advances in technology, it has become thinner and lighter while maintaining weather resistance.
• Functionality: The parts that relate to the shape and ease of adjustment of the hood, the number, position, size of the pockets, functions, and ease of use are specialized for the activities they expect, and are designed in a generic way, making them important elements that bring out the concept and personality of each model. It's not simply good to have more features, but too few will make it difficult to use.

Test results and spec comparison table

comprehensive evaluation	AAA	AAA	AA
item	Mountain Hardwear Cloud Seeker Jacket	Norrona lofoten Gore-tex Active jacket	Teton Bros. TB Jacket
Reference price	64,800 yen	73,440 yen	59,400 yen
This is ◎	Excellent breathability and ventilation performance Stretchy fabric that is easy to move in Abundant storage RECCO	Surprisingly lightweight Comfortable to wear One-handed adjustable hood Sweet equipment	Highly maneuverable ventilation Comfortable to wear Stylish design Various parts that are easy to operate while keeping the gloves on
This is △	The adjustable strap on the hood is inside the collar, making it difficult to see	Few pockets	Snow skirt not included Slipper in the zipper
Weather Resistant	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆
Comfort and mobility	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆
Breathable and ventilation	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
weight	★★★☆☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆
Functionality	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆
Specs
item	Mountain Hardwear Cloud Seeker Jacket	Norrona lofoten Gore-tex Active jacket	Teton Bros. TB Jacket
Actual measured weight	602g (S size, 546g excluding powder skirt)	450g (388g excluding S size, powder skirt)	520g (M size)
material	Dry Q Elite 20D Air Palm 3L Stretch RipStop (100% Nylon)	GORE-TEX ACTIVE 30D Nylon	Polartec NeoShell Surplex Nylon
pocket	Large front pocket x2 Zippered chest pocket Media zippered inner pocket and goggle pocket Lift ID pocket on left sleeve	Security pocket on the chest Lift ID pocket on the left upper arm Inner pocket	2 chest pockets 2 inner mesh pockets Lift ID pocket on the left upper arm
Ventilation	○	○	○
Powder skirt	○	○	×
Other features	The snap buttons on the back of the head can be adjusted to suit the presence or absence of a helmet, making it a smart hood that looks great Ventilator at the back of the upper arm Removable powder skirt that can be attached to pants RECCO	Goggle cloth is included in the chest pocket on the left chest Mesh ventilation zip on the right chest One-handed adjustable hood Hand gaiter Removable powder skirt	Helmet compatible hood that can be easily performed even when gloves are attached Wide adjustment tabs with wide cuffs to eliminate the hassle of wearing gloves

Impressions of each model

Mountain Hardwear Cloud Seeker Jacket

This is ◎

• Excellent breathability and ventilation performance
• A large pocket that can be used as ventilation, and plenty of storage space
• Stretchy fabric that is easy to move in
• RECCO

This is △

• The adjustable strap on the hood is inside the collar, making it difficult to see

First of all, the amount of pockets that will surprise you when you see the appearance is the amount of pockets. The large ventilation pockets on both sides are designed to be able to store climbing skins as well. There are also other convenient storage spaces that can be easily used in a backcountry, such as gloves, goggles, maps, lift tickets, and smartphones.

I was impressed when I looked through it. The lightweight, stretchy fabric is very easy to move in, so it didn't feel any stress at all. The standard snow skirt comes with hooks to prevent snow from entering without losing its continuity with the pants. What's more, it's not just pants from the same manufacturer, so it's pretty convenient because it can be hooked onto something and used somewhere.

In terms of breathability, unlike Gore-Tex, the Dry Q Elite's sweat-removing performance was in a nutshell, as it begins to breathe through the moment you wear it. Even if my sweat started to get oozing out from the hike up, I could clearly feel the stuffiness was coming off quickly, and it didn't give me any gaps in my sweat inside. Furthermore, the ventilator arrangement is wonderful, allowing air to flow from the front to the back of the upper arm, allowing sweat to escape efficiently. I think the fastest speed was to remove stuffiness after opening the ventilator. However, if you tighten the shoulder strap of your backpack too much, airflow will be blocked, so if you want to ventilate with a ventilator, you will need to loosen the belt.

Harnesses are also intended to be attached, and all zippers are placed at a high position. It's sure to be an all-around experience, including alpine, slopes, and backcountry.

NORRONA lofoten Gore-Tex Active Jacket

This is ◎

• Surprisingly lightweight
• Comfortable to wear
• One-handed adjustable hood
• Sweet equipment

This is △

• Few pockets

Norwegian high brands that everyone admiresNorronaAmong them, the lofoten series is the backcountry lineup. Among these, this model uses the latest Gore-tex Active material, which is newly released this season. Speaking of Gore-tex Active, it is a waterproof and breathable material that has a three-layer structure with basic waterproof and windproof properties, but is also a waterproof and breathable material that pursues its maximum lightness and breathability. The weight of this model is 450g, which is unusual for a hard shell. This comparison also won the winner.

In addition to its extraordinary lightness, the perfect three-dimensional cutting and slight elasticity make it easy to move around in such a way that you won't feel like you're wearing it. Furthermore, the knit lining is also a great touch to the touch, which is characteristic of this latest Gore-tex Active. It can be said that there is a huge difference between a hard, hard shell.

The breathability is also impressive, Gore-tex Active. It made all the sweat turn into water vapor and let it go outside. It's just a comparison, but although it's not as good as the Dry Q Elite, it doesn't get saturated and keeps you comfortable at all times. The large armpit ventilation and the long, long mesh ventilation zipper visible on the chest allow for rapid ventilation and minimizes heat retention. The shoulder straps on the backpack divide the space between the armpits and chest, but thanks to the zipper that can be opened and closed from both the top and bottom, it was very helpful to be able to ventilate without loosening the straps. It is also the only one of the three models that allows you to stick your arm out of the ventilation when hiking and wear it like a vest. Although there is no official explanation of such usage, this one was pretty useful.

The hood, which can be adjusted with one hand by pulling the strap on the back of the head, is also excellent. It is equipped with clever equipment such as a snow skirt, hand gaiter, and goggle cloth, and I felt that it was a hard shell with very detailed attention to detail. The only thing that makes the number of pockets less, even though it's in exchange for lighter size, I think it would be nice if there was a little more balanced. It's quite expensive among hard shells, but I think it has functionality and value that is worth the price.

Teton Bros. TB Jacket

Teton Bros. TB Jacket Deep Green M

created by Rinker

Teton Bros.

• Amazon
• Rakuten Market
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This is ◎

• Highly maneuverable ventilation
• Comfortable to wear
• Stylish design
• Various parts that are easy to operate while keeping the gloves on

This is △

• Snow skirt not included
• Slipper in the zipper

Teton Bros. is Japan's proud outdoor brand, which continues to pursue high-quality products with a unshakable philosophy . TB Jacket one of the brand's masterpieces, did not disappoint. The supple and soft fabric, three-dimensional cutting, slight stretchiness makes it comfortable to wear and easy to move around in is truly impressive.

Of the many waterproof and breathable materials, Polartec Neosell is gaining a solid position due to its good sweat removal, and it never cools down even after experiencing a lot of sweat during hiking. Compared to the other two, it felt like sweat was accumulating a little, but after that it left before it felt uncomfortable. There are one large ventilator on the front of each side, making it easy to open and close even when carrying a backpack, making it highly operable and stress-free.

The cuff construction caught my eye in terms of ease of use. Of the three models, the cuffs are the largest, and the Velcro cuffs are by far the most comfortable when the gloves are attached, including the Velcro shape. The front pockets are also large, so the fact that you can take them out while wearing the gloves is also a great feature. The collar is also large, and it hides half of the face, so it protects her face in the event of a snowstorm, which was very helpful. The hood can also be easily adjusted by pulling the cord at the collar, allowing for smooth operation while the gloves are attached.

TB Jacket the many invisible parts that seem to have been carefully thought out of the actual users, and its high overall strength makes it perfect for backcountry hard shells.

summary

Basically, all three of these models have excellent basic performance as hard shells, and there was no significant difference in the light backcountry like the ones I tested.

When it comes to moisture permeability, nothing was unsatisfactory. All three models were superb and showed the comfort you'd expect. As for the speed at which heat is escaped, it is Dry Q Elite > Gore-tex Active > Polatec NeoShell, but I get the impression that it only starts to permeate the moisture, and it is hard to tell if there is less stuffiness after a long time.

On the other hand, there were slight differences in the finer and easy-to-use aspects, such as the mechanism, location, and pockets of the ventilation system. The basic specs are high, so no matter which one you choose, it's not a fatal mistake, but it's a good idea to use this review as a reference to choose a model that has the features you like.

I'm sure the above is evaluated from various perspectives, but this is a comparison review of the hard shell that was chosen from the perspective of using it in a backcountry that involves hiking. Please feel free to use this as a reference if you like.

We also recommend this article about hardshells.

• Comparison review: We compared the hard shell jacket, a reliable ally for the snowy mountains and outdoors.
• The snow season has arrived. Hard shell jackets featured this season [2017-2018]
• Essential for the harsh winter outdoors! How to choose a hard shell jacket
• You can climb snowy mountains and backcountry! 5+5 recommended hard shell pants

TAC

Lives in Hokkaido. When it's a holiday, I can't stay still at home, so I do some kind of activity. I immerse myself in mountain climbing, fishing, camping in the summer, snowboarding and smelt fishing in the winter. I'm also a fan of this site and am looking forward to sharing the appeal of gear. We would like to review this from the perspective of not only mountain climbing, but also from a variety of activities.

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