[An honest, self-funded comparison review] Perfect for this season! A comparison of lightweight, compact wind shells that are easy to use both in the mountains and in the city [Women's]

It's warm during the day but chilly in the mornings and evenings. A windshell is useful from early spring to early summer. A more familiar term would be a windbreaker

Rainwear can of course protect you from the cold. However, walking on mountain trails without rain while wearing rainwear is hot. It depends on the altitude, but honestly, it can get really humid. In fact, it can actually drain your energy

That's why you'll want to have a windshell. You might think of a windshell as being bulky and made of a scratchy material, like a windbreaker

Modern wind shells are different. They are lightweight, made of flexible materials, and compact. We recommend carrying one in your bag as everyday wear on chilly days

So, which one should you choose? Which one do you recommend? It's true that each manufacturer has different strengths and weaknesses. To avoid the frustration of finding a wind shell that doesn't feel the same as what you imagined when you actually try it out, we tried on and compared a variety of wind shells

Windshell Comparison Review

Select a comparison candidate

All of the items weigh less than 150g (about the weight of a regular-sized banana!). I chose them based on three points other than weight: I'm intrigued by the slogan, I want to try them out, and they might even be good for everyday wear. Sorry, but my standards are loose. Even if I were to be overly strict... you know? You want to have fun choosing and wearing the clothes you want!

• MILLET: Breather Wilder Light Jacket [Women's]
• STATIC: Apostlo Light Hoodie [Unisex]
• Arc'teryx: Cita SL Hoody (Women's)
• Black Diamond: Distance Wind Shell [Women's]
• Peak Performance: W Vislite Wind Jacket FY (Women's)
• Teton Bros.: Wind River Hoody (Women's)

Evaluation points

• Windproof: Does it keep out wind and cold?
• Water repellency: How well it repels water
• Comfort: Feels good against the skin and is comfortable to wear
• Ease of movement: Can you move without stress?
• Stuffiness: Does it prevent stuffiness and regulate the temperature to an appropriate level?
• Weight: Official weight only
• Portability: Is it the perfect size to carry around?
• Versatility: Can it be used for a wide range of activities, including everyday wear?

Test environment

• The event was held during and at the summit of Mt. Futago, one of the Miura Alps in Kanagawa Prefecture
• Wear a quick-drying T-shirt over quick-drying underwear
• Water repellency was tested at home in the shower

Test Results & Spec Comparison Table

If you find it difficult to see the table on the lightweight display for smartphones, click here.

Impressions of each model

MILLET Breather Wilder Light Jacket

Anyway, it's not cold

This is the most important feature of a wind shell. The hood fits snugly around the face and keeps out the cold air from the neck. It provided excellent warmth even on a windy mountaintop near dusk

It covers the face perfectly. I covered my face with the logo because it was unsightly

Great ventilation effect

The fabric is sturdy, so I thought it would be hot. But, wait, when I opened the pockets on both sides, which also serve as ventilation, it was cool. Comfortable. This was an unexpected result. I had been judging it based solely on the thickness of the fabric. I had no idea that just having ventilation could make such a big difference in breathability

Pockets on both sides

The inside of the pocket is mesh for ventilation

Strong water repellency

"The lightweight, ultra-durable water-repellent fabric BREATHER provides long-lasting, powerful water-repellent performance (quoted from the description of the BREATHER Wilder Light Jacket)," and as such, it is extremely water-repellent. It even repels water so well that it's practically waterproof. I wonder if it could even be used as rainwear?! I thought

Even if you take a quick shower..

See, it's perfectly played

It's not light and fluffy

The only thing that bothers me is that it feels heavy to wear and a little bit crinkly. Compared to the Wind River Hoody and Distance Wind Shell, it's clearly not as comfortable to wear. It feels like a much softer version of rainwear. But it's not so much that it's "too much of a bother."

Teton Bros. Wind River Hoodie

Exceptional comfort

I hope the photos convey the smooth feel of the fabric, but it's incredibly soft and supple. Even when I sweat, the fabric doesn't stick to my skin. To be honest, it does get a little stuffy, but it's so comfortable I want to wear it all the time. Perhaps this is the power of Pertex Quantum Air

It's really soft and light

It is also highly stretchable, allowing for easy movement

It grows a lot

Ultra-lightweight at just 95g = Thin fabric yet windproof

Snug fit

I thought that the thickness (weight) of the fabric was proportional to its wind resistance, but that's not always the case! I'm amazed at how far materials have come. The hood fits snugly around your face and has thumbholes, so it prevents cold air from getting in

Nifty thumbhole

Designed for city wear

It's functional yet stylish, with a tight silhouette and a logo printed on the waist. It's not designed for activewear, so it can also be worn around town. Incidentally, the logo stands out even after packing

It's slimming

Logo on the waist. My phone fits in the pocket. It makes my back a little heavy, but I'm grateful for this pocket

After storage. It is smaller than a plastic bottle

It's a little hot

I hate to say it while praising it highly, but it was hot when I was moving around. I was sweating. It weighed the same as the Arc'teryx windshell, but it was cold there and hot here. It's probably the difference in the fabric. Well, you never really know until you try it on and move around. That's why choosing clothing is both difficult and fun!

Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell

Ultra-lightweight

72g! That's about the weight of a large egg. It's very soft and fluffy, and although I've never worn it, I'd say it feels like a heavenly maiden's robe. It's a shell that you can have with you when you need that extra layer of clothing. I think the comfort of wearing it from the start of a climb or run to the peak is due to the fact that it weighs 72g

The skin is visible through the fabric

Excellent breathability

As you can see in the photo, the inner layer is see-through, allowing for constant ventilation. There's no moment of stuffiness. It's perfect for people who are constantly on the move and constantly burning their bodies. However, even when I was constantly moving, even when I was only taking a break for a few minutes, I felt cold when the wind blew. This is a shell that you should wear carefully depending on the occasion and activity. By the way, I'm not a trail runner or a fast hiker, I'm just an ordinary mountain climber

The Goryu-dake Sanso T-shirt is transparent. It has a slightly loose silhouette

Can be stored quite compactly

As you can see, it was packed compactly. Unfortunately, the left chest pocket doesn't fit a 15cm x 7cm cell phone. It may just be that it's too big, but I wish it could fit. It seems like it could fit small nutritional gels and the like

Can be stored in a narrow space

My cell phone doesn't work. Too bad

Water repellency is not so good..

The official description says, "It has excellent water repellency, with the water repellent ingredients permeating every fiber, eliminating the need for additional sprays or water repellent finishes." However, the results left me scratching my head. Waterproofing and water repellency are certainly different, but water still seeped in quickly. Even if it's just a light rain, wearing this garment for a long period of time seems like it would make me quite cold

When I take a quick shower..

The water seeped into the pockets. The inside of the pockets was also full of water. Hmm..

Peak Performance W Vislite Wind Jacket FY

Design that can be worn in the city

Being a Swedish manufacturer, they are skilled at creating simple yet stylish designs, including the use of colors. I particularly like how they use dark colors well. The waist is cinched in the back, giving it a tight silhouette. It's not a "typically outdoor" design, so it would also be great for city wear

The length is short. The subdued color is nice

The waist is cinched in at the back. It's a clever job. The T-shirt is still the same as before, from Goryu-dake Sanso

The thumb loops and hem keep out the cold (although the jacket is so stripped down that it's hard to notice)

The cuffs have elastic thumb loops that shrink when you put your hands through them. The bottom hem is also silicone-treated to prevent the shell from riding up while you're moving around. When I first put it on, I didn't even realize these features, other than thinking, "Oh, the cuffs and bottom hem are orange." There were no instructions included, and I only found out about them after reading the product description on the website, so some people may not even know about them. It's a shame that the design is so simple and doesn't really stand out. The shell certainly didn't ride up while I was moving around, so it does a great job without being too obvious (although I wish it was). It's a testament to Scandinavian design

Discreet cuff thumb loops

Subtle silicone hem

It feels cold, hot, and sticky to the skin

Sorry for the negative comments. It weighs 160g, so I thought it would be extremely windproof, but it's cold when the wind blows... I thought it might be breathable instead, but it gets stuffy and hot when I'm moving around... The fabric sticks to my skin, and it feels like I'm wearing a wind shell. I'm not sure what to do. It's not compact when packed, and it's priced like a Scandinavian jacket. It's a shame that it's so well-made. If only the pockets were ventilated, it would be much better

It's a shame that it's surprisingly large when stored..

Arc'teryx Cita SL Hoody

The thickness of the fabric varies between the back and underarms, arms and torso

As you can see in the photo, the fabric is different in different areas, with windproof material on the arms and torso, and Permair for improved breathability on the back and underarms. This fabric switching is quite innovative. I was carrying a backpack on my back, and it certainly didn't get stuffy on my back or underarms. Also, since it's not a tight-fitting design, if you're carrying a small trail running backpack of around a few liters, you could put on the backpack first and then put on a shell. The fabric feels a little rough to the touch, but when you wear it, it's actually supple and feels good against your skin

The fabric is switched between the upper and lower back

Armpit switching

Roomy body with a stand-up neckline

It's light at just 95g, yet has two pockets!

Lightweight clothing often doesn't have pockets, so it's nice to have two pockets. If I had to say something, it would be nice if these pockets were ventilation, which would improve breathability while moving around, so it's a shame

Here are two

A cell phone fits easily inside

It's the most compact, but difficult to store

Of the shells compared this time, this one packs down to the smallest size, about half the size of a plastic bottle. However, it's a bit of a challenge to make it this small. The website says to "fold the jacket and store it in the internal pocket," but the first thing you'll wonder is, "Where's the internal pocket?" What's more, the internal pocket is small, so it feels like you're forcing your clothes in. So when you unfold the jacket after storing it, it's pretty wrinkled

There is a sense of being forced into it

The interior pocket is located inside the right pocket. It's small..

It's either hot or cold. I want it to be either way

The collar stands up, trapping heat and making my neck feel especially hot. Having a hot neck is a pain for me. It just makes me feel more uncomfortable. I want to unzip it, but when I do, I get cold. The back and underarms are so breathable that it gets quite chilly when the wind blows. The fact that the back, which has a large surface area, cools down quickly is a drawback

STATIC Apostrophe Light Hoodie

Design that can be worn in the city

With its sophisticated khaki color and mod-like feel, wearing this will make you look like former Oasis member Liam Gallagher. The brand logo on the left chest is also cool. No one would ever guess this is for outdoor wear. It's perfect for wearing around town

The back looks like this

Of course, you can store your cell phone

Put your hood up and you're Liam Gallagher

Completely windproof

The fabric is thick, so it blocks out the wind. I think it's comparable in windproofness to the Millet. However, it's not very breathable or breathable, so it's hot. If you wear it while moving around, you'll sweat a lot and get cold. This shell is great for taking long breaks or in cold places and seasons

Not packable and not water resistant

This shell is the only one that isn't packable. It looks like it could be stored in a pocket, but it also repels water at first, but it quickly absorbs it, causing puddles in the large pockets. It might be difficult to wear in the rain

When you pour it on..

It has soaked in

Sustainable clothing made from recycled nylon fiber waste

Fiber waste is generated during the manufacturing process of clothing. This waste is generally incinerated or disposed of. However, this shell is made from recycled fabric, extracting nylon fibers from the waste. The water repellent used is an environmentally friendly, fluorine-free processing agent called "NEOSEED."

Outdoor wear is becoming ever more sophisticated, but at the same time, the large amounts of water, chemical solvents, and energy used in its production are said to place a heavy burden on the environment. Therefore, a brand called "STATIC" makes outdoor items using materials that have a lower environmental impact

I learned for the first time that making high-performance clothing causes damage to the environment, and I think that in the future we need to consider environmentally friendly clothing when choosing clothing

summary

Finally, here are photos of all the items except for STATIC, which is not packable, made packable

From left to right: Peak Performance, MILLET, Teton Bros., Black Diamond, and Arc'teryx. Looking at it this way, there are many different types of packable bags

This time we're comparing windshells. While they all have a high level of functionality, there are differences in their individuality in the small details, and it's clear that the garment you choose will depend on your purpose and preferences.
If you prefer an all-around jacket, we recommend the Millet Breather Wilder Light Jacket, and if you want something lightweight and windproof, we recommend the Teton Bros. Wind River Hoody.

Do you prioritize wind resistance, weight, or comfort? Or do you prioritize pocket size, compactness, design, or environmental friendliness? It's up to you. Use this comparison review as an opportunity to actually pick up and try on the clothing and choose the one that's best for you

   

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