 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm making the leap from padded jackets to the hard-shell and layer combo. I've got the hard-shell already and synthetic compression fit base layers, now thinking about the mid layer..
Being an absolute cheapskate, I'm planning on using a soft-shell jacket I already own as a mid-layer. Am I going to die? 
Use scenarios for context: PDS in Dec, Tarentaise offpiste in Jan, Val Thorens in April.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Robin Agogo, you probably won’t die, but you might be a bit warm. Lightweight fleece would work too and they can be picked up pretty cheaply if you don’t have one already.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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It's not the best. No insulation for cold days, not breathable enough for hot days. As @Scarlet said, a lightweight fleece (polartec or similar) would be both warmer and more breathable.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Robin Agogo wrote: |
I'm making the leap from padded jackets to the hard-shell and layer combo. I've got the hard-shell already and synthetic compression fit base layers, now thinking about the mid layer..
Being an absolute cheapskate, I'm planning on using a soft-shell jacket I already own as a mid-layer. Am I going to die?
Use scenarios for context: PDS in Dec, Tarentaise offpiste in Jan, Val Thorens in April. |
It depends what your “soft shell” actually is as it’s more a marketing tool than a functional term anymore but the clue is in the name, it’s a shell. Hard shell or soft shell, not much point in both. I’d go hard shell and a jumper.
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| Robin Agogo wrote: |
| Being an absolute cheapskate, I'm planning on using a soft-shell jacket I already own as a mid-layer. Am I going to die? |
If you went on a ski touring trip in siberia then yes you would probably die, and incidentally Weathercam recently went on such a trip but he's trying not to talk about it. I bet he wouldn't even talk about it if you said "go on".
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Did he take his £10k Carbon bike with him?
Only messing, good for him, I’d do the same if I had the time.....oh and the money!
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Mon 26-11-18 21:04; edited 1 time in total
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@Robin Agogo, bad idea - not breathable enough, so you'll get and stay wet from sweat. Just get a bog standard fleece instead.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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+1
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| Quote: |
Just get a bog standard fleece instead.
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I'd splash out a (very) little and go for a stretch/grid pattern fleece - really warm for the weight and wick brilliantly. Alpkit do a really good one for not many £
https://www.alpkit.com/products/griffon-hoody-mens
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Go old school with a wool jumper, a better cheap skate option than a soft shell. Yours for a couple of quid in a charity shop if don't possess one.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Is there a glossary to this soft-shell, hard-shell, mid-layer, base-layer stuff?
I am confused as heck.
Would my ski socks be low-base-soft-shell ?
and my Y-fronts for example, be a mid-base-hard layer?
What about a scarf - whats that ?
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@WindOfChange, base layer are next to skin. Shells are outermost. Everything else is mid.
How else could it be?
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You know it makes sense.
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Some soft-shells are highly breathable, some of these are not even windproof. Such a soft-shell could be used as a mid layer.
Some soft-shells are a hard-shell and soft-shell combined. i.e. include a waterproof membrane - no point wearing two hardshells.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Thanks all! It's an interesting one this, it sounds like breathability is going to be the problem if I try this, my soft shell isn't that breathable.
No need to spend any money though, I'm sure I've got a 10 year old fleece lying around somewhere
If I was to splash out (relatively!) on a new fleece, is there anything in particular I should be looking for?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| DB wrote: |
Some soft-shells are highly breathable, some of these are not even windproof. Such a soft-shell could be used as a mid layer.
Some soft-shells are a hard-shell and soft-shell combined. i.e. include a waterproof membrane - no point wearing two hardshells. |
Neither of which sound very much like a softshell.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Robin Agogo wrote: |
If I was to splash out (relatively!) on a new fleece, is there anything in particular I should be looking for? |
As @jedster wrote, grid backed fleece makes for very warm for their weight fleeces. Should be worn reasonably tight and can be worn next to the skin for a very effective warm base layer. Examples are the alpkit he linked (best price?), the "original" which was the Patagonia R1 hoody ot the Mountain Equipment Eclipse Hooded Zip T* (https://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/eclipse-hooded-zip-t) my fovourite as it has the best hood/collar for warmth.
* also avaible with a full zip or without a hood.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Robin Agogo, if you splash out on a new fleece? Something that looks good for dancing on a mountain terrace.
Cheap with a full length zip should do the trick.
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@under a new name,
Thanks for the base / outer , explanation, but hat about hard / soft ?
Unless I go out like this, then surely it's soft shell?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Didn't soft shell sing Tainted Love in the 80's? Marc Almond etc.....
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@Scarlet, Hope you didnt pay that?!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Markymark29, Err, nope. Euro price is a bit more favourable, due to it not being totally worthless  and the local Intersport had a special offer with significant discount. I'd actually gone in to try on this one, but the fit was all kinds of wrong and the colour a bit nasty, so coming away with a cheaper model was pleasing anyway.
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What a badly written "article". The idea behind a "soft" shell is a highly breathable shell that will protect you enough in inclement weather, i.e. wind and showers. It was the alternative option to the traditional thermal/fleece/goretex mantra that had dominated the outdoor clothing world. It's your outer layer. It is not "a layering piece". I was an early adopter to the softshell philosophy (i.e. a pertex windshirt) and then as it became an established marketing term every outdoor brand and their dog realised it was something else they could flog to the punters and the "value" in the term declined, as evidenced by that article. How m,any jackets can we flog to the paying public, how many items can we convince them are essential.
I'm not sure what the point of that link is?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've just done this same move, but from minimal insulation to none.
You just need another thin fleece when it's cold.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@galpinos,
The point of the links were to show that a soft-shell can now be many things from a highly breathable garment with little weather protection to something with a high level of weather protection but then normally not as breathable. To a lesser extent fleeces are similar i.e. a windproof fleece isn't as good a mid-layer as a normal fleece but a windproof fleece could be used as an outerlayer on a nice sunny spring skiing day.
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FAQ
So I splashed out (a bit, it was in the sale) on a 
