Originally Posted by
banerjek
Despite being a tester for years, it's only this year that I've actually recommended wearing the stuff when cycling in *any* conditions. My previous attitude was that all the products were too heavy and that you were better off with a strategy based on staying warm when wet than even trying to stay dry. However, I do think the Active Shell stuff is usable. I get to test stuff that's not available commercially, some of which I like even better. So I think it's actually possible to use this stuff if expectations are reasonable. As you mention, anything can be overwhelmed.
How much better is Active Shell than Pro Shell? And how much better is the stuff we can't play with yet? How long until it's no the shelves?
A friend is looking for a good winter coat, and I considered giving him a deal on mine, then using the money to get an Active Shell parka. I probably won't, it's just an idle thought, but I wonder what your opinion is.
Originally Posted by
banerjek
Where Gore-Tex, eVent, and the like work great is if it's you're working hard inside the shell and it's cold and dry outside the shell -- i.e. when you're skiing. This creates vapor pressure and the difference in comfort is absolutely massive. When I'm in the snow and temps are in single digits or teens all day (or multiple days as would be experienced on a snow camping trip), I typically have a single thin wicking layer and Pro Shell jacket (note that not all Pro Shell jackets are anywhere near equal). If I'm going to be sitting around camp for awhile, I throw on a fleece, but you still need very little.
Can you comment on some of the differences between Pro Shell jackets? The fabric is the same, right? You're talking ("unequal") about stuff like if they've got too many pockets, or are just poorly designed in general? (How does my Arc'teryx Beta AR compare against the lot of them?)
What type of skiing are you talking about? I used to do cross country, years ago, and I think I'm going to take skiing up this winter - ultimately I want to be doing telemark stuff in the backcountry. (Two weeks ago I went hiking, and met a guy I did some rock climbing with, hiking up the mountain with skis on his pack.) But I tend to sweat too much in my Pro Shell on the way up the mountain - partly because of the backpack. It's useful when the wind howls, in a downpour, and at camp when I'm being more sedentary.
I almost never wear Goretex on the bike these days. It will have to be raining hard for several hours for that to happen.