Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
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?
"Better" is not quite the right word. For *most* snowsports, you're going to want Pro Shell. It performs well and it is far more durable. For lift and back country action Pro Shell is generally better. Also go Pro Shell for anything where conditions are harsh or you carry a heavy (>25 lbs) pack. But for XC or tele action in the spring or on sunny days when it's warmer (especially when you're doing a lot of climbing), Active Shell a is better way to go. If all that's on your back is a couple liters of water and some gear, you'd probably like the Active Shell on the days you're burning up in your Beta AR.
Active Shell is considerably lighter and the backer layer is integrated directly into the Gore-Tex membrane. It is light enough for cycling, though it isn't as light as my lightest windbreaker. All the same the Active Shell jacket I have is good enough to use as your only jacket. Due to NDA considerations, I can't really provide details about the stuff I test. But it's is that they're always trying to develop better products. I will say I'm working with one that I'd really like for my own and it would be my only cycling jacket.
Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
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.
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?)
This depends on how many jackets you have. If your Beta AR is your only jacket, hold onto that. I think the Beta AR is an excellent all rounder and if I could have only one for all conditions, that would be near the top of my list. It's light and features are well conceived and executed. You can take it in the back country or out on a spring day. It's not really the best at any one thing, but it does so many things well that it's a great jacket.
And yes, the difference between the jackets is the fabrics, features, and design. There are plenty of Pro Shell jackets that will seem insanely heavy compared to your Beta AR, but they're usually designed for some specialized purpose. For example, Arcteryx makes many Pro Shell jackets. I think they make great stuff, but you'd barbecue in an Alpha or Theta SV simply because they're not optimized for your use.
Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
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.
I like backcountry best and I love climbing. As is the case with cycling, I totally suck, but I don't let that stop me. Just bought a new tele setup that I'm aching to try out. I'm kind of interested to see what I wind up doing now that I've moved to Portland and it's easier to get to lifts and I'll be hanging out with different people.