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Bill Kirby
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Oct 18, 2015
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Keene New York
· Joined Jul 2012
· Points: 480
I saw Mountain Hardwear's Alchemy hooded soft shell jacket on sale. I didn't know much about $349.00 soft shells and was thinking that someone here could give me their review. Any high dollar jackets you would recommend for ice climbing? I run hot when leading steep ice so I'm looking for a jacket that breaths well and is very light. I own a Marmot ROM and it works well. Oh, can't do Dead bird gear.
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AlpineIce
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Oct 19, 2015
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Upstate, NY
· Joined Mar 2011
· Points: 255
I purchased the Alchemy jacket last year about this time for ice. I didn't care for the fit and I wondered why they list it as a softshell. It has zero stretch to it and it's marketed as waterproof. It felt a little "softer" than any Gore-Tex shell I've owned, but not by much. Honestly, I'd say save your money on the Alchemy. I can't imagine it performs any better than all the other Gore-Tex jackets out there. For waterproof shells, I use the Westcomb Shift LT which in NeoShell. I was skeptical about NeoShell's breathability claims, but I really do notice the difference. It's super light, but has zero stretch. I find that I love a softshell & wear one 98% of the time. I went with Black Diamond's Induction Shell . It's a Windstopper softshell with taped seams. That makes it 99.9% waterproof. It's wicked light, breathable and really stretchy! My favorite jacket thus far! I'm 5'10" and 174 pounds and purchased the men's medium and large in the Alchemy. The medium, like most shells, was too tight in the armpit area and the large I could have worn an expedition down suit in. It was enormous! The Induction Shell I find the men's large fits the best with a little extra room for layering. Good luck!
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Bill Kirby
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Oct 20, 2015
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Keene New York
· Joined Jul 2012
· Points: 480
Thanks Al, Guess I'll pass then, I can't do Westcomb or BD. I would say too fat but these days it's I'm too big. I lost 35 pounds and started back weightlifting. My jackets used to be tight in the gut and too short. XXL jackets are too tight in the arms, chest and shoulders at this point. I'm thinking of sewing together two tarps for this season! Anyone else rocking a soft shell that they would recommend?
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Don Ferris III
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Oct 20, 2015
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Boulder, CO
· Joined Nov 2012
· Points: 186
I own a MHW Torsun jacket. So far it's been completely waterproof but I've never washed it. It's great for high output activities but for standing around at belays it's a bit cold.
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aikibujin
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Oct 20, 2015
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Castle Rock, CO
· Joined Oct 2014
· Points: 300
I saw the Alchemy jacket at the MHW Outlet and tried it on. I liked the material. Maybe it doesn't stretch as much as some softshell, but it is stretchier and softer than a hardshell. It uses Dry.Q Elite, which is basically MHW branded version of eVent. So it is waterproof, probably useful for ice climbing. The only problem I had with the Alchemy jacket is the fit. The torso fits well, but the arms are too long. They go pass my palm when my arms are hanging by my side. In comparison, I have a MHW Trinity jacket in the same size (a similar waterproof softshell that has been discontinued) that fits a little tight in the back, but perfect elsewhere. I like my MHW Trinity jacket a lot, it is very comfortable to wear (unlike a hardshell), is truly waterproof (just need to keep the DWR finish fresh), breathes reasonably well, and basically is the perfect all-around shell for me in Colorado. Marmot is the other company that I know of with waterproof softshell jackets: Zion and Nabu. Both are made using Polartec Neoshell, which is probably similar in breathability compared to eVent and Dry.Q Elite. Both are in the same price range as the Alchemy without any discounts. Worth trying them on if you want to go with a waterproof softshell.
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pizza.eater
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Oct 21, 2015
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Mar 2013
· Points: 5
I would suggest taking a look at the NWAlpine softshell. It's unbelievably stretchy, fairly light, no membrane, with a nicely designed hood. Very durable material, and made in the USA. The design is very minimal, got it's pros and cons. There are two mesh pockets inside which I find perfect for ski touring skins or gels, for example. I've been using it for ice and ski touring.
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