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What Happened to Polartec Neoshell?

Original Post
Sunny-D · · SLC, Utah · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 700

So a couple of years ago a lot of companies were using Polartec Neoshell.  What happened?  Why did Neoshell get shelved by the big brands and are there companies that are still using it?

I have pants made by Mountain Equipment and a Jacket by Rab both made of Neoshell from 3+ years ago that are some of the best "breathable" waterproofs that I have used.  What else is out on the market that would compete or beat the waterproof/breathable traits of Neoshell?   Outdoor Research Ascent shell, Rab Kinetic Proflex fabric; what else is out there? Comparable?    

Why did Neoshell get "sacked"?

jdejace · · New England · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 5

I'm not sure why it seemed to fall out of favor. Maybe something very mundane eg wasn't competitive price wise on the manufacturing end. 

Bight Gear had a jacket and pants as of last season though don't seem to have much stock. I'm not sure if that is just delayed production due to 2020 issues, or if they're no longer going to make them. 

66 North makes shells with Neoshell and the also excellent Powershield Pro. 

NW Alpine still makes the awesome Neoshell salopettes. 

OR Ascentshell and TNF Futurelight are similar technology. 

Kyle Lemoire · · North Bend, WA · Joined Apr 2016 · Points: 181

I do love my older Mammut Neoshell jacket. 

Westcomb also has a few Neoshell options I believe.

drew A · · Portland, OR · Joined Oct 2018 · Points: 6

I bought a Bight Gear jacket second hand this year (branded with the old name, MtnLogic) and it's quite nice so far. Haven't put it through the wringer but it's supposed to be less water resistant than Goretex but more breathable. Not sure if that's true but so far it's good. I've had good luck staying out of terrible wet weather so far so I haven't had a need for super robust water resistance. 

jdejace · · New England · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 5
Kyle Lemoire wrote:

I do love my older Mammut Neoshell jacket. 

Westcomb also has a few Neoshell options I believe.

Yes I forgot Westcomb! Made in Canada, awesome stuff. 

Zach L · · Northern Vermont · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 10

I guess climbing pants/salopettes are a best use for these types of materials, since your pants touch snow and ice more when climbing, and its harder to throw shells over bottoms than swap a jacket. But, even then, i think these sorts of super breathable membranes just turn out to be kind of mediocre. not particularly breathable compared to a non-membrane softshell. not particularly waterproof when compared to something like goretex pro. not particularly stretchy or durable, etc. just a thought...

CDub · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 5

What happened to Polartec _________ is a topic I'm generally interested in. Recently I've been trying to dig up some Power Shield garments since Patagonia stopped making them in ~2014, and it's involved a lot of eBay. My assumption for them dropping these fabrics is cost, and/or interest in vertical integration -- or at least not paying top-dollar for established fabric brands and substituting their own. I'm not sure where this leaves Polartec and manufacturers like it in the long run, but I've found them to make some seriously good stuff over the years and would like to be able to keep buying jackets/pants with it.

I never got to play with Neoshell, but a couple Power Shield softshells have served me well the last 6 years.

Alan Coon · · Longmont, CO · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 350

I love my neoshell and it’s now 6 years old. I’m dreading when I have to retire it. Super breathable yet wind proof and water proof. I remember reading an article a few years back about how expensive the material was and it just wasn’t selling well because it wasn’t marketed. Also gore-Tex may have had something to do with it not being around abd are also marketing giants for their sweat boxes. It’s been a long time though abd my memory is vague at best 

bearded sam · · Crested Butte, CO · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 145

Total nerd conversation with product guy from polartec but short answer is American fascination with higher numbers blisterreview.com/podcasts/…

Sunny-D · · SLC, Utah · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 700

Interesting article thanks. 

CDub · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 5
bearded sam wrote:

Total nerd conversation with product guy from polartec but short answer is American fascination with higher numbers blisterreview.com/podcasts/…

That was a great listen - thanks!

And it's sad, but not surprising that the war of ideas is really one of marketing. I often wonder how many revolutionary materials and products have been killed through lack of interest when the consumers just didn't "get it"...

Victor Machtel · · Netherlands · Joined Feb 2020 · Points: 0

First they will laugh at you.

Then they will fear you. 

Then they will fight you.

Then they will emulate you.

Then you have won.

Paraphrasing here, and I'm sure it's also a bit of an oversimplification. But nowadays a lot of brands are following in Neoshell's footsteps in terms of breathability and production process. And especially in Europe more and more brands are ditching/lowering their use of GTX. 

Alan Coon · · Longmont, CO · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 350
Victor Machtel wrote:

First they will laugh at you.

Then they will fear you. 

Then they will fight you.

Then they will emulate you.

Then you have one.

Paraphrasing here, and I'm sure it's also a bit of an oversimplification. But nowadays a lot of brands are following in Neoshell's footsteps in terms of breathability and production process. And especially in Europe more and more brands are ditching/lowering their use of GTX. 

That makes me happy. Not a gore Tex fan

CDub · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 5

So, important follow-up: does anyone credible make any technical garments from Neoshell? When I search I largely get discontinued products from OR, Marmot, Patagonia, etc. Checking out a local gear store recently it's like everything is GoreTex, "H2NO", and maybe some eVent thrown in there. It all feels like trash bag and breathes similarly, IMO. Anything true softshell is no-name  fabric or Schoeller, which has negligible water resistance in my experience. What is currently available in better breathable tech?

Victor Machtel · · Netherlands · Joined Feb 2020 · Points: 0

Eco-Shell, Cutan, Dermizax, FutureLight... There's a bunch of other membrane technologies on the market but sometimes it seems like the US market in particular is dominated by Gore and clones. 

Kai Larson · · Sandy, UT · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 441
CDub wrote:

So, important follow-up: does anyone credible make any technical garments from Neoshell? When I search I largely get discontinued products from OR, Marmot, Patagonia, etc. Checking out a local gear store recently it's like everything is GoreTex, "H2NO", and maybe some eVent thrown in there. It all feels like trash bag and breathes similarly, IMO. Anything true softshell is no-name  fabric or Schoeller, which has negligible water resistance in my experience. What is currently available in better breathable tech?

Westcomb Shift is a terrific jacket.  I own one.  Like it a lot.  

https://www.westcomb.com/collections/mens/products/shift-lt-hoody

AlpineIce · · Upstate, NY · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 255

+1 for Westcomb, but their inventory and innovation has not been great the past few seasons. For a while, they were dropping some really cool gear each season. Unfortunately, not many retailers carry them anymore.

CDub · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 5
Kai Larson wrote:

Westcomb Shift is a terrific jacket.  I own one.  Like it a lot.  

https://www.westcomb.com/collections/mens/products/shift-lt-hoody

Any feedback on sizing? The pics shown on the site look oversized/baggy for my taste, but I assume that can be fixed by sizing down. I'm built thin/wiry.

Kai Larson · · Sandy, UT · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 441
CDub wrote:

Any feedback on sizing? The pics shown on the site look oversized/baggy for my taste, but I assume that can be fixed by sizing down. I'm built thin/wiry.

I am thick and bulky.  If I weren't so fat, I would be a large, but I sized up to XL to accommodate my extra girth.  I would suggest sizing down if you're thin.  

Here's the jacket in action.  

Tjaard Breeuwer · · Duluth, MN · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 16

If you want Neoshell or Powershield, have a look at cycling clothing. There are several brands still using both fabrics in that market.


https://www.foxracing.com/flexair-neoshell®-water-jacket/26140.html

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/fohn-mountain-polartec-waterproof-jacket

Also Fox wear custom clothing in Idaho, uses both power shield and Neoshell.

And Moosejaw seems to have the best search engine responses I have found:

https://www.moosejaw.com/search/polartec-neoshell

Tjaard Breeuwer · · Duluth, MN · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 16

As to the why. I think that is because manufacturers have realized that most people don’t care about the brand of their fabric, so they save money and use a house brand fabric.

The only exception is if the brand name has a very strong marketing call, like Gore.

The second reason, as mentioned above, is that people gravitate to the “waterproof” side of “waterproof breathable”. Also on the customer service side. Despite what Malden Mills claim, it is quite easy to get wet inside Neoshell, so I bet brands were seeing a lot of upset customers returning their “waterproof” garments. Of course, poor breathability also sucks, but since that is much more nebulous, I bet people don’t return (or clothing companies reject their claims) stuff for lack of breathability.

The third is, that beside improvements in house brand fabrics, other second tier fabric brands have also improved/broadened their offerings (Toray and Event), and especially, Gore has very successfully moved to more breathable, more stretchy offerings.

Ironically, the result is that the latest Gore Pro offerings end up letting water in in certain situations (although I am sure Neoshell would be a lot wetter in the same).

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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