Do you pack a soft shell jacket?
Elk
I recently purchased a quality soft shell jacket and looked forward to using it next fall. However, a respected source said never to pack a soft shell as it is too heavy (25 oz), instead simply use raingear for an outer shell when needed (for wind or rain). Plus possibly pack much lighter puffy jacket which is lighter and much warmer if temps are a concern. For you backpack hunters, what are your thoughts - soft shell or no soft shell?
I switched to a new system for myself this year. First Lite chama, softshell vest, rain jacket. All 3 together was how I started the mornings. It was on the cold side starting late september, but I quickly shed the rain jacket each morning. Usually hunted most the day in the chama. The rain jacket idea works well for extra warmth. Although if I ever had to do an early morning sit, I desperately wished I had a full on jacket instead of a vest. I'm still not sure I know what I am going to do this year, but I often go for comfort over light-weight, but I'm in my 20's. :)
I agree. No need for soft shell unless hunting out of a truck. Puffy jackets are great, but can be noisy. Consider fleece too.
I bought a soft shell to use on upcoming hunts. I've never used one before, but felt that it would fill a gap in my clothing usage.
On past mountain hunts, it seems like I've personally had a gap. My base layer is too cold at some points, but my puffy is too hot at those same times. And I'm a sweater, so my puffy was just too warm while moving, unless it was pretty cold.
I think I'll use my softshell quite a bit personally, but I don't know if I qualify as a backpack hunter either, usually hunting out of a spike camp or from a truck camp.
Unless you are TRULY bivy hunting (bivy seems to be used quite a bit by people who are actually spike camping), I don't really see how 25 oz is going to make or break your hunt.
Bake
I guess I should qualify my above post by adding that I don't even own rain gear. On 7 mountain hunts for elk and muleys, about 10 cumulative weeks, I've only wished I had it one time.
I've been rained on, but only had one day of persistent all-day heavy rain, and the elk didn't seem to want to move in it any more than I did, although I did hunt through it
Bake
I have a high end softshell and I wear it a LOT. I use it both backpack hunting and truck hunting.
Softshell is a tweener for me. Never on a backpack hunt...maybe on a hunt with a bag full of gear.
The polar fleece mid just does a better job, IMO
Heard the same as you and is exactly what I did was use my rain gear last year, almost every day with the jacket. That being said, if the pack weight wasn't going to kill me, I would use the soft shell before I'd go into debt to buy a puffy, but puffy is probably more efficient. Haven't found one I liked yet though!
I am on bake and JLS team.....the soft shell gives me confidence that it is always there IF I neeed it....and I often do when sitting a blind or water hole..I wouldn't leave home without it!!
Joe
I'm with Beendare on this one. Never on a backpack hunt (or any hunt where space and weight are at a premium), but like one when I can.
I am in the softshell crowd. I use my Jetstreamom whether I am back packed in for 2 weeks or hiking in from the truck everyday. This is during September. Things might change if I was hunting elk in October or later.
I wear a softshell a lot for everyday use. I wouldn't want to be without one, however I don't use it hunting. Merino, puffy, rain shell is what works for me.
No I wear a merino base layer and have with me a fleece, thin down puffy, and a hard shell. If I am cold and want to be quiet like calling I put the puffy under the fleece. If I don't care about noise like when glassing I put puffy on top of fleece. If it is cold or raining I wear the hard shell as an outer layer. My hard shell is relatively quiet.
Base layer, vest, puffy in pack and rain gear most of the time. If I am going to sit I will take a soft shell. All depends.
Base layer, wool button up, down vest or primaloft vest, and a light weight soft shell in the pack. If it's really cold, a primaloft jacket instead of the soft shell. If it is going to rain, goretex rain jacket instead of the soft shell. I hunt out of a camp. But, have to cover a lot of miles. So, light, compact, and functional is paramount. God Bless
Down vest and a rain jacket goes in my pack
Labrador sweater vest and rain jacket works for me. Rarely have a soft shell while elk hunting.
Don't even own a soft shell jacket.
A good merino base (tops and bottoms), a fleece mid or heavier shirt/jacket (Currently between a microtex shirt and a KUIU merino blend pullover), a merino vest (breaths well) and that covers most of my active hunting in "most" conditions.
After that a First Lite Puffy when stationary, glassing, camp etc. (makes a decent pillow too) and a KUIU Yukon rain jacket. If just wet or windy many times the Yukon before any puffy. I love the Yukon. I wear it a good amount all year for many things.
Always have that in my "pod" for easy access. So far so good. Haven't run into anything yet that I can't cover in Sept mountains.
All depends on temps and precip. I spent 8 days hunting caribou last August and took no soft-shell jacket or vest. I relied on base and mid-layers plus rain gear. I was fine. When I'm moose hunting in late September I will probably always have a soft-shell jacket with me. It's truly an optional piece in my war closet.
The non-optionals include merino base, poly-mid, light pants, Power-Stretch top, puffy, full rain gear. When it gets colder I'll add soft-shell pants, jacket, down vest. Keep in mind this isn't based on selecting for a backpack hunt.
It's great to have choices and it's a constant learning process.
If precipitation is minor I'll bring the soft shell because it's quieter than rain gear. I'll also carry a military poncho (9 oz, I think) in case of a real rain, sleet, or in case I want to glass from a windy location. The soft shell will shed a light rain and is absolutely dead quiet (relatively new "waffled" Sitka 90% soft shell).
If precipitation is more likely I'll bring the rain gear and leave out the soft shell and the poncho. I've found that rain gear just isn't as quiet.
This is for day hunting (from a truck or spike camp) or for backpack hunting. My hunting has been mostly in southern CO and NM. If I hunted further north I'd probably lean toward the rain gear most of the time.
This thread highlights my thoughts on hunting lately.
You don't need a soft shell. It might make you a little more comfortable in 3% of the circumstances you face, but all you really need in lieu of a new piece of clothing is a little more grit.
Save yourself some cash, simplify your analysis into just hunting, and enjoy the hunt for what it is.
That said, I totally buckled a few years ago and bought a damn softshell and I use the hell out of it :-).
I'm planning a CO elk hunt for this year. I'll have my Sitka 90% soft shell and will wear it every day! Our hunting style is packing in about 2 miles and setting up a spike camp. The first day going in, I will struggle mightily with a 60# pack with sleeping bag, pad, tent, food, etc, but will get there - albeit slowly! My Sitka 90% pants will be my go-to pants for all day wear as well.
Sure, I have a puffy Kelvin jacket in my arsenal, but will not bring it up the mountain. I will also carry Cabelas Space Rain Gear every day in my pack and use it when needed for wet conditions, including morning dew, or as an extra layer.
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Both soft shell & lightweight rain gear. Soft shell for those cooler evenings & rain gear as needed. Layering while hunting & no jacket.
ElkNut1
I have a Badlands Inferno jacket and it is just what I want and need for archery elk hunting and WT treestand hunting.
IN addition, I also carry a lightweight rainjacket. Works for me
I have a soft shell (KUIU Chinook), just got it last summer. Wore it one time last fall just to say I did. It is a quality piece, but typically wear Merino base layer, fleece and a vest.
I like it, but haven't figured out how to integrate into my system yet. Wife got it for me for my birthday. Guess I had it on my list. Wouldn't have been my first choice, but like i said, it is nice. I do wear it in the treestand deer hunting, early to mid season.
It was unseasonably warm last fall so really didn't even need the fleece. Wore it until I warmed up in the am then it went in the pack anyway.
Great comments. I appreciate the in depth answers, it give me a lot to consider. I tally the answers, but it appears about equal those who love it and those who leave it. It's such a nice jacket, I had to leave it. But at the same time, it appears there are lighter/less bulky options.
I upgraded to Kuiu from Cabelas microtex and will be using a soft shell in Colorado hunting for elk this fall from a spike camp. I agree it will give me comfort when stationary. I wouldn't want to be out there and wishing I had brought it. I have the guide series coat (24 oz) but will most likely opt for the lighter Teton softshell coat (16 oz) and will layer the super down vest (6.4 oz) under it.
During the day when it's hot I'll be down to my short sleeve base layer.
Josh
I wear my Sitka 90% well 90% of the time. Add puffy or rain gear as needed,
I have a softshell jacket and a soft-shell vest. With good merino layers, a light puffy jacket, and a rainshell, the soft-shell vest gets 95% of the use, the jacket stays in the truck...
Sitka 90% keeps me warm when I need it, I don't overheat when I unzip it. Dang tough to beat. Wear it all the time just like Tracker12. Almost can't fathom hunting without it, although in really hot weather I'll use a lighter outer layer.
And I backpack/bivy a lot, so am conscious of weight of all my gear, and don't take things I don't use.
For me, when Im too warm and hiking hard, I dont need a jacket of any kind because I'm a "sweater". But when I'm not hiking and get cold, my soft shell just doesn't cut it. Tried a light insulated soft shell vest with the jacket and still get a little cold. Switched it up to a Kelvin Light puffy jacket and Sitka Cloudburst rain jacket and have been more than happy.
Sept elk rain gear, late sept, oct or really high (over 12k) might take a down jacket - so light its a no brainer. Off most times BUT when I stop and glass - priceless.
This thread got me thinking about my upcoming goat hunt.
Was planning to carry my Sitka Jetstream softshell and Dewpoint rain jacket.
Bought a Kuiu Yukon jacket and wont bring the other two. Saving 14 oz and don't have to worry about getting my softshell waterlogged.
Thanks Bowsite for helping me spend money. :)
softshell Vest does it all, all the time
Merino base, wool Pendleton, wool pull over sweater will cover most temp ranges.
I love my 90% jacket, and the only thing I'd replace it with would be a a Jetstream or similar jacket. I have a Jetstream vest that I rarely seem to need. I'll start out on those frosty mornings with a merino or synthetic base layer and the softshell, venting the pit zips, as necessary, until the climb puts me back to just the base layer. But shortly after I stop, I'm wanting the softshell back on.
My rain gear is too noisy and doesn't breathe well enough for climbing mountains, despite pit zips. But I still have it with me, just in case. Also pack the puffy, because September Colorado evenings and nights are downright cold.
Upstairs-merino camo base, camo poly sweater, 90% coat and down vest if needed. Two hats one warm one benie, ultra light gloves. Downstairs-merino base, ascent pants. If the weather looks iffy i will toss in dewpoint coat and pants. Basically it. I can match pretty much anything with a combo of the Above. I have matches to these in other brands and mix it up so I can keep as fresh as possible. Biv hunting the vest in a meat sack doubles as my pillow.
