Backcountry.com Shift Softshell Jacket - Men's

It is a first for me amongst jackets so my opinion is not as validated, but I had a problem with it drying slowly after getting soaked through. Accompanied properly with a hard-shell and it would be great. The cut is very nice. All in all, I like the jacket a lot, especially considering the price.

Okay, everyone else here has described the features of this jacket better than I could- it's all true, but I want to call out the embroidered goat logos. These are great. The chest one is bold and beautiful and there's a little peek-a-boo one on the back of the collar too. You are going to feel cool and unique wearing them. One guy asked me if that was some kind of secret society of outdoor people- and I said yes. You're probably sitting there thinking "Wow, that's a lot of money for a softshell from BC.com- do I really trust them to make a product as good or better than the 'big' brands?" The answer is yes- and the cool goats put it over the top.

I wore this jacket all through the Great Basin winter. It is a very flexible shell, at home whether downhill skiing, riding the scooter to work, or just doing errands around town. It has that special ability to seem toasty in a wide variety of conditions. I layer a minimalist down sweater under this jacket on the nastiest days. I like the fit, build quality, and color (I would call it "paprika"). I have not climbed in it, body- surfed concrete, or hunted with the Vice President, so I cannot speak for its performance in those extreme conditions. If you are shopping for a soft shell, this bad boy should be on your short list.

Sick jacket - perfect for spring skiing.

The Shift is Totally Dope Sick. My favorite feature is the welded pocket on the sleeve, it fits all of the ladies' digits nicely, and with the zipper pulls, it is easy to secure them in there. Trust me, you'll be thankful that pocket is there, cause when you wear this jacket, you'll get plenty of numbers. The fabric, craftsmanship, and quality rocks. You'll be hard pressed to find better. Only thing that would make this jacket better and more versatile would be a hood.

Ordered an XL (my normal size), but too snug. Looked good, but no room underneath for another layer. I work out a pretty good bit and have large shoulders and chest (44"), which is where it ran tight. Sent XL back and got an XXL. Much more comfortable, plenty of room for additional layer, but 2 problems. I believe the extra room reduces the warmth of the jacket, and there is too much room around the neck when the jacket is zipped all the way up (I wear 17x35 shirt). So the jacket went from too little room to a little too much room -- I guess I'm somewhere in between. My guess is it would be a lot warmer with just a t-shirt (my normal mode)if I would have stuck with the XL, but I can't live with stretching the material when I move my shoulders and arms. Of course, cinching the bottom helps to warm it up, although I agree with a prior reviewer that the method of cinching the bottom from inside the pockets is weird. Bottom line is I like the jacket and I'm keeping it. I just wish the size matched my build a little better...

I recently purchased the softshell jacket and have been very pleased! I was out in 45 degree weather last week and it kept me warm and dry.

Jacket looks great and is perfect for any condition, it's an awesome jacket for spring and fall temps. the waterproof quality is great for spring boarding. size is true to fit and I would definitely recommend this jacket!

This jacket makes me warm on a windy day, fits great, makes me want to eat every tin can in sight, headbutt tourists who climb over the fence, Faint when I get scared, and climb to the tallest hill and scope out my nannies.

This is an excellent garment for brisk activity in the 20-40F range. I can get away with just two thin layers underneath. I train and race a kickbike, so I'm working like a runner, but achieving speeds close to a cyclist. The jacket keeps out the wind and rain, but doesn't really soak me with sweat. It's cut well and I get nice comments on it. I like it!

Great coat, cool pockets, great for layering when sledding

I really like this jacket! The red is different and keeps me visible and identifiable to my students in snowboard lessons. The jacket keeps wind and rain out althoungh it is not weather proof, but rather Very weather resistant. After teaching in 4 hours of rain the jacket finally let the water through but I could not ask for any thing more from a softshell. I was very impressed! I wish the interior and sleeve pockets were a bit bigger and direct venting through the pockets would be a great upgrade as spring aproaches. I'm not complaining, this is my go to jacket until it rains again. Only then do I grab my Arcteryx Goretex. I would recommend this jacket to anyone looking of a technical softsell with great features, great fit, and great savings over other brand names.

enough said, i'll probably buy two.

I think this is a very good buy for the money. The money was well spent. The claim it blocks 98% of the wind is true. I use as my winter coat.

This jacket is VERY comparable to the original (2004) REI One jacket. (The "updated" One jacket is cut more loose and has pit zips) The Shift is made of highly durable/versatile Power Shield fabric which is found in a lot of top quality soft shells. It's got 4-way stretch which makes it very comfortable, especially when you've got a pack on and are reaching/moving about. The jacket features a tailored fit that leans towards the lean/athletic build, which is great cuz you don't have fabric bunching up beneath pack straps or lumbar packs. That being said, the Shift can easily accommodate 2 lightweight layers without any problems and has proven to be very comfortable in nearly all conditions for me. Being that this was the first piece I've ordered from Backcountry.com, I'm very impressed with the quality and the fit of the jacket. It's right up there with my REI and Mountain Hardware jackets. The cut is modern/stylish, efficient, and it doesn't scream flashy outdoors-person. It's probably the jacket I wear the most in my collection and is my go-to jacket for about 90% of what I encounter I step out the door. It'll stand up to a decent amount of rain (not a downpour though), I've taken it snowboarding, it's great for hikes of all temps and is windproof in all but the most windiest of conditions. A highly recommended jacket and a great job by the team at BackCountry!

This coat rocks; warm when it needs to be, very breathable, awesome for hiking, sheds water amazingly, great cut, and stellar price.

I have had this jacket through the fall and now in to the winter. I agree with the other reviews. I have a TNF APEX Free climb and this jacket has been right on as far as comfort, wear. Very Impressed. The one and only gripe is the weird pocket on the sleeve...that was untill last week at PCMR, I had a 'fast pass' and put it right in that pocket (was using jacket as a layer under my shell) and was able to scan right through. Great job BC. You have my business for a long time. OH YEA - IT RUNS SMALLish

This is my newest favorite piece of outerwear. Last Saturday I skied at Mt. Sunapee, NH and a cute "liftie" said "great looking jacket". It's not too often that an old fart like me gets the attention of a young lady. Not only that, it works for tooling around town or as the layer before my shell. It's not quite warm enough for alpine skiing in the really cold weather, but it will be great on the X-C trails. The only addition I would make is a ring for the lift ticket so that I don't have to put stress on the zipper.

This softshell is the most amazing piece of outerwear that I've ever owned. Not only is it made from the best materials on earth, it's at least less $ than a comparable jacket. I've taken it out on 15°, windy days and it keeps me warm all day long with a lightweight base layer underneath. It's a nice slim/athletic cut, and how can you resist sporting the Goat? I would appreciate a slightly larger security pocket, but the jacket still racks up a *very* well deserved 5-stars.

The hardest decision I had with this jacket wasn't whether or not to get it, but which color to go with (ended up with the Sangria). I had a 8 year-old MHW windstopper, which worked great until it stopped stopping the wind. I went with a material I knew I could trust (Polartec) and service I could count on from this site. I'm 5'11 and 185, and this jacket feels like a second skin - a waterproof and windproof one. I have yet to take it out into the woods, but walking in NY's chilling winds and rains all but a constant flow of heavy water will wet this jacket. Throw a good base layer underneath and you're ready for a sub-freezing expedition.

I bought the Shift to replace an Arc'Teryx Gamma SV (also a great jacket). The description for the Shift looked good and I have not been disappointed. The fit and finish are first rate. The Shift looks stylish and fits better than any softshell I have had yet. It is warm and weather resistant while retaining it's breath ability. Compared to the Gamma SV, I would consider the shift an upgrade. This is a jacket that I would recommend to anyone. I have already ordered one for my girlfriend. Great job.

I'm a NYC resident who needed something light but warm enough for the windy fall weather here. This jacket is exactly what I was looking for. I've been walking around wearing a very, very light sweater with this jacket over and it's keeping me warm enough in high 30 / low 40s windy temperatures. I love the pocket placements and the zipper-cover so that the zipper doesn't cut up your face! The only thing I would change on this is the straps which tighten the bottom of the jacket - a little awkward to use - functional, but could have been thought out better. Kudos for a job-well-done!

This jacket is extremely comfortable and lightweight as well as durable. So far it has stood up to a few windy nights just below freezing with only a fleece under it. The pockets are good because there are a lot of them but they could be a little deeper. The lining is soft and well made, looks like it will definitely hold up - it is a thin fleece like liner that cuts off about 7 inches from the front zipper. When I got the jacket I did a little gear test because I will be using it on a bit of extreme camping = ) -The jacket stood up to a full on spray from a garden hose for about 20-30 seconds (as long as you keep the collar up you should not get wet). -I reorganized and loaded a deep freezer with only the jacket on (gotta love overtime at the supermarket/camp store). - I have also gone on a few night runs just to see how it does wicking sweat and breathing and I was pleasantly surprised. For the fit I am 5'5 165lbs with and I am pretty stocky the Medium is a little loose in parts but I have a barrel chest so the top fits perfect - a good athletic cut and the sizing chart is mostly accurate so you can go by those measurements. A bit extreme I know but I do not like my gear failing on me when I need it. All in all this has outperformed my north face bionic by far -as well as my hardshell gore-tex jacket just because it is so much less bulky and more comfortable. It's a little expensive but all in all I love it

Sweet jacket - works great for the winds & rain up here in Fargo. Pockets are nice, although I would prefer a slightly larger sleeve pocket (next version?). Cut is awesome. Very lightweight, comfortable. Nice design job. Best light/mid-weight jacket I've owned. Highly recommended. Well done!

Great softshell. Turns water well and is very comfortable. Great cut as well (good for active use and also flattering); have received several compliments on the jacket. Highly recommend.

This jacket rocks. Great fit and feel. The fabric is simply amazing. They are not lying when they say it is extremely water resistant because it rained all day and walking to and back from class (10 mins one way, about 5x) I was not wet at all. The water just simply beaded up and rolled off. For the price it's a sweet deal and who doesn't love rockin out the mountain goat logo.

This was my first soft shell purchase, having been finally convinced to get one by all I have heard about them. What I liked the most is the abundance of pockets, I can never get enough of them it seems, and each one is well designed and placed so as to not be obtrusive. The jacket is also extremely comfortable to wear with its flexibility and also the texture of the fabric. The inside is particularly nice. It also looks really good as I have gotten many comments from friends on how nice the jacket looks. While I have not given it a thorough field testing yet, what mild weather I have hit thus far this jacket took care of no problem. All in all, I am very happy I bought this jacket. Well worth the money.

This is one of the best pieces of outdoor gear I have ever owned. Functions great, looks awesome, fits well. It seems that most jackets are designed to fit the average (overweight) person - not so for this one - very good athletic fit. It is also very good for a wide range of weather conditions - windy, rainy, snowing, and cool. I've worn it hiking in mild snow storms (30F) and it was all I needed for my torso. It also works well in the spring when you get chilly or the wind picks up.

Great all-weather jacket, great value. Warm, water repellent, very wind resistant, and stylish. Pack this one jacket for almost any trip(maybe a light waterproof shell too, for total downpours). I've only had it for summer so far, but it's done well on cool breezy nights along the CA coast & wet mountain mornings in the San Juans near Durango. The Polartec is easily warm enough for spring, fall, & winter temps down to ~40F. I'm 5'7"/160 lbs but sometimes find small sizes tight due to my chest size. The small Shift fits me perfectly. Cut is trim and athletic, but chest and shoulders stretch well to accommodate movement. $30 less than REI One, the closest priced comparable softshell I found.

I bought this softshell while comparing it with some more expensive jackets. I didn't know if I wanted one with a hood or not, now I realize that I want one with a hood and one without. This jacket is decently warm for being thin and it's great at blocking out wind. Construction is solid, I would like thumbhole cuffs and a pass through pocket to route MP3 headphones. Otherwise it's everything I'd ask for in a simple softshell jacket.

I love my jacket! It's kept me nice and warm on the days that it's been too warm for a full on jacket and too cold for a shirt. It's nice hanging out with friends in and good for playing on the mountain in.

At first I was apprehensive, now that the weather is here I am wearing this jacket everyday everywhere. Great Jacket

Hello, So I'm the guy who designed this piece. The goal was to make a high quality piece that could both be used in the backcountry and in the front country. Powershield is the finest softshell material, it's made in Canada so the quality is the highest. I like the MP3 pocket on the inside and I put in a security pocket on the inside of the front right hand pocket. I can fit my crackberry, small wallet and keys in there and I don't stress about losing my stuff when I'm using the hand pockets and neither will you. The pocket on the arm is for business cards or whatever you need in a moments notice. It is a technical fit and looks great. Enjoy this piece as I am wearing it everyday.

Got a Backcountry.com softshell to replace a REI jacket that was torn by a tree at Alta. (it was also 15 years old!). I telemark, get quite warm, and have had trouble regulating my temperature with the gore-tex shell. I am quite pleased with the softshell. I have had it out in wind, snow and temps down to about 10F, and am quite pleased. Only negative comment... The inside pocket is a bit too small for a wallet.

At first I was a little skeptical because this is made by backcountry.com-- no offense but it's a logo jacket. But I've been pleasantly surprised! It's made with top quality Polartec Power Shield (like Arc'teryx) for so less money. I love the cut too. And there's a cool little pocket on the inside of the main hand pocket to keep stuff (keys, phone) out of the way. Nice job guys!