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John Housser
Skier // Paddler // Camper/Hiker // Biker // Alpine Skier // Backpacker // Trad Climber // Mountain Biker
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Arc'teryx Gamma MX Hooded Softshell Jacket - Men's
September 22, 2009
The Hercules is meant as a mid-layer insulation piece. It does not have the DWR treatment that softshell like the Gamma MX has, so will not be as wind/weather/water resistant. It's meant to be under a shell, so breathes really well and will work better as a layering piece under a shell than a softshell would.
When you layer a softshell underneath a hardshell neither breath properly as they're both meant as outer pieces.
But a piece like the Hercules underneath a hardshell will provide great warmth while being much more breathable when you're exerting.
I have a Hercules (and the lighter weight Griffon) that I use heavily for backcountry touring. They're great pieces for that because of how breathable they are making them great at dumping heat on the ascents. Because of their hard faced outer they shed snow and precip better than a traditional fleece or midlayer if you do drop your shell. They don't cut the wind very well though (you can blow right through them), so when it gets cold the shell comes back on. They make a much better part of a shell-based system than a softshell though.
Helpful Votes: 1 Yes | 0 No