Would you recommend the Apex Bionic, the Backcountry Shift, or this Gamma LT? What are the differences?

Really, you should pick the jacket you need for what you are doing. Windproof is great if you live or play in environments with cold or cutting winds. Windproof fabrics also have an edge in water resistance, too. Windproof is not so good if you want to use your jacket at high activity level, or more often in cool but not cold temperatures, because it doesn't breathe nearly as well as a fabric that is more air permeable, trapping more heat or moisture. I love my MH Alchemy for cold weather camping and occasional low-intensity snow activities, but I never pack it for hiking because the windproof fabric is heavier, less-packable, and it is too warm to wear it when I am hiking hard. Depending on the temperature, for hiking I'll grab my older, unlined North Face pullover with very breathable Apex Aerobic fabric, or, if it's a lot colder, I'll grab my Arc'teryx Gamma MX. Choose based on what you plan to do with it, and how often you plan to do it. And, really important, choose a jacket that fits the way you want it too, since that is a really big criteria, too.

As I said, it all depends on the activity you are going to engage in. For arobic activities you dont really want a jacket that doesnt breath. I love my Windstopper MH soft shell for everyday use, but it doesnt breath in heavy activity. The Gamma is very breathable and has a diffrent purpose than these other jackets. The Shift is a good jacket but get it on sale, I agree with Ian on that point. It is a bit pricy but it is on sale alot, or you can catch it on steepandcheap.com sometimes. As far as the Apex Bionic, I would say about it being the standard I would agree to a point. That is because EVERYONE has one and you can pick one up almost anywhere. It is a great jacket for going to school, grocery store, ect. It all depends what you plan on doing. Hope this helps and further clarifies my previous post.

Nathan, I'm inclined to disagree with you on the point of the TNF jacket. Neither the Gamma LT, nor the Shift are windproof jackets. Perhaps I'm just a sucker for all things windproof (I'm wearing a Windstopper jacket as I type this), but I would buy the Apex Bionic before the Gamma LT or the Shift. The Apex Bionic is made of Apex ClimateBlock which is rated at 0 CFM, thus it is windproof. Furthermore the Shift is horrendously expensive for a standard softshell. While I appreciate the fact that Backcountry is employing my countrymen by manufacturing the jacket in Canada, it's simply over-priced in my opinion. Likewise the Gamma LT is pricey, and still air-permeable. While the North Face brand lacks the "hardcore" and "shiny" aspects that Arc'teryx and Backcountry carry, they still make a few solid pieces. The Apex Bionic is no exception, as it remains the standard to which other softshells are compared.