Anyone know what the difference is between this and the normal Shift Jacket? I've asked backcountry CS and all I've gotten is basically:"Uhhh... The Shift is more water-resistant."Is the composite two different materials? If so, which two? Is it two blends of Powershield, or do some parts not have a membrane?Anyone?

I just got the jkt (shift-composite black/cinder) today, and as far as i can tell it is powershield all around the exterior. The black part has a slightly thick fleece interior vs the cinder which is a thinner fleece interior. The black part also felt slightly more rugged...probably for backpacks and bushwacks. I ran the sink hose on both sections and they seemed equally water resistant. The thinner fleece under the arms may aid in breathability.

This seems similar to the marmot superhero in that it has 2-3 different interiors based on function.

Bottom line...i'm happy with the purchase (power shield, made in Canada, good fit(still need to wear it though).

You can always order it w/ free shipping. Worst comes to worst, it'll cost you a few bucks to return.

EDIT:
This is not all Power Shield. The panels are Power Stretch. I have not touched the Shift, but I expect it is entirely Power Shield. The "black part" is Power Shield with wind and water resistance and insulation. The "cinder part" is Power Stretch which is just smooth surface, stretchy, non-wind and non-water resistant fabric. It offers high breathability and stretchy ease of movement. I asked several times and the folks there seemed to think it was Power Shield, but after it arrived, it was easy to tell the difference, and they were happy to pay for the return since it was incorrectly described.

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This is someone else, so I left the original info intact and thought I would clear this up.
I just got off the horn with them guys at Backcountry, and found out that the Composite, is Powershield with panels that are powerstretch. It sounds like to me that it would make this one better for more athletic activities and easier range of movement.

From what I know of these materials they are all treated the same way with DWR so they should be just as waterproof as the other, but this has more stretch but not as warm as the normal Shift.

Also if you want info on the different materials check polartec.com and it is all there so you can see differences.
Know you know, and knowing is half the battle.
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