Clothing

Gear

Accessories

Gear Review

Backcountry.com Shift Welder Hoody - Men's

Item #BCC0146 | 19 in Stock
4 Star Rating

Awesome (but not perfect)

By Ranked #1140 - Men's Softshell Jackets March 6, 2009

I've only owned this for an afternoon and worn it around the house. Here's what I know so far.
First off, I'm 6'1", very skinny with a long body. I fit in medium (with room for light layering) in virtually every jacket I've tried and the same is true in this one.
I got Carbon and it's mid gray. Very slightly blue or teal but much less blue than the photo.
It feels awesome. Really soft and quiet. I hate the stiffness and loudness of other softshells. The only other softshell I've found that is as comfortable (and I've tried on every single one in several big shops) is the North Face Nimble (which is much cheaper, even when this is at SAC).
The hood has a cord around your head with a one-handed adjustment at the back (which is awesome) plus cords to tighten it down over your eyes. I have a long neck and I'm wearing the Medium but the still hood fits on my head. It would be more comfortable to turn my head if it was longer though.
It's very light, maybe 100-weight fleece on the inside face.
It's as long or longer than most others in the body, slightly longer at the back and also fairly long in the arms (hangs to my knuckles).
The stretchy fabric is great, but the welded seams don't stretch, and there is a seam up the back of one arm, across your shoulder blades and down the back of the other arm, exactly where you need the most stretch.
I wish it had cuffs of some kind. The sleeves fall down over my hands when I'm trying to do stuff. I'll definitely modify mine so the cuffs fit more snugly on my wrists.

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No

Close This Window

Tech Specs:

Material:
Polartec Power Shield softshell 
Waterproof Rating:
Highly water-resistant 
Breathable Rating:
Highly breathable 
Core Venting:
No 
Pockets:
2 Hand, 1 chest, 1 internal chest 
Seam Taped:
No, welded seams 
Powder Skirt:
No 
Hood:
Yes 
Zip-in Compatibility:
No 
Weight:
22oz (635g) 
Recommended Use:
Skiing, hiking, climbing, camping, touring, backpacking 
Manufacturer Warranty:
Lifetime 
Country of Origin:
China 

Change me.