Disappointed

By jcsh Ranked #2519 - Men's Softshell Jackets June 8, 2009

Ordered this thing off SAC for pretty cheap thinking I scored a fine deal on a quality softshell, but just ended up disappointed. Where to start...I guess the best way to put it is that the fit is just awkward. The separate paneling in the front makes the material rest and bend unnaturally. As I sit here wearing the Shift Element, the middle of the jacket is sharply bulging out because of the center panel divide. There is panel dividing on the sleeves too which also creates unnatural folds...the fit is made more strange by the fact that the sleeves are long (which in itself isn't a bad thing). Functionally, the awkward fitting around the chest and arms is not a complete disaster, but it simply does not look sharp. The shoulders, however, are quite a disaster. It is boxy as hell, looking like I'm wearing shoulder pads. In fact, the whole upper limb joint is unimpressive. In addition to robot-looking shoulders, the range of motion for the arm is greater restricted by ungusseted, tight-fitting pit region. The softshell fabric stretches well, but not nearly enough to prevent the jacket from riding up when lifting an arm, or preventing those weird folds all about the body when sitting down.

As others have mentioned, there is no chest zip flap. I haven't had the opportunity to test this jacket out in cold and windy situations, but I cannot imagine having a gaping hole in the middle being a good thing for keeping body heat in. The 3 pockets are for the most part fine, except that the side pockets are not positioned well for hand warming. here is no interior pocket. And by god is this center panel divide bothering me.

The fit overall is athletic, which was what I was looking for. At 5'11'', 135lbs, the small fits athletically, certainly no room to layer underneath. This would be fine since the jacket itself is warm, but with the lack of center flap, only warm when the wind isn't blowing?

The Shift Element is not ideal for layering over for outdoor activity, either, strictly because of the arm restriction. It indeed is a shame, as layering over it would be the only way to hide the hideously unnatural fit. Did I mention that I hate the center panel division?

I wanted to like this jacket, I really did. But I questioned it enough to order another softshell--the Marmot Sharp Point. Well now that I have received the Sharp Point there is simply no way I am keeping the Shift Element, even if the Sharp Point is twice the price. It fits much better, breathes well even without opening the pit zips, and is simply of far higher quality than the Shift Element. The Element is going back for sure. I do suppose that at $60 on SAC it still is not a terribly bad deal, but I prefer quality over quantity, and the Shift Element is definitely not quality.

View Details: Backcountry.com Shift Element Softshell Jacket - Men's

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