Out of the box and onto the ice. The first Neoshell "Soft" garments from NWAlpine.
NWAlpinist Salopettes and a Big 4climbing jacket.
Last fall we were having a discussion here aboutsoft shells as I was trying to source garments for an up coming review. I had used the Westcomb Polartec Neoshell Apoc hard shell jacketand had been impressed with the performance in every condition. Other Neoshell "hard shell" garments followed. All equally impressive for performance as a hard shell that had a little stretch added. They did breath well. No doubt about that!
The first I heard of the newest Neoshell "soft" was from a reader here at CT. Not believing the comments actually I searched out the only two garments that were being produced at the time, one from Marmot and the other from Mammut.
I seldom really try to get garments for review and tests. But these two I REALLY did try to obtain but to no success. No pro deals, no freebees or demo loans were going to happen. And at $400 and $500 retail per garment I was stuck. No money for this one! I didn't have the money for that kind of test on something I really figured wasn't going to be all that impressive anyway. Love the blog and finding new groovy gear for my on use but throwing down close to agrand in short order wasn't going to happen.
Little did I know. (which seems to happen on a regular basis writing a climbing gear blog)
After giving up on the usual suspects for getting any deal on the newest Neoshell I went to the source. Polartec of course! RA you know who you are and I want to sincerely "THANK YOU!"
Best "new" product for imo.
In short order a couple of yards of the newest material, I like to call it Neoshell "Soft" was on the way to my "local tailor", Bill Amos the owner of NWAlpine. No clue what this stuff is really called.
My reasoning behind my manic behavior (this time) was I wanted a warmer pair of NWAlpinist Salopettes. Way more a "want" thing than a a "need" thing in this case. And to be honest I wasn't expecting much. I have lots of nice climbing pants. And they reall yare warm enough. What else was I going to get to play with?MWA'sclimbing specific jacket called the "Big 4" was sew up with Neoshell SOFT at the same time. In this casewhat I got was atotal surprise!
Here is a short comment prior to a full review and comparison coming in April.
"Compared to the three versions of Arcteryx pant fabrics and the current NW Apline fabric the Neoshell SOFT is the warmest and most breathable but least stretchy. But it is just stretchy enough for pants, salopettes ora shell top. And as tough or tougher than most fabrics I have mentioned and not any heavier. May be not the best material for warmer weather use though from what I have witnessed so far. But then again smart garment design work would solve that problem as well I suspect.
My NWA salopettes are 1# 6oz in the NWAlpine fabric which Arcteryx also uses. It is a lwt to mid weight very stretchy fabric which isn't very durable in the long run. Same salopette is 1# 5oz in the Neoshell soft which is much warmer, water proof, very breathable and no question more durable.
And I find the Neo Soft more comfortable to wear.
I have both a NWA Big Four Jacket and the Alpinist Salopettes in the Neoshell SOFT and will be doing a full review and comparison on the blog in April after the next trip north.
Short version? The Neoshell SOFT garments are changing the way I dress for winter climbing and the physical comfort level while doing so. All while wearing less and being better protected from any weather.
And it was not easy to get me off that dime.
Big claims I know but true to date. I have used a few of the current state of the art soft shell tops. And 3 of thehard shell Neoshell garments and been impressed with all ofthem, Currently I think the Neoshell SOFT is THE fabric that will change how we dress for cold weather climbing.
More to come in April.
NWAlpinist Salopettes in Neoshell "Soft" and lovin them
Both versions of the NWAlpinist Salopettes on the walkin.
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