Thread: outerwear: shell vs. insulated

What do you guys prefer? I've always had shell jackets, but I've recently come across an insulated jacket I really like, but I'm not sure if it will be as functional as a shell with layers underneath. I tend to get pretty warm, and I ski in Tahoe, so it never gets crazy cold here. Thoughts/opinions?

If you get warm wearing a shell in Tahoe, don't buy an insulated jacket. It will be much harder to layer correctly, and you'll get hot.

I only use shells with layers. Insulated jacket are for chick who are cold all the time, and dudes with no body fat.

Originally Posted by edmoloco

I only use shells with layers. Insulated jacket are for chick who are cold all the time, and dudes with no body fat.

Yup.


Plus insulated jackets are more room in your pack when skinning somewhere.

Originally Posted by jaobrien6

If you get warm wearing a shell in Tahoe, don't buy an insulated jacket. It will be much harder to layer correctly, and you'll get hot.

+1, sounds like an insulated jacket would be overkill for you.

What jacket are you looking at? I'm looking for an insulated jacket with a helmet-compatible hood, and haven't quite found the right one yet. A lot of product descriptions omit mentioning whether or not the hood is helmet compatible.

I'm mostly in the super cold North East and have both shells and insulated jackets. I rarely wear my insulated jackets because I find them too warm (and I have very little body fat). I only were them on uber cold days. Go with a shell.

Shell and layers

Is the insulated jacket primaloft?

shells are the way to go. more versatile and easier to layer for the correct temperature and for varying temperatures. easier to regulate temperature with. shells pack easier also.

shells are the way to go.

^^^^^^^^^ shells all the way.

I have two shells and two insulated jackets. I wear the shells way more often.

I've always been a shell + layer guy

interesting read though http://www.telemarktips.com/RevPuffyLove.html

I guess the reasoning is sound, I'm just not sure a puffy would hold up to the beating my jackets take in the trees

Pretty sure there are multiple 10+ page thread on this over at tele-tips if you care to wade through it you might find some good info

I love shells, but I got really into this Patagucci Micro Puff Jacket - its super nice. Not too heavy to hike, but super warm on any cold day.

Layers are always great, but are a pain in the ass to wash all the time. I tend to smell up my thermals in a day or two.

Originally Posted by edmoloco

I only use shells with layers. Insulated jacket are for chick who are cold all the time, and dudes with no body fat.

Originally Posted by jgoldsmith729

I love shells, but I got really into this Patagucci Micro Puff Jacket - its super nice. Not too heavy to hike, but super warm on any cold day.

Layers are always great, but are a pain in the ass to wash all the time. I tend to smell up my thermals in a day or two.

Layers are easier to wash than puffy jackets.

unless it's cold as balls and you're on lift-served on a busy day, a shell and layers is the deal.

Originally Posted by ACHTUNG

I'm mostly in the super cold North East and have both shells and insulated jackets. I rarely wear my insulated jackets because I find them too warm (and I have very little body fat). I only were them on uber cold days. Go with a shell.

Same here - except my insulated isn't extremely thick, just a hell of a lot thicker than my shell which at times feels paper thin and find that I end up splitting 50/50 between the two. It's real nice to just wear a light wicking shirt and an insulated jacket and be comfortable all day. Also, a lot of times layering on cold days = Shell + windstopper fleece + base fleece + shirt + under armor is actually thicker and heavier than Insulated + base/shirt + UA which keeps me just as warm.

shells when your hiking and other layers in the pack, but a small puffy, primaloft belay style jacket, for days at the resort, unless the weather isnt cooperating. usually only a base layer and sometimes one other under the puff.

under armor is quite possibly the worst wicking material ive ever used. patagonia or smartwool is much nicer and a thinner layer will keep you drier and warmer then under armor.

eitehr/or depending on the weather

up here the backside of the coast range is more or less meeting the interiour plateau and -15c feels fucking cold... colder than 400km further inland. I use a liteloft insulated gortex at the hill (which faces north) until its warm enough to use a shell and layers .In the BC I use an old MEC fag bag ,it was cheap it breathes well and out in the BC (at least up here )nobody see's you anyhow

I was a die hard shell guy forever but last year I got a $65 Patagonia Puffrider and I rocked it almost every day at the area. I would usually only wear one light layer underneath.

I also ended up taking it in the backcountry...I would typically wear a lightweight base layer and a light softshell for the majority of the time but around here it's almost imperative to have some good insulation for when you stop, and the Puffrider fit the bill pretty well (lost a lighter Patagonia puffy two years ago, lame).

I was skiing with a sierra designs puffy ,it was nice but after putting a couple of holes in my gortex shell grazing trees I got worried about leaving a trail of feathers down the hill

a good insulated jacket + t-shirt and something thin in the pack/car = perfect, in my opinion.

I wouldn't want an insulated jacket to the exclusion of a shell, but both have their place. My insulated jacket (Patty puff rider) is great for when it's bitter cold and pulls double duty as an around town/play with the kids in the snow jacket.

Wow, more votes for insulated than I thought there would be. Personally, I like shell/layers. If it isn't snowing (or raining here on the wet coast) I like to wear a soft shell that lets just a little wind through / heat out. For snowy or cold days I wear a hard shell with pit vents for climbing.

I have been sporting the Cloudviel Zero-G (insulated)for the past year and love it for resort skiing.

not to hijack or anything (but gonna do it anyway) I'm going to an insulated pant (because I like the steeze) for the first time ever for inbounds kind of lift skiing stuff and am trying to figure out what to layer under it - if anything. I tend to get pretty warm too. Ideally it would be a silk weight pant that doesn't look like a pair of tights and could be worn by themselves (I'm not a tights kinda guy) but I can't seem to find anything that fits the bill.

For you insulated pant wearers in not terribly cold climates, do you wear a layer underneath? Wicking boxers only? Kilts?

I pretty much rock a lightly insulated jacket all the time. One or two base layers is all you need (mostly sport Orage jackets). It does take up more pack room on the skin, but I feel a whole lot warmer up top when I put it on instead of a shell. Rarely rock the puffy unless it's super cold and going to be a lift serve day.