SHELL JACKETS ARE A REAL OBSESSION FOR MUCH OF THE CLIMBING COMMUNITY, BUT IF YOUR SYSTEM OF CLOTHING IS WELL SET UP, IN THE CASE OF HIGH ALPINE CLIMBING THEY’RE NOT AS PRIMARY AS MANY THINK. IN USE, A SHELL JACKET NEEDS TO COME OUT TO PROTECT THE CLIMBER FROM HEAT LOSS FROM WIND, ABRASION FROM ROCK & MOISTURE FROM PRECIPITATION. 75% OF THE TIME THE SHELL JACKET WILL BE STASHED AWAY IN EASY REACH, NOT BEING WORN AT ALL. THIS MEANS THE FACTORS THAT MAKE A GOOD HIGH ALPINE SHELL ARE WEATHER RESISTANCE (WIND & PRECIPITATION), TOUGHNESS, PACKABILITY & BREATHABILITY, IN THAT ORDER. AND THE MONTANE ALPINE SHIFT DOES THIS WELL.
THE ALPINE SHIFT FITS THE NAME ALPINE WELL, TO THE POINT IT’S POSSIBLY NOT ATTRACTIVE TO OTHER USERS. THE HIGH THROAT ON THE HOOD COVERS THE FACE BETTER THAN ANY SHELL WE’VE SEEN BEFORE EVEN WITH A HELMET ON, INSTANTLY BEING A REAL FUNCTIONAL ADVANTAGE THAT IN THIS CASE IS HELPED BY THE OFFSET ZIP. THE GENERAL CUT IS NOT SUPER ATHLETIC, SO IT’S MADE TO GO OVER MIDLAYERS AND STILL BE STREAMLINED, THE SLEEVES COULD BE A BIT HIGHER VOLUME SO IT WOULD VENT BETTER.
BEING A CLIMBING SHELL THE SINGLE CHEST POCKET IS ENOUGH, KEEPING IT PACKABLE & LIGHT. THE FABRIC IS SOMETHING NEW CALLED DIAMOND PRO WHICH APPARENTLY HAS ‘LIQUID CRYSTAL’ ELEMENTS THAT GIVE IT SUPERIOR ABRASION RESISTANCE, AND FOR 20d FABRIC IT ACTUALLY DOES FEEL ROBUST AND NOT PLASTICKY. BREATHABILITY ISN’T THE CRITICAL FACTOR FOR HIGH ALPINE CLIMBING SOME IMAGINE IT TO BE (IF YOU’RE USING THE SHELL IT’S BECAUSE CONDITIONS ARE EITHER WINDY OR YOU’RE HEADED TO SHELTER), THOUGH THE ALPINE SHIFT BREATHES PERFECTLY WELL ANYWAY, CERTAINLY ENOUGH TO NOT NEED ANOTHER SHELL JACKET FOR THE APPROACH.
WHAT AN ALPINE SHELL JACKET DOESN’T NEED IS AN ARRAY OF POCKETS, STRETCH PANELS, A BILLOWY CUT AND ZIPS THAT ARE HARD TO USE, AND THE ALPINE SHIFT HAS DONE A GOOD JOB KEEPING ALL THAT OUT – THERE ISN’T A SINGLE CONCESSION TO NON-ALPINE FEATURES ON IT. THIS VERY MUCH IS A LAYER YOU CARRY TO PUT ON TO KEEP CLIMBING – IT’S NOT A SKI JACKET AND IT DOESN’T ADD MUCH WARMTH BEYOND IT’S (EXCELLENT) ABILITY TO CUT WIND. THIS IS A JACKET THAT FITS INTO THE LID OF YOUR PACK, DESIGNED TO WORK WITHIN A SYSTEM JUST AS WE ADVOCATE, FOR TECHNICAL ALPINE CLIMBING.
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