TYPE: WATERPROOF
You used to have to choose: water颅proof hard shell or breathable soft shell. Gear makers now use hybrid fabrics that are soft, stretchy, water颅proof, and breathable. These jackets are often heavier鈥攁nd less crinkly鈥攖han standard hard shells.
BEST FOR: Resort skiing, mountaineering in wet climes.
WHY THIS ONE: The North Face Jammu is minimalist, athletically cut, and made with Polartec鈥檚 air-permeable NeoShell, a fleece-backed fabric that fended off nasty weather and breathed better than any hard shell we tested.