would you pack a soft shell?

About a year and a half ago i bought a marmot soft shell and loved it,it seemed to be a perfect compramise for a backcountry jacket. Not anything "proof" but did shed all the elements efficiently enough.Problem is it doesnt pack down small enough. Is it considered worth the bulk to have a do everything one piece or should one try a wind/waterproof shell and warm base layer?

suggestions plz

southwestcolo asked: "Is it considered worth the bulk to have a do everything one piece or should one try a wind/waterproof shell and warm base layer?"

Like many other gear questions, the answer is "yes and no." It depends on what you are doing and what the conditions are. As Brian has noted in another thread, if you are doing hard exercise (backcountry skiing, skinning up a steep slope, or packing a load of climbing gear to the base of a climb, or similar), the breathability of a soft shell outweighs the lesser wind and rain proofness - you want some insulation, but not the overheating you get with a fully wind/rainproof fabric.

OTOH, someplace like Antarctica where I was in Dec/Jan, a soft shell isn't quite up to the winds cutting through a softshell, so a windshell over fleece is about right (Gtx and similar don't breathe well enough to keep you from getting wet from the sweat trapped inside).

A softshell, like the Schoeller jackets and pants I have, works great for ice climbing that is cold enough that you don't have running water dripping on you, or in a backcountry tour like the Echo to Kirkwood Ski Race (cancelled this year, unfortunately). It also works well hiking in a mist or light drizzle, since it will shed water fairly well (not for a pouring rain, though). But I have done the E2K in a couple years when very wet snow was coming down, as well as this year's Bear Valley Telefest, so that GTX or eVent (or similar wpb) was needed

So, a combination of personal preferences and personal physiology is the decision maker for each person and each individual outing. No simple, one size fits all answer. You have to try out various combinations (an argument for layers) and whatever ends up working best for you and your conditions will be the best choice. You can get a good idea and first guess by reading about the strengths and weaknesses of each possibility and thinking about how they fit your conditions.

Oh, yeah, by the way, fleece as your warm layer is also bulky, just like your soft shell, though perhaps a bit warmer for the weight and bulk.

Yeah, that's right Bill. I'm in Alaska now and love softshell layers. I use them all the time. It's a pain, though, because they are so heavy compared to a simple nylon shell. I'll be in the lower 48 soon and expect that I won't wear them as much but I know where softshells have their strength.

I restate Bill's statement of "yes and no" by reminding you softshells are designed for a range of activities. If you fit within those and don't mind the weight, I would say "take your jacket"; I'll be taking mine when I get down to the states.

thanx.....those are good points. my problem is that i live in colorado and frequent elevations above 11000 ft. Colorado is known for its irrational and highly unpredictable weather. You could be hiking a ridge in late june and be hit with a freak storm dumping 4 inches of the white stuff....well with that in mind perhaps a softshell with a ultra light base is best in tune. thanx for the help!!