User Review: Mountain Hardwear Backstage Jacket

Mountain Hardwear Backstage Jacket
Above: The current Backstage Jacket, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed October 18, 2006 by Germ

Rating:
Fabric: conduit
Fill: chimp fleece
Price Paid: $150

I researched softshells months before buying this jacket. The day after I got it it snowed. A heavy wet snow. Didn't dent this jacket. I was warm and dry. When I cinched the waist and neck I could actually feel the heat filling up the jacket.

I tried on every softshell including the Arcteryc's and Marmot's. This is the only softshell that is like a normal jacket and has the best lining of them all. I wore a fleece underneath, which was snug but I felt completely bombproof and still only looked like I had a windbreaker on. This jacket also feels more mobile than the other softshells I tried on. It felt like a second skin. Perfect for everyday use, from the office to the trail. The inner lining is ridiculously soft.

This piece does exactly what a softshell is supposed to do. Combine a mid-layer(fleece) and an outer layer (shell) into one jacket. You'll be as warm as the guy next to you whose jacket has 6 inches of down.