Ski Haus
Ski Haus
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Located at the corner of South Lincoln Avenue and Pine Grove Road
1457 Pine Grove Road, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Home . Telemark . Snowboards . Snowshoes . Cross Country / Nordic . Ski Rental Rates . Ski Rental Reservations

Ski Haus employees taking a break in Jackson, Wyoming
Which shell is right for you?
Fortunately, it doesn't have to be a guessing game.
Shell Games:
Which Outerwear Shell is Right For You?
The fall products have been arriving for weeks and once again I find myself answering the same old Ski Haus tacqueria stand question, "would you like that in a hardshell or a softshell." We've had stretch woven fabrics, which compromise soft shell garments, in the store for several seasons and it still causes a bit of confusion for the consumer.

Hopefully, my personal experience and a little self-examination with respect to the individual user, chosen activity and regional environment will help. Personally, I have the double-decker, one of each style. As an overheated, alpine, intermountain western skier I garner approximately eighty percent of my days in the soft shell and save my hard shell for that gnarly twenty when things are really rough up there.

To examine the advantages of both technologies you need to begin with a little knowledge about construction.

Hard shell garments consist of a nylon shell backed by a waterproof-breathable (W-B) membrane (i.e., Gore-Tex, Hyvent) which may be lined or unlined dependent on the manufacturer. These garments provide the most complete weather protection against wind and rain available.

Soft-shell garments consist of tightly woven, four-way stretch fabrics (e.g., Schoeller, Power Shield) which offer a high degree of weather protection with a substantial increase in breathability. In addition, soft-shell garments have a soft "hand" which results in a better feel against the skin.

From my personal experience, I feel that breathability is the single most important difference between these two technologies.

To start your own processes of elimination consider your own physiology. Are you the person with perpetually cold extremities that wears multiple layers soon after Labor Day and is always complaining about the conditions or are you the chronic over-heater that wears shorts into November and layering consists of two garments?

Both users will be served well under either technology, but the hard shell penalty for the chronically overheated might result in Swamp Thing 2006. Examine your chosen activity will I be alpine skiing and riding the lifts a lot, or will I be skate skiing and moving the whole time. Choose the system that suits your life pursuits ninety percent of the time.

Regional environment plays a very heavy hand in this discussion, too. We are very fortunate here in the intermountain west to be blessed with the most incredible winter weather conditions on the planet. Very warm, sunny and dry, dry, dry powder snow conditions. We have options. Most western users can derive sufficient weather protection from a soft shell while languishing in the breathability virtues.

For the perpetually cold, layer it up and throw a hard shell over it, you'll be comfy for hours in the worst Colorado has to offer. But, other users take note. If your idea of fun happens to take place in a coastal mountain range where it's at times difficult to tell the snow from rain, you'd better get that taco in a hard shell.

How to stay warm on the coldest of days.

A guide to layers
How do you stay warm and dry on cold days? There are always different opinions on layering and the truth of the matter is that what works for one person won't necessarily work for the next. That being said, we will outline the basics of layering and describe the different materials. Then it is up to you to figure out what works best for you and your applications.

There are several advantages to multiple layers as opposed to one thick layer. Multiple layers allow you to adapt to fluctuating weather conditions simply by adding or removing a layer. The most significant advantage to layering however is the "dead" air that each layer traps against your body. This dead air is what creates most of the insulating value obtained from a garment. For this reason it can be better to wear several thin layers rather than one thick garment. This is why most shells sold today are not insulated.

The basic layering system consists of three layers:
- the base layer or next to skin layer
- an insulating layer
- and then a shell.

The base layer should be made of a wicking material like wool or polyester. Both of these fabrics are hydrophobic. Considering moisture removes body heat 25 times faster than dry air, the drier you stay the warmer you are. This first layer should fit snug for the best wicking results. Most long underwear these days are made of polyester; they all sport fancy brand names given by the manufacturer. Don't let this confuse you into thinking it's something else, just look at the tag inside, it will almost always be polyester . A good example and one of the most popular name brands is Patagonia's Capiline, made of 100% polyester.

Companies like Ice Breakers and Smartwool have been creating base layers from merino wool that is actually very soft and very warm. Contrary to what you might think when you hear "wool" it doesn't itch! Some people claim they stay too warm with wool and stick to synthetics like polyester. But for those of you out there stuffing toastie toes and hot hands into every nook and cranny this might be the perfect thing for you.

The insulating layer is where opinions start to vary but the idea is to trap "dead" air. For colder days down undoubtedly does this better than any other insulation out there. There are synthetic products made to mimic down, such as Primaloft, which also work very well and have their advantages, but you just can't beat Mother Nature. Down's ability to trap air, in addition to keeping you warm, also makes it a great packer. Most down garments can be compressed to less then half the size of a similar synthetic garment, as well as being lightweight. The one draw back to down however is that it loses all of its insulating properties when wet. This is the advantage that synthetics have over down. Primaloft which is made of polyester batting does not absorb water when wet, and therefore, won't collapse, thus retaining it's insulating value.

Other light layers made of fleece or wool are also great insulators. There are hundreds of different choices out there all with different features. A good place to start would be Patagonia's R1 pieces or Ice Breakers pullovers. Patagonia has waffled the fleece in its R1 pieces making it less bulky yet giving it the same insulating value as the thicker pieces. Remember the idea is not to look like a stuffed sausage!

Another good layering piece are vests. They keep your core warm, which in turn will keep you hands and feet warm, while still allowing freedom of movement.

Lastly, is the choice of shell layer and this all depends on the activity. Soft shells (stretch woven nylon) have become very popular in the last few years due to their breatheability and more supple texture, hence the name. Soft shells are wind and water-resistant and have a 4-way stretch that gives them a great fit. They are very versatile and are used in almost any activity anytime of the year.

In the waterproof hard shell department, Gore-Tex still stands at the top of the list. That doesn't mean, however, that it is the only product out there. Most outdoor clothing lines now have there own version of Gore-Tex; Marmot Membrane, Patagonia Storm and North Face Hyvent just to name a few. Again, don't let these trade names fool you, these all work the same as Gortex, some even better and a lot of the time they are cheaper as well. Hard shells are the ultimate in waterproof protection, but they won't breathe as well or fit quite as comfortably as a soft-shell. You need to figure out what is right for you and your applications.

Another thing that tends to be forgotten is that all this applies to your hands, feet and bottoms as well. Don't go out wearing Fruit of Looms and white cotton socks. Yes underwear matters. Remember cotton is bad no matter where it is. There are plenty of brands of wicking socks and underwear for both men and women. Check them out, you will be surprised with the difference it makes. So now that you are armed with the knowledge get out there, have fun, and stay warm.
We carry the following
alpine ski gear
and clothing:

Telemark . Snowboards . Snowshoes . Cross Country / Nordic .
Ski Rental Rates . Ski Rental Reservations

 Ski Haus
1450 South Lincoln Avenue
Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80477
1-800-932-3019

info@skihaussteamboat.com