Gear

Was wondering if anyone has got the rab stretch neoshell or failing that, anything in this new material ?

As a champion sweater I would jump at something more breathable than event and goretex but I am finding it hard to get hold of some detailed reviews. It's not the breathability I'm worried about but the waterproofing. Living in Wales where it rains 365 days a year I need to take this into account. Most reviews I have seen are from the states for the westcomb and marmot jackets and they have mainly been snowy and cold areas.

I know 10,000 waterproofing is theoretically sufficient but how does it cope in the real world ? 

Well the paper values are very comfortably sufficient, even with that 10k given as degrading a bit over time.

Of course if you want to worry, the question is how it does long term. Not sure if anyone knows that The history of new waterproof fabrics is of course hardly without teething issues!

Also wouldn't expect anything terribly dramatic breathability. Some very detailed comparative testing on backpackinglight.com of sundry membrane jackets (subscriber only mind) didn't find anything much. Certainly nothing when there's no wind, if maybe hints that it might do well in wet/windy conditions.

Or look up the reviews of the powershield pro jackets about the place - thats effectively a notably more breathable version of neoshell.

Here's some more reporting from the Tetons with rain and snow.

Looks promising. I'll probably give the Neo or Westcombs Switch LT a try. 

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php/235169-The-neoshell-thread

 I think 10k might be the new standard. When Goretex came out 30 years ago, I think their  testing maxed out at 30k, so they just went ahead and called that THE standard. Polartecs contention that "you cannot be more waterproof after a certain point" may be valid. However, I don't have to deal with Welsh weather!

 Cheers, from Chicago.

@ lost jeff

 I have a Rab Stretch Neo that I have now used twice.

Once to test it on a 2 hour walk in the rain with base layer and 2 fleeces on - I was sweating, but jacket dry inside and out.

Used it also this weekend on a 25km walk for 6 hours in constant rain and sleet. This time wearing the usual base layer and 1 fleece but wearing a backpack. Again totally dry inside, especially my back where it always is damp with a goretex jacket

The DWR treatment this jacket is like nothing I have ever seen before and after the walk, I took the jacket off, gave it a shake and it was totally dry ! 

Thanks for the replies. Very relieved to see the post from belgian hiker because I went ahead and bought the jacket after finding some good reviews online.

Haven't had a chance to get out yet but will post how I get on later.

Thanks again

a field test on backpacking light showed no great advantage with the newer fabrics, the best performers were teh shells with the thinest face fabrics. gorettex could perform as wel or better than the new membranes if it had a thin face fabric...

i have a columbia omni dry jacket, technically not better than event but it is better than my event caost at breathing because it sheds water better.

 neoshell is rated at 5k after 20 washes, its made of of thin filaments that probably damage faster than most membranes

Its more complex than that Yes no massive advantages, but you wouldn't expect that unless non critically listening to advertising.

The tests were done at varying, specified conditions etc. Basically Neo shell showed well in the test where there was a bit of a breeze (2-10mph!) about, and not when there wasn't.  Ditto Powershield Pro.

Which makes quite a lot of sense given its air permeable construction. Given that UK conditions are often quite a bit windier than that it might well do well over here.

5k is borderline for waterproofness, sitting down or having something pressed against your back like a seat or pack can force water through a 5k waterproof garment.

powershield pro is 6k down to 3, and new mine wasnt waterproof in a storm at all.... saturated in minutes....

if you're in very cold wet conditions personally I"d stick with something more proven. you might end up disappointed with that your money has bought you with neoshell,

most companies selling neoshell are still selling other membranes as their "storm shell"  jackets for the hardest conditions, usually using event or gore tex, so they arent putting all their eggs in one basket with neoshell.

sticking with something like event and using a windshirt when you don't need something as waterproof might be the way to go. or youuse neoshell for the less severe weather and decide between taking that or a more bombproof shell when the forecast is more severe...

or you might have a heavy fabric on your current shell and buying a lighter fabric event could get you the breathability you're after with a waterproof jacket.

 theres tradeoffs with most fabric types.

wayne clark 2 wrote (see)

if you're in very cold wet conditions personally I"d stick with something more proven. you might end up disappointed with that your money has bought you with neoshell,

 Personally , I find walking 6 hours walking in rain/sleet/ 2°C is a good test for any material, which my Rab Neoshell done exactly as it 'says on the tin'.

 A few weeks ago in almost identical weather, my goretex pro shell was totally wetted out an me soaking inside from sweat.

Both times with a backpack on.

How long it will last is another thing, but for me, 20 washes is about 5 years from now.

PPro doesn't have taped seams etc so the garments made from it will leak in a storm, regardless of how the fabric does! Its a bit silly really, but there you go.

(the suggestions I've seen from reviews online are that the fabric doesn't really give up under some nasty conditions.).

And all the outer fabric wetting out tests is of course the DWR which tends to be good when new, and otherwise not

20 washes is certainly a long, long time for me. With wind shirts/the odd soft shell its rather rare for my waterproofs to actually get used in anger.

Not too worried about the 20 washes angle. Been using a montane venture in eVent for past 5 years and I reckon I've washed it about half a dozen times, tops.

Dont plan on washing this jacket any more often than that so I'm hoping for at least 5 years before seeing any real loss of performance.

Mild and very wet weather will probably see me stick with the montane anyway - it's those colder snow/sleet/hail/showers days that I'm hoping will be made more bearable because I just find that I'm taking the montane off and putting it back on far too often.

Who wants a jacket that lasts 20 years anyway ? Then you've no excuse to buy the latest one that catches your eye