Peeps I'm new to this site so be gentle...
After years of wearing my ME ultrafleece guide jacket to death it was time for it to retire (as should I).
Anyway was looking on the web for something similar to replace it and come up with a shortlist of 3 items.. If anyone has any views I'd love to hear them.
1. Mountain Hardware Synchro
2. Rab Baltoro guide
3. This is the odd one, a website called extremeoutdoorclothing.com seem to use the kashmir fleece which is apparenly similar and they do a Explorer model which seems to mimic the old ME guide... Anyone know of their stuff ? (I Found the link from here on one of the old reviews)
As I say any views would be appreciated.
Oh and Uses are the same as for the ME, walking in the hills (too old to climb these days) and casual (don't want a cupboard full of coats like the wife)
Thanks
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 Hi Stuart.
I have had a Synchro for a few years.
I found it too hot to walk in. It doesn't have a hood so no good in rain.
Result: A fine jacket that i use for casual/street wear.
I'm no longer a fan of thick fleece with windbloc/stopper/proof membranes.
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 Ive got the Rab baltoro guide jacket, picked it up for £100 just before xmas, I think its fantastic. its not lightweight but its warm without being too warm, very breathable, and extremeley wind resistant as well as being good at withstanding rain and snow.
There should be some good deals about on the guide as the newer version is coming out soon (see the article on here)
I use the coat for walking in the hills, walking the dog and general day to day use.
its a good length compared to the standard baltoro and baltoro lite jackets which i found a bit short.
it also has a the added advantage of the hood.
hope that helps.
cheers
Moggy
PS polartec powershield is a fantastic fabric - nice and heard wearing and very breathable and weather resistant....much better than gore windstopper in my opinion
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Hi Stuart
Have you thought of a pertex and microfleece jacket rather than a membrane-based one? Rab Vapour Rise is one to look at, and Montane and Marmot do similar jackets. They're as cheap or cheaper than the jackets you mention; very windproof; are warm enough when moving in most conditions; and are very breathable, so can easily be used under a full waterproof, unlike most softshells.
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wow guys that was quick... Mike thanks for the heads up on the synchro.. difficult to tell in a shop how warm they are in the 'real world' Since I run hot it's a consideration.
Moggy I'll try and get my hands on the baltoro had heard good reports but not found many shops that seem to stock them to try. Would you say the sizing is comparable with other makes (I found TNF I'm a size up from others).
Guy had a buffalo a while back, just found that pertex snagged on almost anything and looked scuffy within weeks. Maybe it's just me but everything i brushed against snagged.
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Erm im usually xl in jackets and my rab was an xl, its quite close fitting but thats how its meant to be so id just go for your usual size.
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 The extremeoutdoorclothing.com stuff uses what Mountain Equipment call Ultrafleece. My old ME Ultrafleece jacket is one of the best bits of kit I've ever owned: reasonably windproof (much more than normal fleece), lightly showerproof, not over-warm.
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 The Synchro is really a specialist ice-climbing top, it's not breathable enough for general use and is cut short too.
Powershield is a micro-perforated PU membrane, I think, and is significantly more breathable than Winidstopper, for example, though still pretty much wind proof and very water resistant.
The Phantom is a bit like a modern version of the Ultrafleece jacket, if expensive at full price. If that's what you're after then it would make a lot of sense. If you want more wind resistance, then Vapour Rise is good and more breathable than the similar stuff out there with a fully windproof shell.
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 > Powershield is a micro-perforated PU membrane, I think
Aka a layer of glue used to bond the face fabric to the inner...
Karisma fleece (aka Superfleece) is indeed the same stuff as Ultrafleece. And I've heard good reports of the extremeoutdoor stuff, provided you can cope with their somewhat bluff ex-forces 'straight talking'...
I'd say the nearest soft shell equivalents are lightweight PowerShield, or shelled micropile, e.g. Rab VR Trail (which uses a more robust Pertex Equilibrium outer).
I'd recommend avoiding anything with a membrane unless you run cold, as they aren't brilliantly breathable, and can get rather sweaty. e.g. MHW Synchro.
Oh yes, get one with a hood. It's not a 'shell' otherwise.
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Windproof over a micro-fleece.
Or a Paramo Velez for cooler conditions.
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> Windproof over a micro-fleece.
Ah, yes, there's always that option. The OP seemed dead set on a soft shell, though...
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 I would second the vote for something made from polartec powershield. It is much more breathable than windstopper. Also, Ive found that once windstopper does get wet, it takes days to dry out.
I purchased a Rab Phantom from the outdoor shop. (I thought I got a good deal at £90, so £75 is great). I've worn it as a mid layer while ice climbing in scotland and as an outer layer in changeable weather in the lakes. So far it has kept me warm and dry, but not too warm. (I usually run hot b.t.w.)
I've been really happy apart from some suspect stitching around the thumb loops, but the outdoor shop sorted that out for me with no fuss.
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Powershield's claim, from memory, is that it's 98 per-cent windproof and that the extra 2 per-cent of permeability greatly improves breathability.
When I stuck Powershield in eVent's bubbler - a device that blows air through a fabric, through water so you can see it - it was dramatic. Just whopping great bubbles of air. If you sucked though, it would pull water in through the fabric, then again the chances of that happening for real, on the hill, are minimal unless you somehow manage to create a vacuum within your clothing system.
In use it's very wind resistant - effectively windproof unless you're doing 40mph downhill on a bike for example, when you can feel a slight chil - and very water resistant. It works very well and imo is more generally useable in the UK than Windstopper.
Rab had an issue with the cut on their second batch of Phantoms btw, very, erm, generous, but that should be sorted on any current stock I think.
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> When I stuck Powershield in eVent's bubbler
I carry my own 'bubbler' with me when on kit-fondling trips; place fabric to lips, suck (or blow). See how much air comes through...
98% windproof is a very unscientific expression (since airflow through a fabric will depend on many things, not least the wind speed...), but it gives an idea of how much wind it will cut out. And it's less than Pertex will, IME; when skiing in my Core Skin or Mixmaster, I take a lightweight Pertex shell to put over the top when it gets cold and the wind starts to strip too much heat.
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 Stuart,
if you email Keith keithextreme@tiscali.co.uk he'll send you fabric samples to give you a better idea. I'll probably go for one of their jackets when and if I replace my Rab Berber Tech Smock from the late '90s. Looks like he may be the Pete O'Donavan (POD) of mountain jackets.
If you're feeling adventurous, you could try Furtech's new offerings. Their science pages are stuffed with (mostly) good research, which suggests to me that they have done a lot of thinking about this problem. If I was in the market right now, I'd give one a try. Still waiting for a bit more feedback from folks like Parky who have spilled the cash!
John
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 Stuart
I have one of the Extreme Explorer jackets you were considering (OP). All I can say is that it's a very nice jacket, with the big advantage being that you get it made to measure, so it fits you.
John
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I love my Paramo Velez (hoody) for cool weather. Did the Tarmachan ridge on Saturday wearing it over a merino baselayer. Low cloud, no visability, heavy showers, windy. Perfect Paramo weather. Unzipped all the ventilation options on the climbs, and battened down the hatches when needed. Didn't get cold or sweaty.
Does what it says on the tin.
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What do people think of the North Face Apex softshell jackets?
The hooded ones look pretty good to me; the Apex Cipher and the Apex Kinetic.
I've got a Zeitgeist Apex Aerobic softshell 3/4 zip top and it is great. Breathable, keeps the worst of the wind off and is very light. The fit is excellent too and lends itself well to cycling.
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 Me and most of my mates all climb in Pertex/pile tops from either Buffalo, Keiths version from extreme outdoor clothing which are very hard wearing and made to measure, or mine which is from Montane.
Found it fantastic in all conditions - Extremely warm but vents brilliantly when required with vent zips, breathes well and generally very hard wearing. The Buffalo ones are a bit more prone to wearing out but the Montane top I have is reinforced in all the relevant areas. Very practical with harnesses and articulate well.
Check Montane out on eBay as there are some very good prices on their extreme smocks (Also just bought some Terra pants which are excellent!).
Worth a thought?
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