Advice needed to cut down the number of jackets

If I was looking to have one system to use parts of for summer3 season use and all of it in winter it would be as follows.

R1 Hoody
Windhsirt
Shell
Down Hoody with 5 oz down (go under the synthetic piece)
100gm Synethic hoody (oversized)

Well, depending on how heavily you perspire you may be able to get away with replacing your rain shell and all your windshells with one Event or Neoshell jacket. But it will see a lot more use and most likely wear out faster than distributing use over a variety of shells.

If I were being *really* brutal with my insulating pieces, I would cut it down to either an R1 or Cap 4 hoody for high-output and summer use, and a serious down puffy (like 6 oz fill, not 3 oz fill) for cold weather and stationary activities.

That said, a lightweight synth puffy (PG Nano, Rab Xenon, MB Thermawrap) and a windshirt are nice luxuries to fill in those in-between conditions. As is a decent wool sweater/hoodie for everyday use. I live in my Ibex hoodie although it's too heavy for backpacking.

I have my jacket system pretty well pared down. I have a beat-up old Patagonia fleece for campfires so I don't get sparks in good stuff, but other than that:

2 Ibex wool sweaters (one hoodie, one not)
1 8-oz quarter-zip fleece (Salomon, but anything works)
1 Synthetic Insulated Vest (Ministry of Supply)
1 Down Jacket (Outdoor Research Incandescent Jacket)
1 Shell (EMS Helix Anorak, Neoshell)

I use the EMS jacket as a wind jacket and a raincoat. At 11oz, it's not too heavy, and the huuuuge pit zips keep me ventilated. When I'm moving fast, I don't wear it; I'll throw on the fleece instead, which breathes plenty.

The shell is seeing a LOT of use this winter, daily bike commuting (10-15 miles a day) and weekend trips almost every weekend, and the Neoshell seems to be holding up fine. Not sure how waterproof it is at the exact moment since everything is frozen in Massachusetts, but the last time it rained, I was dry after an hour of cycling.

I don't have it to baby it. I used to try and keep my gear pristine, but now I've learned to treat everything as consumable and try to buy stuff that lasts as long as possible.

Any comments Brett?

Yes, I was very busy last night going to the doctor, getting my car repaired and moving beer around as one of my corny kegs blew.

I have thought about getting an R1 but would have to get the jacket style as I have a decent sized head and ears that stick out. Honestly I think my R2 will be good enough as it breathes very well and without a shell keeps me decently warm sitting at my job and in cooler temps while hiking.

I don’t perspire that much so if I could ever find a Neoshell or event jacket pretty cheap I might jump on one. It is good to hear that Neoshell holds up to some wear and tear. Right now I am just using my Crest Hoody for light rain and wind. It supposedly only has a CFM of 10 but I can feel the breezes coming through it just walking around so I probably don’t need anything more breathable. If I expect rain I am using the Golite poncho/tarp with it as I am an XLT or XXL and that is the only thing I have found that will go over a puffy down jacket. I have not been able to find a synthetic piece larger than my down jacket.