Windshirt Advice Request

David,

I'm an Ether fan. Also, I'm a fan of hoods in general so that was the selling point over the Wisp.

I have no experience with Montbell's Parka/Jacket but after washing my Ether to get the DWR off as much as possible, it's been fine and breathes very well.

I love the weight, under 4 oz for a large, and it's practically nothing in your pack (though that's true for all windshirts i reckon).

Also, i like the full zip of the Ether vs the Wisp.

Just my two cents, but check out other ideas too! Montane has some sweet Featherlite series windshirts. I tried to get a Smock but it didn't fit quite right.

– Dana

No experience with the GoLite, but I had a Mont-Bell U.L. Windshirt and that one was nice.

Did you have a chance to look at Montane SpeedLight?

Everyone seem to love it.

No direct experience, but isn't the MontBell UL windshirt non-breathable? I vaguely recall Ryan Jordan calling it "sweat fabric"?

I've been using the Ether wind shirt for a couple of years and for the weight it can't be beat for wind and light drizzle stopping. This is an item I always hike with.

I recommend the Ether too. If you buy a windshirt, make sure it has a hood- invaluable, in my opinion.

cheers,
fred

I second the comment that you want a hood.

I have a ~4-yr-old marmott chinook that I love.

I have a 2007 or 2008 Ether (hooded) with a full zip and find it amazing. Breathable and moderate water resistance. I love it.

I like both my Houdini and my Wildthings epic 1/2 zip wind shirts/jackets. They both are offered in black which is for me a plus. The hood on the 09 Houdini is redesigned and fits better then earlier versions IMO.

I have a Montbell wind shirt and I like it a lot. I'm not sure of the model or year though. It definitely breathes well and is quite light. If I remember correctly, mine does not have a hood (I have several wind shirts, so it is hard to remember).

I have the Wisp and really like its performance. I am one of the few, I guess, who don't like hoods. The Wisp performs well in wind and light rain and I usually wear it in addition to a poncho in heavy rain with good results. I don't like to hike in it unless the temps are in the 20s due to overheating.

Love my Ether…my ears always get cold, so a hood is a must-have for me.

Probably my single favorite clothing item.

I have the Wisp and love it.

DriDucks or a homemade one out of Momentum

No direct experience, but isn't the MontBell UL windshirt non-breathable? I vaguely recall Ryan Jordan calling it "sweat fabric"?

I didn't have any problems with it.

I have no problem with the Montbell wind shirt either.

But lets remember we all are different. Ryan hikes a lot in very cold weather. I hike a lot in hot weather. I would need a lot more insulation if hiking with him in the winter, and would not do as well temperature-wise. I am sure I would do better in very hot weather.

All we can do is absorb input from others, and then based on our experience make choices that seem right for us. Unfortunately, sometimes we buy stuff that does not work as well as we might have hoped.

David, my first windshirt was the Golite Wisp, and I really loved its packability and wispy weight. I mean, I could just wad it up and stuff it in my hip pocket! Yet, at altitude when the wind whistled I knew I was missing something even when I had a on a balaclava, and that was a hood. So I picked up a used Patagonia Houdini here, and like so many others, became a firm believer in the necessity of a hood. BTW, I have read favorable reviews on the MB windshirts.

Roger, I think it was, did a review of several windshirts a while back, and you could find it by clicking on "articles" above.