Shells and shell materials

[Matt Sanger]

Like the folks weighing in on the Mica and other light shells, I'm trying to figure out my next purchase. So it would be good to collect the list of contenders and their specs. Here is a (fairly lame) start – please comment on and add to it:

Mountain Hardwear Quark: Conduit; 10oz. – $225

Patagonia M10: H2No; 10oz – $399

MontBell ThunderHead: GoreTex Pro&Paclite; 11.3 oz $298

AcrTeryx
• Beta SL: Paclite; 11oz $250
• Alpha SL: Paclite; 12oz $299

???Eddie Bauer – BC200: WeatherEdge Pro; 11oz $199

Marmot
• Super Mica – MemBrain Strata – 8oz. $200
• Nano – Paclite – 8oz $250

Rab Momentum – eVent – 12oz

Montane eVent and Entrant shells

Also, I'd like some help sorting out the key materials, so explanations (or links to explanations) of them and their essential differences would be great.

• Entrant (and its variations)
• eVent
• H2N0
• GT Paclite
• MemBrain
• Conduit (and its variations)
• Pertex (and its variations)

[EndoftheTrail]

Maybe this will help you simplify. If you are interested in maximum breathability, just focus on eVent laminate — and forget all the rest. Why? Because eVent is directly venting even while it is 100% rainproof. MontBell's "breeze dry tec" laminate works similarly as well.

All the rest that you listed rely on an additional PU layer to maintain rainproofness — and suffer significant degradation in breathability as a result.

[JM Addleman]

nm Ben said it

[Paul Elliott]

I have a Quark and use it as a rain and wind shell. I picked it up for a fall arctic trip to use over a base layer, which worked very well, and was constantly on me for all temps from 25-55 degrees.
I've used eVent rain mitts (from MLD) and I'm basically happy with the material, but it appears to be more sensitive to abrasion than the quark material. I think I'd have more concerns over an eVent jacket shell than the quark, which honestly is already fragile enough. As for the mitts, when they do wear out, I'll buy another set from MLD without hesitation.
If anyone has direct experience with an eVent jacket vs the Quark, I'd like to hear their opinion. I found the Quark to have great venting options that made it usable over a wide range of temperatures. It's definitely not material for bushwhacking, but for tundra and trails, it's been a good option for me.

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