EB’s Frontpoint soft / hard shell

[ROBERT TANGEN]

Here’s what Eddied Baurer says about their Frontpoint jacket (17.28 oz, size not specified) :
“The perfect outer layer for all mountain activities—especially in snowy, windy conditions. It’s all about the smart use of performance fabrics for peak efficiency. At the shoulders, hood, sleeves and hem, a 3-layer WeatherEdge Pro waterproof/breathable hardshell barrier (rated to 20,000mm/20,000g). In the body, a breathable, water- and wind-resistant, quick-drying softshell with 4-way stretch. Windproof throughout. The Hinge Hood accommodates a helmet and lets you turtle the collar whether the hood is up or down. And the easy-run zippers never leave you tugging to get it on or off. Machine wash. The first number in its 20,000/20,000 rating is the waterproofness: The fabric can withstand 20,000 mm of water suspended over its surface before moisture seeps through. The second number shows its breathability: In 24 hours, it allows 20,000 grams of water vapor to escape per square meter of fabric.

[Aaron Reichow]

Was that supposed to be a part of another thread? Or is there another reason you're pasting product descriptions? :P

Last year's Frontpoint was on clearance at the EB online store at a price which had me thinking about getting one, so I went to check it out at the store. Seems nice, but a bit heavy and it's cut short to accommodate a harness. Not a point against it in general, but not what I'm looking as a hiking shell.

The mix of soft/hard panels seems like it could work OK, even in sustained rain. Especially if you have a pack on. That said, it seems pretty darn heavy for most of this crowd.

The WPB is the same, or at least the process is, for the BC-200. I recently got a BC-200. Only seen winter use so far, but I'm pretty satisfied. The BC-200 is only an ounce heavier than my GoLite Virga (both in XXL) but the additional features more than makes up for the extra weight. IIRC, the BC-200 is 12 oz in XXL, ~10.5 in M/L.

Frontpoint jacket at EB

[Don Selesky]

The Frontpoint seems to work very well in cooler/cold conditions, but wouldn't be my first choice for the summer. I like the idea of hard shell protection for areas that would wet out on a soft shell, but soft shell material for the body to enhance breathability. This is my favorite shell for winter backpacking. Yes, it's not ultralight, but most winter garments don't tend to be.

Oh, and I just got the BC-200 as a Xmas present. Wow, much lighter than the average W/B shell garment, but supposedly very breathable. Haven't used it yet, but we'll see…

[James holden]

as a note i can find these on sale for $100 off at my local EB …

hmmmmmm

[Aaron Reichow]

Same here- my local EB always ships away clearance stuff. They had it on the EB clearance sale for $67, didn't pick one up before they disappeared.

[Don Selesky]

Patiently waiting for post-Christmas sales… :-)

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