lightweight, slim fit alpine shell jacket. any Ideas??

The only slimmer fitting jackets I'm aware of are from Euro companies (RAB, maybe Montane, etc.) and maybe the Patagonia M10.

Rab Momentum, Westcomb Spectre.

Have you tried Arc'teryx before? I'm a pretty lightly built guy, and it fits me great, I currently use the Alpha LT for my alpine pursuits.

If you want a lightweight climbing shell, check out the new Alpha FL jacket due out this Fall and comes in a Trim Fit. Uses Gore-tex Active and weighs in at only 292g.

http://www.arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Jackets/Alpha-FL-Jacket#

do u even need a waterproof jacket for winter alpine climbing? look at a gamma mx or a MHW dragon jacket. if its cold and dry waterproof is useless, softshell is king

Hi guys,

just came across some of the new Neoshell jackets to be released very very very soon….any idea of the fit or just ideas in general about these jackets?

I found the North Face Point Five jacket to be a fairly technical fit on me. It's certainly one I would consider. The hood was also a great fit and stayed locked to my head when moving side to side.

11 oz, waterproof, breathable.

Here's a video of a good friend of mine, Kelly Cordes talking about the jacket.

http://video.patagonia.com/video/M10-Jacket-with-Kelly-Cordes;search:kelly%20cordes

Or you could check out the Knifeblade Pullover.

+1 for RAB

I am mostly a size medium. The RAB jacket seems dialed in for the exact fit you are talking about : Tight around the arms. Rest of the jacket is like any other size medium.

I purchased a large because I wanted to be able to layer underneath. I am reconsidering this decision now. (Fits great everywhere but the length might be somewhat long.)

+1 for RAB and Westcomb.

I'd personally wait for a neoshell from either of these brands. The fit should be just what you are looking for.

some of my slighter friends have gone in that direction and it's worked pretty well for them. RAB and westcomb as mentioned are good suggestions too, but i cannot fit my shoulders into a RAB shell. arcteryx has the gold standard in trim, athletic design, but i feel like i'd be moving backward going from event to goretex. i think the jury is still out on their new active shell fabric. i luv my wildthings flume, but yes, it's cut big to fit over everything else you might be wearing. i find that in winter mountaineering situations i'm much more likely to be reaching for my wildthings hooded windshirt than my hardshell. the windshirt offers great protection and breathability in a much trimmer package.

+1 for RAB. The Stretch Neo is a (relatively) lightweight, slim fit, minimalist jacket (no hand pockets). I am thinking of getting one myself.

Montane. They use a lot of eVent and they are a very trim cut.

I'm 5'10", 160#, 30" waist, long arms, wear a very athletic cut size 40 suit… the Montane Superfly is the best fitting jacket I've ever owned. I've got it in a size small, and it fits over thin underlayers with great flexibility.

Runner up to Montane would be Westcomb — their quality is impeccable and I've got several pieces from them that are my go-to layers in a lot of conditions, but they are slightly looser in cut than they Montane, but still better than other manufacturers.

I haven't tried any clothes from RAB, so I can't comment on how it compares.

I'd wait for Westcomb's 2011 Neoshell line, soon to be released. They've already introduced the Apoc to the public and you can find stuff on it around the internet. Polartec's NeoShell is 100% waterproof, super breathable (beyond any PU membrane or even eVent) and it has stretch. Some say 4-way, but at least two way. Nothing else like it on the market.

What the stretch of the fabric allows for is the ability to push the envelope in terms of the trim athletic fit you want, BUT it will stretch for any of your light packing or climbing activity. As for Westcomb's construction, they have top grade trim, super smart design, with a cool look.