Is dedicated Hard shell really required?

Your Torrentshell jacket is a hard shell. It is a light one, but made in the same theory as other breathable rain gear. Others may have another layer inside and a heavier main shell, but the concept is still the same. You have an outer coating that is water repellent (DWR), then a layer of nylon or other finely woven synthetic cloth, with a waterproof membrane welded to the inside. In a perfect world it will keep the rain out and let your perspiration transfer to the outside. The Torrentshell is classed as a 2.5 layer rain shell. Virtually all the other major manufacturers have their own 2.5 layer branded fabrics.

The term "hard shell" is contrasted with "soft shell." They usually feel the way they are described. A hard shell is more crinkly and provides wind and water protection, but no loft for insulation. A soft shell is soft and more flexible, it should breath better, but it won't keep out water the way a hard shell is supposed to (note my cautious terms). A soft shell usually gives a light layer of insulation— like you ironed your fleece.

Other hard shells may cost more due to construction techniques, materials, purchasing membranes from manufacturer's like Gore (as in Gore-Tex), advertising, and the spin they manage to put on the item. So, if you buy a welded-seam Arcteryx parka with lots of bells and whistles, heavier (and I hope tougher) fabric, a full lining, lots of tailoring, zippers, Velcro, rubberized tabs, and a multimillion dollar ad campaign, then it will cost $400.

Is a hard shell required? Yeah, staying warm and dry is a good thing. We don't want to tell your mother that we found her darling laying dead and cold as a ham in the middle of the trail because he wouldn't wear his raincoat like she told him to. Your Momma knows best.

Hardshell = Rain jacket.

You don't need anything fancy. A lot of the pricey ones you see have extra features that you don't need for just hiking around. Or they are made from fancy material, which is worth it but not necessary.

For what it is worth, I usually carry just a light rain jacket in summer, and only if I think it will rain. In the winter I wear water resistant pants (softshell) and an eVent rainshell when the weather is decent. If it's bad, I switch to eVent shell pants. I used Frogg Toggs for the first two seasons when I moved to the Cascades. They were fine.

Making my thread visible after another spam attack overwhelmed this site and made my thread disappear.

in true winter conditions, you don't generally need a hardshell since the dwr on your windshirt or softshell should do fine keeping snow at bay. Although thats probably less true for the wet snow you guys get out in the PNW.

Outdoorgearlab.com has a good distinction between dedicated hardshell vs. light rain shell. I think the main reason to get a 'dedicated hardshell' like a $400 arcteryx over an ultralight rain jacket is if you plan to use it for alpine rock or mixed climbing in cruddy weather conditions and you are going to be scrapping around a lot against sharp rock. Tree skiing comes to mind too. My friend told me a funny story about how he was swept off his skis when his jacket snagged on a tree, and was stopped dead in his tracks. His arcteryx hardshell didn't even have a mark on it, and thats a lot of force. I've torn pertex the same way. On the + side I didn't lose any momentum.

youll need a rain shell in PNW winters … at lower elevations its often more rain than snow or a mix thereoff … a windshell or softshell will soak through in a few hours in heavy rain … and youll end up hypothermic

you dont need anything fancy … but here you do need it for anything more than a day

I like the REI Kimtah eVent parka. Simple, light enuf, and reasonably priced when you get it on a member's 30% discount that appears regularly.

This parka breathes VERY well, being eVent. To me a WPB parka (and sometimes pants) is a true "survival" item that can't be left behind.

Consider hardshells "walking shelter".

Indeed!

The worst weather conditions I experienced were in PNW (when I was in Scouts) and in both cases it was about 32 and raining heavily. The first time thr troup bagged the hike because everyone was getting cold and wet. Eeryone had ponchoes and I never liked them because I always had problems staying dry in extended bad weather. The second time in my last year of scouts and I had replaced my poncho and was using a waterproof none breathable hard shell jacket and pants. I had no problem with the weather for about 7 hours. I then had to get under a tarp due to some condensation in my jacket.

I don't have a Torrentshell jacket but with the pants it should serve you well in really bad weather. Today I always carry WPB rain gear.

Items are only water-repellent up to a certain point. Enough water or enough wind-driven precip will eventually soak mere water-resistant clothing if you are hiking, so I'd say a WPB shell or decent poncho is highly recommended (having been soaked like a poodle run thru a carwash — without warning — during a formerly beautiful SoCal day hike without so much as a warning) . Maybe running will generate enough internal BTUs to keep the moisture flowing out but eventually even runners have to seek shelter in prolonged rain.