Softshells or hardshells for cycling?

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

Umm. What are you talking about?

Joseph

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

Dipped in butter?

email hidden said:

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30

Quoted message said:

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

Umm. What are you talking about?

http://www.wisdomking.com/product125155c220071.html

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

It depends completely on where you are and what kind of riding you do.
For people whose riding and/or climate means they only have to deal
with wimpy rain at most, they probably are better in general.

Quoted message said:

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

A softshell can be good for rainpants to go over your normal bib/
tights. Benefits over a hardshell can be stretchy maneuverability
(important on the legs) and wicking/breathable properties - also
lighter and quick drying. Don't know that I'd fancy a softshell for
the upper body though, just the legs to keep the steady drip of water
out of the boots, etc.

If you do get a softshell, you can help maintain (and even improve)
the base level of waterproofness by washing them with some Nikwax
(for e.g.) softshell treatment.

Regards,

Duncan

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

It depends completely on where you are and what kind of riding you do.

Am in north Missouri

Typical 4 season climate.... cold winters and hot/humid
summers

Quoted message said:

Don't know that I'd fancy a softshell for
the upper body though, just the legs to keep the steady drip of water
out of the boots, etc.

OK but this softshell is a jacket for upper body

The price is excellent at Costco

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

Dear M,

Hardshells are unquestionably safer than softshells.

A typical hardshell next to an 18" ruler:

http://i13.tinypic.com/53sdipy.jpg

A typical softshell:

http://gf.state.wy.us/fish/AAC/images/herpefauna2.jpg

I kept both as pets for several years and found that the hardshells
tamed down within a day, accepting handling with admirable calmness.

In contrast, the softshells _never_ accepted handling, invariably
doing their best to bite you.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

I like mine a lot. I wear a Cloudveil lightweight
jacket in all weathers. It won't keep you dry, but
I've never been dry in any jacket. Waterproof
breathables have never worked well for me, I get
soaked in sweat when active and chilled when I
stop/descend.

I am warm and comfortable in a much wider range of
weather with a softshell than any goretex jacket.

Softshell gets thrown around a lot these days and
there is quite a difference in the various fabrics
called softshell. I like Schoeller dynamic.

_ Booker C. Bense

Quoted message said:

Softshell gets thrown around a lot these days and
there is quite a difference in the various fabrics
called softshell. I like Schoeller dynamic.

Ok well this one at Costco is a Black Diamond brand.

Price was abt $30

So maybe its not a great one but will try it anyway

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30
Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

Quoted message said:

Umm. What are you talking about?

Soft shell crabs are late in May as I recall.

Helmets in LBS are $30, nice BMX 'hard' type or 'road' type, major
brands. Based on that, I'd expect X-Mart oughta be $3.99 or so for a
copy with a fake CPSC label ....
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

Umm. What are you talking about?

Crabs.

--

David L. Johnson

Some people used to claim that, if enough monkeys sat in front of
enough typewriters and typed long enough, eventually one of them would
reproduce the collected works of Shakespeare. The internet has
proven this not to be the case.

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

I myself have found that hardshells survive a 2 mile bumpy basket ride
better than softshells. All the hardshells survived.

In article <[email hidden]>,

landotter said:

http://www.wisdomking.com/product125155c220071.html

That poor model. The ignominy of it all.... And she isn't trying to
hide it one bit.

Dan

Quoted message said:

OK but this softshell is a jacket for upper body

The price is excellent at Costco

Then it would let in water, and unless you want to get wet would be
better off with a Gore-Tex hard shell.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Duncan Smith said:

Quoted message said:

OK but this softshell is a jacket for upper body

The price is excellent at Costco

Then it would let in water, and unless you want to get wet would be
better off with a Gore-Tex hard shell.

That has not been my experience at all. Any goretex shell I've
tried simply does not breathe well enough to prevent me getting
soaked in my own sweat. If I ride in the rain I'm going to get
wet, in a soft shell I'm wet, but warm and comfortable. In a
goretex shell, I'm uncomfortably hot on the uphills and freezing
on the down hills.

If it's an absolute downpour, then goretex is probably the least
worst solution. If it's an all day off/on rain, then softshells
work much better for me. Plus a softshell is usable when it
isn't raining, for me goretex jackets aren't.

_ Booker C. Bense

On Sep 27, 5:30 pm, [email hidden] (Booker Bense)

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Duncan Smith said:

Quoted message said:

OK but this softshell is a jacket for upper body

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The price is excellent at Costco

Quoted message said:

Then it would let in water, and unless you want to get wet would be
better off with a Gore-Tex hard shell.

That has not been my experience at all. Any goretex shell I've
tried simply does not breathe well enough to prevent me getting
soaked in my own sweat. If I ride in the rain I'm going to get
wet, in a soft shell I'm wet, but warm and comfortable. In a
goretex shell, I'm uncomfortably hot on the uphills and freezing
on the down hills.

If it's an absolute downpour, then goretex is probably the least
worst solution. If it's an all day off/on rain, then softshells
work much better for me. Plus a softshell is usable when it
isn't raining, for me goretex jackets aren't.

_ Booker C. Bense

I was thinking of winter use when it's close to or below zero, so the
sweating hopefully is less of an issue. Perhaps I'll try a softshell
when it's a tad warmer and see how it goes..

Regards,

Duncan

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Costco has the Black Diamond softshell on sale for abt
$30

Have never owned a softshell and wonder if its good
thing for cycling or if hardshells still better
utility?

Umm. What are you talking about?

Joseph

Tacos, obviously.