After serving me well for various summer alpine climbs, I'm starting to feel that my softshell combo of Marmot Super Hero Jacket and Marmot Scree pants are a little thin for ice climbing in temperatures below the teens. I'm looking around for softshells that provide a little more insulation for winter adventures in Mt Washington and Katahdin.

I'll need climber-friendly features like helmet-compatible hood, high chest pockets etc. Does anyone have suggestions that I can research?

try the OR Mithril Jacket (I don't know if its still manufactured but I have seen them around in stores still). I find the hood to be ample and it to be pretty warm. I've used it ice climbing, rok climbing nd in Nepal climbing.

http://www.backcountry.com/store/review ... esome-jack

This baby might do the trick:

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product ... 3345-0-950

I have last year's version, the Winter Guide. Very nice, but this one might be a touch better/warmer.
Good luck!

How about some of the Mammut soft shells. I purchased a jacket and pair of hybrid pants from Rick Wilcox at IME in North Conway that I really like. They often have several on sale in the basement as well.

To add to Brad's comments I would suggest looking at a Mammut Laser jacket and Castor (or Champ) pants.

Patagonia Mixmaster pants are the best winter soft shells I've used. Softshell with a lightweight fleece on the inside. Great for climbing and skiing.

What does your base layer consist of?

Fire4x4 wrote:What does your base layer consist of?

Capilene 2 shirt and Icebreaker 260, with Capilene 2 bottoms. Will probably get Icebreaker bottoms soon.

I've got Mammut Champs that I wore at Mt. Wheeler, Great Basin National Park, in late September 2009. While they did well during the day when I was moving, my personal experience is that they do not block wind very well. I wasn't wearing long underwear at the time (the temps were not too low until a front moved through late on the 28th), so maybe that would have made a difference - but I don't think so. So for New Hampshire's Mt. Washington, shouldn't something more windproof be considered?

Wisdom wrote:So for New Hampshire's Mt. Washington, shouldn't something more windproof be considered?

Many climbers today wear soft shells on the approach and throw their hard shells over top if it's windy or rainy. We do this on Mt. Washington in the winter just before we leave the treeline where the wind really picks up.

MH Torch or Dragon.

+1 for the dragon. Great jacket for only $250.

Kai wrote:Patagonia Mixmaster pants are the best winter soft shells I've used. Softshell with a lightweight fleece on the inside. Great for climbing and skiing.

The Mixmasters are great. I believe Patagonia replaced them with the Speed Ascent Pants.

I really like my Haglöfs Raptor jacket for that kind of things.

dskoon wrote:This baby might do the trick:

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product ... 3345-0-950

I have last year's version, the Winter Guide. Very nice, but this one might be a touch better/warmer.
Good luck!

I'll second this... was able to pick one of these up recently, very impressed. Only used it for skiing so far this winter, but it's warm, and is cut for climbing (slim fit, long arms, no unnecessary add-ons). Someone else was correct in saying this is the updated Mixmaster line.