I'm looking into getting a nice shell - either soft or hard.
I'm just a little confused.
Background:
I live in NY so I mostly hike in the catskills. This winter I will be making a few winter hikes in the White Mountains as training for a spring 2012 trip to Rainier. So, any shell I buy I want to be good enough for Rainier and beyond.
I just have a few questions-
If it is not windy or precipitating do you hike with a hard shell? As far as I can tell they are mainly to stop wind and rain/snow. Am I correct on this? So, does it make sense to spend money on a really nice hard shell that you might not use that much? Do you overheat more wearing a hardshell vs softshell? If it is 20 degrees without wind or rain would you be hiking in a Hard Shell?
Or
Is it better to get a nice soft shell? One that has good breathing qualities but might be wind/water resistant, but not wind/waterproof. On top of this I can use my Marmot precip jacket that does not breath at all and feels like I am walking around wearing a garbage bag.
What would you guys recommend? I want to buy the right item first. Will both jackets keep me warm?
I have two jackets in minds. I already purchased both of them with the intention of returning one. I got them on sale with free shipping so I figured it made sense. I bought an Outdoor Research Mentor Jacket and an Outdoor Research Alibi Jacket. Which do you think is better? Are these jackets too much for what I am doing?
Any help would be appreciated.