Every year, technical shells get lighter, more breathable, and more tricked-out with clever features. This year’s bunch represent a banner year in all departments: Designers have come up with stellar options in pretty much every corner of the category, whether you want a superlight, waterproof shell or a fully featured, alpine-ready shield. These ten women’s technical shells impressed testers enough to rise to the top of the pile.
The Winners at a Glance: Hardshells
Best Backup Rain Shell: Salewa Pedroc 2.5L PTX Light Jacket
Best Lightweight Backpacking Shell: Outdoor Vitals Tushar Rain Jacket
Best All-Arounder: Norrona Senja Gore-Tex Active Jacket
Most Comfortable: Columbia Mazama Trail Rain Shell
Most Stylish: Cotopaxi Cielo Rain Trench
Most Bombproof: Maloja TolpeiM
The Winners at a Glance: Softshells
Editor’s Choice: Crazy Jacket Fly
Best For Trail Running: Montane Featherlite
Most Luxurious Softshell: Mountain Equipment Aerotherm
Best Lined Softshell: Patagonia R1 Cross Strata Hoody
How We Test
Number of Testers: 36
Number of Jackets Tested: 40
Number of Miles Hiked, Biked, and Run: 1,117
Highest Elevation…
