Soft shell clothing is more windproof than fleece clothing and more breathable than waterproof clothing. Its windproofness, stretch and durability makes soft shell ideal for use in the mountains but ‘soft shell’ is a broad term, covering everything from featherweight fabrics to burly and butch ones so it can be a bit confusing. Here’s some things to look out for.

Waterproof clothing is deceptively complex: while it’s easy to make something waterproof it isn’t so easy to make it comfortable to wear. With terms like hydrostatic head, breathability, MVTR, RET, PFCs and DWRs there is a whole host of unhelpful jargon about waterproofs. This guide will cut through that and tell you what you really need to know.

Incredibly versatile, whether you are climbing hard routes in the Greater Ranges or recovering from a tough day out, your favourite fleece can go with you anywhere. But there’s more to a fleece than just the fluff it’s made from, and here we’ll show you what to look out for.