The softshell jacket is a revolutionary concept in outdoor wear. It’s not a full waterproof jacket- while waterproofs are great for cutting out the wind and keeping the rain off, they are usually not very breathable. That means that they get sweaty when people wear them while doing physical work. Feeling damp and sweaty inside a jacket is just as bad as getting dampness coming through from the outside, so they aren’t ideal as workwear. A full waterproof can also be noisy.

Every time the wearer moves, the stiff outer makes a sound. That can be irritating to those who have to wear the jacket all day every day.

Fleeces, on the other hand, are very breathable so they won’t feel sweaty, but they don’t cut out the wind and they wet through very quickly even in a brief shower. A middle way was needed and that’s why designers came up with the softshell jacket. They are warm and fleecy on the inside, but on the outside they are water resistant and windproof. The smooth outer layer gives them a look that’s slightly neater than the average fleece and a lot more durable.

Softshell garments took the outdoor world by storm. They’re now much loved by mountaineers, cold-weather hill walkers, horse riders, and almost everyone else who spends time outdoors in chilly or damp weather (something the UK has more than its fair share of). It’s not just the outdoor sports community that loves softshells either. They make a great step up from ordinary work fleeces.

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This guest blog post is written by Webmaster of krowmarkworkwear.com, offering Workwear and work fleeces services!