Black Diamond Highline Stretch

Most versatile shell

Brand: Black Diamond Equipment

Model: Highline Stretch



Our take Want a hardshell that you can wear with confidence in any season? The Highline Stretch has the breathability for rainy bike rides, the protection for stormy hikes, and the durability for backcountry ski sessions. Thoughtful, effective features also contribute to its chameleon quality: The hood fits over ski, bike, and climbing helmets; the long-cut sleeves and hem defied drips when we were hunched over a mountain bike; and the cut accommodates insulation without being too baggy for summer wear.

The details The proprietary three-layer material, aided by pit zips, kept up with our sweatiest testers: “Even while I was carrying a 60-pound pack in Olympic National Park, it didn’t swamp out,” one tester notes. Chest and high hand pockets fit an iPhone XR and snacks.

$299; 12.7 oz.; m’s S-XL, w’s XS-XL

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