Gear Review: Outdoor Research Salvo Softshell
Mediating breathability and weather-proofing, the Salvo does exactly what a softshell is supposed to.
[all-purpose]
Climbing hard in snow and wind through rough terrain? You need a tough outer layer that delivers a balance between weather resistance and breathability. You need a classic softshell. Enter the Salvo. One tester used the hooded jacket to bootpack up 1,000-foot pitches in Wyoming’s Tetons and reports no overheating, thanks to the breathable Gore Windstopper X-Fast fabric. Yet two hours of sleety flurries in 30°F temps didn’t wet through the densely woven exterior. Six pockets (three exterior, three interior) stash sunscreen and snacks or skinny skins. Zipped, the high collar protects the neck and chin from ripping wind, and the sculpted hood creates a tight seal around the face. “Even in strong gusts, the hood doesn’t flap,” says our tester. $259; 1 lb. 5 oz. (w’s M); m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; outdoorresearch.com