Marmot Corsair

Breathability Designers used a mix-and-match approach to fabrics, putting more protection where you need it (the front, hood, and arms) and less where you don’t (the back). Result? The Marmot Corsair delivers above-average breathability compared to softshells that have similar protection on the front. It worked great on light- (or no-) load days, but wearing a large pack compromises the airflow. “I built up sweat on my lower back on a sunny spring snowshoe trip,” one tester says. It dried quickly.

Protection The windproof frontside fabric is not waterproof, but even after months of use, the shell withstood two hours of drizzle without leaking or wetting out.

Fit Highly elastic fabric (21 percent stretch polyurethane on the front, 14 percent elastane on the back) means there’s no restriction of movement. Bottom line: You get a lot of jacket for the weight and price. m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL