Lightest stretch-woven softshell with a helmet-compatible hood?

I'm looking for a lightweight stretch-woven softshell that has a hood that fits easily over a helmet. Something stretchier and more robust than my Houdini windshirt, but less than the typical ~20oz I see for fully featured climbing softshells that are stretch-woven (e.g. Rab Scimitar, NW Alpine Fast and Light jacket, etc).

If you don't know what stretch-woven means (as opposed to membrane), please don't respond.

I really like the look of the OR Ferrosi hoody, but haven't been able to try one on and the interwebs reviewers suggest it has a close cut and wouldn't fit over a helmet.

Edited for clarity

jaredj wrote: I really like the look of the OR Ferrosi hoody, but haven't been able to try one on and the interwebs reviewers suggest it has a close cut and wouldn't fit over a hood.

Is that a typo and you wanted to say helmet instead of hood? If so, I fit mine over my helmet all the time.

Here is a video of a guy with his Ferrosi over his helmet starting at 1:20.

vimeo.com/19746428

Yeah, the Ferrosi hood fits over a helmet, and I really like it. When mine is trashed I would happily buy another, at full retail even!

Thanks for clearing that up, fellas.

Anyone have suggested alternatives that compete with the Ferrosi?

i got an OR whirlwind hoody for my Red rocks trip (sierra trading post)...held up well. Also GoLite used to have and might still have some great softshell jackets

i have the ferrosi pants - and frankly they are a purely summer weight pant - not sure the windshirt would add much warmth if its a chilly wind. That said they have been climbed in for going two years now on granite and though pilled, do not have holes

I have two ferrosi hoodies. Those jackets are the shit and my go to spring/summer-fall alpine climbing and ski touring jacket. The hood does fit over a helmet even on my giant sputnik head.

The Alpine Start Hoody looks like a fine piece as well.

You also might want to look into the Marmot Tempo which is a bit heavier than the ferrosi but with larger hood and harness compatible pockets and long sleeves. I wear the tempo when it's too cold/windy for the ferrosi but not cold enough for a laminated softy.

edit: I think the tempo may have been discontinued but the estes hoody looks to be the same exact piece

Thanks, guys. I hadn't seen that BD Alpine Start before - googling reveals that the backpackinglight crew have splooged themselves over it. That looks more like what I was seeking, anyhoo - I don't need a bunch of pockets.

Anyone know what denier the OR Ferrosi fabric is? I didn't see it on their site.

I love the Marmot tempo hoody. Cheap as heck, light, super stretchy and breathable. I can wear it for pretty much anything.

rei.com/product/863418/?cm_…;marmot-tempo-soft-shell-hoodie-jacket-mens-2013-closeout,-cinder&preferredSku=8634180005&mr:trackingCode=FFC1F95F-1D9B-E311-90E9-BC305BF82162&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=48416353360&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=54580647400&msid=GBQlfHsd_dc|pcrid|48416353360|

I have a Ferrosi hoody and like it a lot. Fabric is Cordura and heavier weight than BD hoody (likely more durable). That said, the handwarmer pockets are useless under a harness. If you want the lightest, the BD is your best bet, but the Ferrosi is a great all-around piece.

Rab Boreas pullover is a very light stretch woven softshell.

Not as water/wind resistant as others, but super light and breathable.

Kai Larson wrote:Rab Boreas pullover is a very light stretch woven softshell. Not as water/wind resistant as others, but super light and breathable.

Yeah, that looks like a good option. I've got some other Rab pieces and their cut generally works with my frame.

I'd prefer something with a hood designed to fit over a helmet; the Boreas is marketed as (and looks like) an under-helmet design.

Brian Abram wrote:BD Alpine Start Hoody

My roommate picked up this piece recently, I am pretty impressed with the quality of it. Has more stretch than the Ferrosi material and appears to be similar in durability.

I have a Ferrosi Windshirt (no hood) and have been considering the hoodie. I really like the material, though it doesn't breath well. Durable beyond anything else I have used and repels light rain.

jaredj wrote: Yeah, that looks like a good option. I've got some other Rab pieces and their cut generally works with my frame. I'd prefer something with a hood designed to fit over a helmet; the Boreas is marketed as (and looks like) an under-helmet design.

It will work over a helmet, particularly something lower profile like a Petzl Meteor, but works best under a helmet.

Kai Larson wrote: It will work over a helmet, particularly something lower profile like a Petzl Meteor, but works best under a helmet.

Oh cool - good to know! My local REI has an Alpine Start. I tried it on over my Elios helmet. It did OK if not zipped all the way up; definitely not as good a fit as one usually sees on the fully-featured softshells (I have a Rab Scimitar which fits great, and for a few years had a Gamma MX which also fit quite well).

Seems like these ultralight softshells / stretchy windshirts are probably all gonna have a relatively trim hood design since light weight is usually a defining characteristic of them.

jaredj wrote: Oh cool - good to know! My local REI has an Alpine Start. I tried it on over my Elios helmet.

Finaly got my hands on this piece, it's nice, but I wouldn't call it a softshell.

Stretchy? yes.

Breathable as a stretch woven softy? Highly unlikely.

It looks as if the B.D.V. is BDs light weight softy.

Yeah, it's hard to get a sense of the breathability. This BPL thread provides measurements someone has concocted of CFM, a measure of breathability as I understand. It compares the Alpine Start to other windshirts, not other stretch wovens softshells.

For reference, I own Rab's Scimitar , a pretty breathable stretch-woven. Rab's specs claim a CFM air permeability rating of 3-5 (note this is a different scale than what the BPL guys are using, not sure why). By contrast, the report for the Rab Boreas a CFM value range of 8-10. So qualitatively, comparing just their offerings, the Boreas looks more breathable than their other lightweight stretch-woven offering.

To the extent that the BPL boys and girls seem to think that the Alpine Start is on the more breathable end of windshirts (specifically, far more breathable than the Boreas), I'm willing to conclude that it is at least in the ballpark of breathability of a stretch-woven (if not moreso).

I realize that these comparisons are assuming all sorts of transitivity properties of these measurements that don't exist; it's simply my rough justice of trying to get a handle on roughly the differences.

Super impressed with my recently purchased RAB Boreas. It fits over my Petzl Meteor ok, but I'd probably just wear it under.

Currently working in the Zagros Mountains (safety cover for seismic survey) and one of the other mountaineers on the crew has had a RAB Zephyr rab.uk.com/products/mens-cl… (same fabric apart from the shoulders & outer arms) for well over a year now and is also massively impressed. It still looks great after 100+ days wear. It might be a better option if thumb loops matter or you prefer and jacket to the pullover.

I know it's not really 'stretch woven' but the Pertex Equilibrium RAB Alpine might also be worth looking at.
rab.uk.com/products/mens-cl…
The Rab® Alpine Jacket sits somewhere between a full on lined, insulated, soft shell jacket and ultra light wind-shirts, It really does offer the best of both worlds - especially in milder conditions.

The OR Ferrosi gets a lot of recommendations but I think the hood is a deal breaker. Counter to what has been said, it is not helmet compatible. The hood can be stretched over a helmet but it is movement limiting.

Mammut Go-Far?
mammut.ch/en/productDetail/…

I have the women's version and it is possibly the best piece of clothing I have every owned. Unfortunately I don't think it would go over the helmet but under it...