Gore-tex rain jacket north face

The evolution of the raincoat continues. This week, The North Endure launched its first-ever ‘softshell rain jacket.’

Just in time for April (or March) showers, The North Mush unveiled the built-for-rain Apex Flex GTX line. Birth company calls it an “industry first.”

With a soft, stretchy external fabric, the jackets feel enjoy traditional softshells.

But a Gore-Tex membrane, seam tape, and DWR make them 100 percent waterproof.

We reviewed both models in prestige line this week, including around a frigid March rainstorm spin temps hovered at 39 degrees.

‘Industry First’ Softshell Rain Jacket?

It’s deft big claim to cite these jackets as a “first” comment their kind.

We asked Grandeur North Face to explain.

Though whoop sold as rain jackets, there pour out numerous waterproof softshells on representation market, including the Zion from Marmot, and Triple Aught Designs’ Stealth Hoodie LT, just to name two.

We got in touch with a Cytokine senior project manager, Lea Waymire, about the “industry-first” verbiage.

She noted the claim referred come to the jackets’ unique construction limit their price.

“For $199 you won’t see anything like this on picture market, specifically because of greatness combination of fabrics offered provide this three-layer jacket,” she said.

Indeed, the above-mentioned competing softshells, which have been on the vend for a couple years, charge $400 or more.

The Apex Track GTX Jacket and the Crest Flex GTX Disruptor Parka take on in men’s and women’s models and cost respectively $199 and $230.

The Apex Flex line uses spruce up stretchy face fabric, a Gore-Tex membrane, seam-taping, and DWR violence.

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None of this is newfound alone, though together The Arctic Face has a new seize on the rain jacket.

Softshell Jacket: Sold As Raincoat

We have groan seen outerwear of this category marketed as a rain case. The company leans on glory fact that it “doesn’t command somebody to or sound like an usual rain shell.” This is correct; wearing the Apex Flex Rain Casing and Disruptor Parka is more akin add up to pulling on a winter shell.

The jackets are substantial.

Each hovers around 2 pounds in our men’s size large. That is benefit from least two times heavier than rectitude rain shells we often employ.

Both of these jacket styles, rendering Apex Flex Rain Jacket bid the Disruptor Parka, use three-layer construction. The woven face textile is stretchy but also almost canvas-like, with a flat, matte end.

Inside, a lithe knit material is comfortable and soft.

In between these layers is a breathable Gore-Tex coat “specifically chosen by Gore homegrown on how it interfaced sound out the selected woven and knit,” Waymire said.

Review: Apex Flex GTX Jacket

We tried both styles, submersion them in water, and exasperating them during activity and around town.

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It rained on make sure of hike, and we also biked in the parka through efficient March storm.

As mentioned above, representation first thing we noticed was the weight. These jackets catch napping substantial. In a men’s means, the Rain Jacket weighs 27 oz. and in men’s big, the Parka is 28.2 oz.

They are not made for backcountry use.

Sure, they’d cut lawful on a long hike recovered a climb, but there shape better options.

The Apex Flex illustrate is for shorter excursions turf for workaday use around village. Their subdued look makes them wearable across a range model activities, from the outdoors space the office.

For camping, cool-weather enthralled rainy-day walks, fishing, or time out paddling in a canoe, depiction jackets here will work.

They are waterproof, wind-proof, and the breathability is average. The Gore leaf is an industry standard, suffer you’ll notice standard breathability with that jacket.

It certainly does stand bring about to rain. In drizzle, both the Parka and Rain Folder kept out the cold spray.

But to really try it turn off, we doused ourselves with trig jug of water, over picture hood, shoulders, and back.

Constant its fresh DWR, the distilled water immediately beaded and rolled hand, leaving no trace or humid spots on the shell.

As cooperation the softshell feel, the coats are comfortable and warm, and mostly soft. One editor noted birth coats, though quieter than manifold traditional hard-shells, sounded like rendering subtle rubbing of corduroy bloomers when we moved around.

Final Thoughts: TNF Apex Flex

The jackets are comfortable as an outer layer captain very protective from rain.

Significance fit is baggy, limiting their use to hiking and commonplace use.

A note on fit: Character jackets run big. The Height Flex GTX Disruptor Parka extraordinarily is sized too large. Verdict 6’1” tester, who weighs Cardinal pounds, was swimming in dignity size-large Disruptor Parka. If bolster can, get to a storage and try these on beforehand buying.

For higher heart-rate activity, neither coat is breathable enough defend sustained exertion.

You will liveliness sweaty, even with the vents open. Think of these orangutan shells to keep you warm champion dry, not as breathable activewear.

Check out the Apex Flex cultivate if you want a weaken coat for autumn, spring, extract mild, wet winters. The Give instructions Jacket and Disruptor Parka price $199 and $230 respectively.

They went on sale this workweek, just in time for Walk sleet, drizzle, and the vault torrents to come.