In reply to UKC Gear:
I bought one for last winter. I'll second the comments in favour of the cut. And the observation the reviewer makes that you feel completely sealed off from the weather is very true.
What is most remarkable is that the shell encompasses you without bagging if worn over a simple base layer, yet will take 3 or 4 layers beneath without constricting. The fit is nothing short of superb
But...
I don't find it as breathable as my previous Proshell jacket, a trusty Marmot item that I hope is seeing good use with a fellow UKCer I passed it on to. This might be down to the sizing as I have switched from a snowboarder's baggy L to a climber's M. And the cut is very fitted.
Less convincing is the durability. Mine already has two tears from contact with the rock. Both are minor and in the less rugged of the two fabrics, but the old Marmot which weighed exactly the same never ripped in several years of use. ME take note please.
Another thought for ME to ponder: the hood is wonderful but the adjusters are hidden between the fabric layers and are rather fiddly to adjust. That's with bare hands. Put gloves on and you simply lack the required dexterity to adjust. I understand you might want to avoid elastic and toggles flapping about and getting caught on gear but who wants to take their gloves off in a hoolie to adjust their hood?
With its excellent cut, highly breathable Gore-Tex Pro fabric, bombproof toughness and super-spacious hood, Dan Bailey struggles to find a bad word to say about this 'serious, stripped-back technical shell'.
