Most people buying their first proper jacket end up with the wrong one, not because they bought a bad jacket, but because they bought the wrong type for what they actually do. Softshell and hardshell get used almost interchangeably in shops and on websites, and they're not the same thing at all. Here's how to tell them apart and which one earns a place in your kit bag.
What a softshell actually is
A softshell is built for movement first and weather resistance second. It's usually a stretchy, brushed or woven fabric with some wind resistance and a water-repellent finish on the surface, but it isn't fully waterproof. Rain will bead off it for a while, then start soaking through.
What you get in return is breathability and freedom of movement that a hardshell can't match. Softshells flex with you, vent heat well, and generally feel more like clothing than armour. That makes them the right call for high-output days: fast hillwalking, running, climbing where you're moving hard enough to generate your own heat and don't want a stiff shell holding you back.
What a hardshell actually is
A hardshell is a fully waterproof, seam-taped membrane built to keep weather out completely, not just slow it down. That's the whole job. It won't breathe as freely as a softshell and it won't move with your body in the same way, because it's not trying to. It's trying to keep you dry when the weather turns properly bad.
The Fellguard is built this way on purpose: three-layer construction, taped seams throughout, and a hydrostatic head rating of 20,000mm, independently tested by SGS rather than just claimed on the label. That's the difference between something that resists rain and something that stops it.
The real test: when do you need which
Ignore the marketing copy and ask yourself one question: what happens if you get properly rained on for two hours?
If the answer is "I'll dry off eventually and it's not a big deal," a softshell is doing its job fine. Short days, fast movement, showery weather you can walk through.
If the answer is "I'm on an exposed ridge, hours from the car, and getting soaked through is a real problem," that's a hardshell situation. Sustained rain, wind-driven weather, or any day where getting wet isn't just uncomfortable but actually risky, that's what a hardshell is for.
Can you get away with just one
If you only own one jacket, make it a hardshell. You can always vent it, unzip it, or layer light underneath on a fast-moving day. What you can't do is make a softshell waterproof when the weather turns on you three hours from anywhere.
That's the whole logic behind the Fellguard Hardshell: one jacket that does the job when it actually matters, rather than something that only works until the weather gets serious.
Softshell vs hardshell FAQs
What is the main difference between a softshell and a hardshell?
A softshell prioritises breathability, stretch and comfort. A hardshell prioritises waterproof and windproof protection through a membrane or coating and taped seams.
Is a softshell fully waterproof?
Usually not. It can handle wind and light showers, but prolonged or wind-driven rain calls for a properly seam-taped waterproof hardshell.
Which jacket should you buy first?
If you need one jacket for unpredictable UK hill weather, a hardshell is the safer first purchase. Add a softshell later for dry, active days when breathability matters more than complete rain protection.