ShanghaiJune 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the consumer trends of outdoor living and regular exercise continue to heat up, softshell apparel, with its core advantages of lightweight design, high flexibility, and all-weather adaptability, has become one of the fastest-growing segments in the global outdoor apparel market, propelling the industry into a phase of rapid expansion. According to data from Bosson Research, the global softshell apparel market reached a size of $1.99 billion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.25%. Meanwhile, domestic consumer discussions about softshells have surged by 136% year-over-year, far outpacing hardshells and rain jackets. However, behind this rapid market expansion, the domestic softshell industry has long faced numerous issues, including a lack of standard systems, blurred category boundaries, misaligned consumer perceptions, and inflated product parameters. The industry as a whole is in a chaotic stage of “wild growth” and disorderly development.
As the global pioneer of the softshell category, MAMMUT developed the world’s first softshell pants back in 1984, laying the foundation for the product prototype and technical basis of modern softshell apparel. Building on this, MAMMUT has established a scientific softshell performance evaluation method centered on wind resistance, water repellency, elasticity, and breathability. This method clearly distinguishes the different characteristics of softshell and hardshell categories, providing consumers with a transparent and reliable reference for rational purchasing, and steering the softshell track from chaos toward a more professional and clearer development direction.
The usage mindset for rain jackets in outdoor scenarios is growing day by day
Dispelling Misconceptions and Consumption Errors, Standardizing the Evaluation Logic of the Softshell Industry
As the softshell market rapidly expands, the issue of blurred category boundaries is becoming increasingly prominent. A large number of products are arbitrarily labeled as “softshells,” with ordinary items like fleece windbreakers, padded jackets, and windproof jackets calling themselves “softshell rain jackets,” leading to a proliferation of “knockoff softshells.” These “knockoff softshells” generally lack the core outdoor performance that professional softshells should have. Additionally, different brands have their own definitions, functional boundaries, and technical indicators for softshells, reducing the term to a marketing label for businesses to attract traffic and inflate prices using outdoor concepts. This makes it difficult for consumers to form a unified judgment, often leading to the mistaken purchase of non-professional apparel.
Furthermore, the differences between softshell and hardshell categories are a major source of consumer misunderstanding. A common cognitive bias in current outdoor consumption is viewing softshells as a “low-end version of hardshells,” using hardshell core indicators—such as ultra-high abrasion resistance and high-pressure waterproofing—as the criteria for evaluating softshell quality. According to MAMMUT’s scientific evaluation method, a softshell refers to outdoor clothing made from fabrics with wind resistance, water repellency, elasticity, and breathability. It can be categorized by fabric into laminated composite fabrics and non-laminated fabrics, with technical indicators covering dimensions like stretch, snagging, abrasion resistance, warmth, water repellency, breathability, wind resistance, and tear strength. However, not all indicators are equally important; wind resistance, water repellency, elasticity (stretch), and breathability (moisture vapor transmission) are the core indicators for softshells.
Category differences stem from varying usage scenarios: hardshells excel in extreme environments with high waterproofing, high abrasion resistance, and strong tear resistance, making them suitable for harsh conditions like rainstorms, snow, climbing with high friction, and intense off-road activities. Softshells, on the other hand, offer more value in dynamic activities through their breathability, moisture-wicking ability, and wearing flexibility, making them ideal for most scenarios such as hiking, cycling, skiing, and urban commuting. Their design intent is to address the drawbacks of hardshell fabrics—stiffness, restricted movement, poor breathability, and a tendency to trap heat and sweat during dynamic activity—focusing on “adequate protection, dynamic adaptability, and maximum comfort.”
However, it should be noted that the usage scenarios for softshells and hardshells are not entirely separate but overlap significantly. Experienced outdoor enthusiasts often choose high-performance softshells for outdoor activities like regular snow mountain climbs and long-distance hikes. This also confirms the core purchasing logic for outdoor gear: there is no absolutely universal equipment, only precise matching of performance and scenarios. Applying this logic to softshell product selection, whether for outdoor scenarios or urban commuting, softshell products never provide the extreme protection comparable to hardshells, but rather a comprehensive balance of protection, breathability, comfort, and flexibility during dynamic movement.
MAMMUT Ultimate VIII
Behind the market chaos and cognitive misconceptions lies the absence of unified industry standards. Without clear and standardized performance definitions, a large number of pseudo-softshells flood the market. When purchasing, consumers also tend to focus one-sidedly on hard numerical values like waterproofing and abrasion resistance, ignoring actual wearing experience, and judging product quality solely based on single numerical highs. Facing this industry situation, MAMMUT has proactively organized core evaluation indicators, which not only systematically summarizes its own product system but also provides a reference technical path for the standardized development of the softshell industry.
Rebuilding the Evaluation System: Four Core Dimensions to Redefine the True Value Standard of Softshells
The softshell evaluation system established by MAMMUT identifies wind resistance, water repellency, elasticity (stretch), and breathability (moisture vapor transmission) as the four core dimensions. Simply put, wind resistance and water repellency form the basic threshold for softshell protective performance, essential for a qualified product; elasticity (stretch) and breathability (moisture vapor transmission) determine the product’s upper limit and reflect its core value.
Wind resistance is the basic protective attribute of a softshell. Through dense weaving or composite membrane layer structures, softshell fabrics effectively block the wind chill effect, maintain a stable microclimate on the body surface, and prevent heat loss caused by cold wind penetration. In strong wind environments such as high mountains and open areas, wind resistance directly determines the wearer’s thermal comfort and exercise endurance.
Water repellency is the basic ability of a softshell to cope with changing weather. Through DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating treatment, softshell fabrics can resist light rain and snow for a short period, keeping the outer layer dry. It should be clarified that water repellency is not waterproofing; the positioning of a softshell is not to withstand continuous heavy rain but to provide moderate climate buffering during dynamic activities.
Elasticity (stretch) is one of the core features distinguishing softshells from hardshells and is a key guarantee for dynamic movement. Stretch fabrics allow the material to extend and rebound with body movements, reducing movement resistance and fabric constraint. For scenarios requiring large movements like rock climbing, skiing, and mountaineering, elasticity directly affects the completion of technical actions and the wearer’s body control.
Breathability (moisture vapor transmission) is the core barrier of high-performance softshells. During high-intensity exercise, the human body can expel hundreds of grams of sweat per hour. If the fabric’s breathability is insufficient, sweat will condense inside the clothing, causing stuffiness, stickiness, and even potentially leading to hypothermia in low-temperature environments. High-breathability fabrics, through microporous structures or hydrophilic molecular chains, quickly wick moisture vapor to the outer layer for evaporation, keeping the body surface dry. This performance is particularly crucial during sustained dynamic activities and is the technical foundation of the softshell’s dynamic comfort advantage.
The four core dimensions established by MAMMUT are not just theoretical frameworks but are embedded in the complete chain of its product development and technological iteration. From fabric structure to finished product design, the four indicators of wind resistance, water repellency, elasticity, and breathability form the underlying coordinates for MAMMUT’s softshell product development, also supporting its product matrix covering different scenario needs.
Full Scenario Coverage: A Complete Product Matrix from Professional Mountain to Urban Commuting
In 1984, MAMMUT developed the first softshell alpine pants, perfectly solving the problems of stiffness, stuffiness, and restricted movement in traditional outdoor pants. For the first time, it opened up a new outdoor apparel track of “dynamic comfort protection” outside the hardshell protection system, marking the transition of softshells from concept validation to commercialization. Over the following four decades, the brand has continuously iterated its softshell product line, forming a complete product matrix covering 3L (three-layer laminated composite softshell), 2L (two-layer material softshell), and 1L (single-layer material softshell), covering all scenarios from professional outdoor to urban commuting.
Among the three-layer laminated products, the Ultimate Comfort and Ultimate VIII represent MAMMUT’s advanced technical level, combining outstanding core performance in wind resistance, water repellency, elasticity, and breathability. They can handle high-intensity mountain outdoor activities with changeable weather while meeting the comfortable wearing needs of daily urban commuting.
The Ultimate Comfort uses the brand’s self-developed Mammut FLEXGUARD Protect three-layer composite fabric. High-twist yarn combined with a woven dense structure significantly enhances durability, and the fabric is treated with PFC-free DWR water repellency, performing excellently overall in wind resistance, water repellency, breathability, elasticity, and durability. Its outer layer uses soft, durable recycled polyamide fabric with added spandex for enhanced elasticity; the inner layer uses a blend of recycled polyester and wool, which is skin-friendly, moisture-absorbing, soft, and comfortable, further enhancing breathability, moisture-wicking, and elastic feel.
Close-up of Ultimate Comfort product
The Ultimate VIII is a rare knitted process softshell on the market. Its outer layer uses high-density recycled polyester warp-knitted fabric, which is softer, more elastic, comfortable, and breathable, allowing unrestricted large movements with a soft, skin-friendly feel without a “plastic” sensation. The middle layer features a GORE-TEX® WINDSTOPPER® ePE windproof microporous membrane, efficiently blocking wind while achieving high breathability. Thanks to the uniform tension of the knitted base, it is less prone to delamination after long-term washing. The inner layer is an open 3D three-dimensional knitted backing, which uses three-dimensional gaps to separate from the skin, preventing the membrane from sticking or feeling stuffy when sweating. The entire structure balances freedom of movement, all-weather protection, and wearing comfort.
Close-up of Ultimate VIII product
This product has undergone seven iterations. The latest 8th generation uses a PFC-free ePE membrane provided for the first time by GORE-TEX LABS, extending the garment’s lifespan while reducing its carbon footprint, reflecting the brand’s long-term commitment to sustainable development.
Iteration history of the Ultimate series
Additionally, MAMMUT has built a complete line of two-layer and single-layer softshell products to meet different exercise intensities and scenario needs. The 2L two-layer non-membrane softshell retains basic protection like wind resistance and water repellency while further enhancing stretch comfort and breathability efficiency, making it suitable for seasonal transitions and moderate-intensity outdoor activities. Representative products like the Macun 2.0 and Hikers series have consistently received positive market feedback for their balanced performance. The 1L single-layer softshell focuses on lightweight design and breathability, targeting daily commuting and entry-level outdoor scenarios. The Granite and Comfort Jacket, with their high elasticity and excellent water repellency, have become the first softshell for many outdoor enthusiasts. From professional flagships to entry-level essentials, MAMMUT’s full-matrix softshell products achieve “precise scenario matching and performance tailored to needs,” making scientific purchasing evidence-based.
MAMMUT: From Softshell Pioneer to Consensus Driver
Originating from the Alps, MAMMUT is a classic outdoor brand with a 164-year history. Deeply rooted in alpine genes, the brand consistently adheres to the development philosophy of safety, professionalism, and sustainability, and has completed a full-category professional layout around diverse scenarios such as alpine climbing, rock climbing, hiking, trail running, and skiing.
In the specific track of softshells, MAMMUT has accumulated over 40 years of professional R&D and practical experience. Leveraging vast data and continuous technological iteration, it has built a scientific and complete softshell performance evaluation system. MAMMUT not only anchors its own hardcore professional positioning but is also committed to clarifying market chaos, helping users rationally distinguish product quality, and providing consumers with clear purchasing references.
When outdoor consumption sheds its superficiality and returns to its roots, standing on technology and deeply cultivating categories is the long-term answer MAMMUT writes for the entire outdoor industry—using products and evaluation methods that stand up to scrutiny to ensure truly good softshells are seen and trusted.