Condor Soft Shell Review
Posted 11-28-2010 at 08:46 PM by Carnival
Maker: Condor Outdoor Tactical
Model: *602: SUMMIT Soft Shell Jacket
Store: Airsoftgi
Cost: $85.00
Shipping: UPS Ground $15.33 (8 days from California)
Cost with Shipping: $100.33 (free shipping with order over $100.00 before shipping cost)
Link: http://www.condoroutdoor.com/602_Soft_Shell_Jacket.aspx
Size: Large
Color: Black
I've had my Soft Shell for 3 months now and I find it to be incredibly useful. The inside is lined with micro-fleece and is comparable to a Northface jacket. The outside is wind and water proof. It features a convenient zippered compartment for the hood which can be drawn closed with pulls. The two large front pockets are big enough to accommodate a glock 17 or 2 M16 mags. The two sleeve pockets are lined and can hold a Black Berry storm or Iphone as well as a tactical Light or other small item. The main advantage of this jacket is the ventilation system in the arms pits and lower back. The vents make it comfortable to wear in 60 degree weather. The jacket itself is the warmest winter jacket I've ever worn. I've worn Spider, Northface and Columbia Sportswear, this easily beats all of them. At double whammy I recently got to test the jacket in "combat" situations. Nothing on the jacket was ripped, torn or otherwise damaged. All that happened was a minimal amount of dirt on it. I felt very comfortable wearing it. It made my Pantac Wasatch fit better as well as provided extra padding to my shoulders, relieving fatigue. The main side pockets were also easily accessible even while wearing my Wasatch. On a side note, when struck with bb's a loud pop was given off, similar to the sound of bb's striking a hydration carrier. I consider this a plus,making it easier to identify hits.
The only down side to this jacket is sizing, care, and the zipper toggles. The plastic zipper toggles on the two main compartments will break off. Mine already have. Nothing that paracord can't fix. To wash this jacket you need to use Dry Powdered Detergent in cold water. Hot water will make the jacket shrink. Liquid detergent won't clean the jacket well enough to my standards. The sizing is the biggest issue as I am 6 foot 150 pounds and a Large sized jacket barely reached my belt. I do not have a long torso either. The sleeves reach just enough as of now. You would need to order a size bigger than a standard jacket or hoodie you normally wear.
Pros: Soft, Comfortable to wear. Versatile. Adjustable. Warm.
Cons: Plastic Zipper Pulls break easily. Double zipper can come off of tracks. Dry Detergent only. Sizing is tight.
Model: *602: SUMMIT Soft Shell Jacket
Store: Airsoftgi
Cost: $85.00
Shipping: UPS Ground $15.33 (8 days from California)
Cost with Shipping: $100.33 (free shipping with order over $100.00 before shipping cost)
Link: http://www.condoroutdoor.com/602_Soft_Shell_Jacket.aspx
Size: Large
Color: Black
I've had my Soft Shell for 3 months now and I find it to be incredibly useful. The inside is lined with micro-fleece and is comparable to a Northface jacket. The outside is wind and water proof. It features a convenient zippered compartment for the hood which can be drawn closed with pulls. The two large front pockets are big enough to accommodate a glock 17 or 2 M16 mags. The two sleeve pockets are lined and can hold a Black Berry storm or Iphone as well as a tactical Light or other small item. The main advantage of this jacket is the ventilation system in the arms pits and lower back. The vents make it comfortable to wear in 60 degree weather. The jacket itself is the warmest winter jacket I've ever worn. I've worn Spider, Northface and Columbia Sportswear, this easily beats all of them. At double whammy I recently got to test the jacket in "combat" situations. Nothing on the jacket was ripped, torn or otherwise damaged. All that happened was a minimal amount of dirt on it. I felt very comfortable wearing it. It made my Pantac Wasatch fit better as well as provided extra padding to my shoulders, relieving fatigue. The main side pockets were also easily accessible even while wearing my Wasatch. On a side note, when struck with bb's a loud pop was given off, similar to the sound of bb's striking a hydration carrier. I consider this a plus,making it easier to identify hits.
The only down side to this jacket is sizing, care, and the zipper toggles. The plastic zipper toggles on the two main compartments will break off. Mine already have. Nothing that paracord can't fix. To wash this jacket you need to use Dry Powdered Detergent in cold water. Hot water will make the jacket shrink. Liquid detergent won't clean the jacket well enough to my standards. The sizing is the biggest issue as I am 6 foot 150 pounds and a Large sized jacket barely reached my belt. I do not have a long torso either. The sleeves reach just enough as of now. You would need to order a size bigger than a standard jacket or hoodie you normally wear.
Pros: Soft, Comfortable to wear. Versatile. Adjustable. Warm.
Cons: Plastic Zipper Pulls break easily. Double zipper can come off of tracks. Dry Detergent only. Sizing is tight.
Total Comments 16
Comments
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Ditch the plastic zipper pulls and use 550 cord to make new ones
Posted 11-29-2010 at 12:49 PM by Clark 
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Clark, I've done that. It's awesome.
Posted 11-29-2010 at 01:51 PM by Son of Liberty
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Clark already did.
Posted 11-29-2010 at 04:10 PM by Carnival
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I love my softshell so much, I got a medium and tested it on a week long canoe trip in minnesota and it help up great!
Also like you said its great in combat with the vents an everything, the only problem I've had was the zipper pulls hahaPosted 11-29-2010 at 05:00 PM by Tactical Ginger
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Yeah, the zippers are really the only weakpoint of the jacket. Everything else is great.
Posted 11-29-2010 at 07:17 PM by knightmare
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Wow, we have those.
Posted 11-29-2010 at 10:25 PM by Evil Head
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I got mine a week before I found out you had your's in.. .. .
Posted 11-29-2010 at 10:49 PM by Carnival
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Or you could get a real soft shell for the same price at any ski shops pre or poat season sale without zippers that break off. I got a north face soft shell for 45 bucks mid season from REI last year. OD, big pockets, absolutly no problems with length... Especially if you want a black one, its hella easy to find cheap ones of established outdoor brands. My brother also picked up an OD session shell for 85 that has braved 20° weather up on the mountain.
Posted 12-01-2010 at 11:06 AM by hkrazy
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How are these not "real" soft shells? Because they don't have a designer outdoor-fashion label?
Posted 12-01-2010 at 01:35 PM by Locutus
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"I've worn Spider, Northface and Columbia Sportswear, this easily beats all of them."
Maybe I should elaborate that. I've owned a Columbia Sportswear Rain Shell and a Northface Jacket. I wore them in conjunction when I visited Alaska, over the course of the summer the temperature ranged from 25-60 F. Both jackets sufficed in that range although I could still feel the wind. It wasn't until the boat ride on Glacier National Park that I began to freeze my *** off. Now that temperature was only around 10-25 since it was summer and overcast. But using that experience to compare it to how it feels to wear my soft shell while spending time at the hockey rink. (25 on ice, about 30ish off, no wind.) I can say that I felt more comfortable wearing the softshell in like conditions than I've felt in past "like" conditions. By no means is this scientific at all. I'm gauging how well a jacket works based on memories of being cold. So take it for what it is and decided for yourself, I'm not here to persuade you or get you to buy one. I am just sharing my opinion and experience with the Soft Shell.
In regards to the zipper pulls. The zippers work flawlessly, it's just 2 of the pockets have a plastic thermal mold on them attached to para cord then tied to the zippers. So when the plastic molds fall off you just simply re-tie the para cord strands.
Also I've seen Patagonia "Soft Shells" that are little more than wind breakers with a label and $150 price tag on it.
Also the realistic price range for these is around $85 dollars or less if you buy from local airsoft stores. I was just stupid in that regard.
And in a childish statement. "But it has Velcro on the sleeves!"Posted 12-01-2010 at 03:04 PM by Carnival
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@Locutus: Its one of those fights that could go on for ages. Just as we always argue Eagle vs Condor, ski junkies like myself argue Mountain Hardware vs Columbia. One is definitely cheaper for a reason. Im just trying to point out that that the same thing is happening here, except they are the same price. The only real perk theses have are the velcro.
@OP: Those padagonia soft shells are worth the 150 dollars though- they may be skimpy but they do the sane job that a normal shell would do. Thats the way my mountain hardware shell is. The material is hella thin with a light fleece layer, but it keeps me warm at 30° with wind.
Im not saying this is a bad shell, i am saying that you can get name brand ones for the same price that are time tested. Even the 5.11 shell is only 100 dollars.Posted 12-01-2010 at 03:52 PM by hkrazy
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Sounds like you need to layer better. :PQuote:I could still feel the wind.
Posted 12-02-2010 at 09:53 AM by mr_kong
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I've been wearing mine for what is approaching two years now in winter/heavy rain conditions both on campus and airsoft events. I've shoveled snow in it, participated in various airsoft games, worn harsh gear atop it, and have even stuffed it in tight compartments for easy storage when I don't need it. I've yet to break a zipper on mine, the material is still highly water resistant, and the damn thing is warm, very warm. I've washed it dozens of times with powdered detergent as well. The only blemishes to the material would be two strands of material pulled out from thorns while in play, and some minor wear from the hook side of my CIRAS' cummerbund. The velcro is still "sticky" despite the number of different patches I've had on them. For what it is, the $80 price tag is well worth the build quality and material strength you get from one of these. It has all of the "tactical cool" of a TAG version without the $250-$300 price tag. Even the 5.11 lacks the number of pockets and compartments that the Condor has. Arguing against that to me is pretty foolish...
Posted 12-02-2010 at 12:07 PM by Spectre
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Yea, I'd have to agree that the SUMMIT Soft Shells run a bit on the small side and usually recommend that people go a size larger. I've had a tan medium sized jacket since Condor first launched their soft shells in October of '09 and sometimes I'd wished I would have gotten the large, but it's worked incredibly well for the past year. I also picked up one of the new Phantom jackets (in Large this time), and actually like it a bit more for every-day use.
I haven't had any of the zipper pull problems that you've reported experiencing and I've had my Summit for more than a year now. I've never heard of it until your review. I've compared my older SoftShell to the new ones that we just got in at Airsoft Arms and they all seem the same. Even the new Phantom jackets have the same pulls. But yea, it's nothing that can't be fixed easily enough with Para Cord if one breaks. I can't say I've been excessively hard or easy on my jackets either. I just use them like I would any other jacket in my closet, but both have held up extremely well for me.Posted 12-02-2010 at 12:14 PM by Darkstar
Updated 12-02-2010 at 12:24 PM by Darkstar -
The main problem I have with mine is the zipper opens up from the bottom. Could be because it is a plastic zipper.
p.s. I got the $45.00 fleece jacket, not the soft shell but since still Condor, perhaps they are prone to the same problem(s)Posted 12-05-2010 at 11:24 AM by Blade 
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Once in a while my zipper will screw up in some way. Either it will miss a tooth or separate in between the two sliders. Its annoying, but easily fixed. I haven't broken any teeth yet (crosses fingers knocks on wood) however if I do, I'm sure I could have a seamstress install new and better ones.
Posted 12-07-2010 at 01:40 PM by Spectre
