Outer layers, or shells, are one of the most important items in any adventurer's arsenal. Outer layers are designed to protect you from wind, rain and snow, ensuring you and your important layers don’t get wet. Without an outer shell, the likelihood of you getting wet and suffering from hypothermia sky-rockets, as water has a 20x greater carrying capacity of heat than air, meaning it can remove warmth from your body much faster. 

When looking for an outer layer, it is important to look for a membrane based garment that uses Gore-tex, eVent or similar. These membrane technologies block water from entering, whilst allowing the water vapour you sweat out to evaporate through the garment. Depending on your needs, some shells have no membrane, but utilise innovative fabrics to create windproof, water resistant garments. These soft shells allow a larger amount of breathability, but keep in mind, they won’t protect you from a heavy downpour!