Race Face Scout Softshell Jacket
Size Tested: Medium
Stated Features:
- 8,000mm; 3,000g/m2. membrane rating
- 3-ply, soft hand Polyester fabric is DWR treated on the outer face and laminated to a waterproof breathable membrane.
MSRP: $149.99
Intended Use: Keeping you dry and warm on the trail or on the town
Reviewer: 5’7” 145lbs
Test Duration: about 20 days
Test Locations: British Columbia, Montana
Intro
The Race Face Scout Softshell jacket is my new favorite lightweight jacket to wear on the trail or around town. Why? It has all of the features that I look for in a serious riding jacket yet still looks good when I’m not on a bike.
Fit
I have been riding a Medium Scout jacket and it fits true to size. The Scout has a flattering cut to fit a woman’s body without being too tight. There is enough space to wear a layer underneath, yet the overall fit of the jacket is not too loose. The length of the coat and sleeves are perfect — they don’t ride up when I’m on a bike and they are not too long when I’m wearing the coat around town.
The waistband and sleeve cuffs are made of a stretchy lycra material that keeps the coat in place. The sleeves have an inner cuff that is hidden when not in use, but when it is pulled down, they make for the best cuffs that I’ve seen in a jacket. The cuff is long (comes down to my knuckles) and it has a very large thumb hole which is comfortable and doesn’t restrict movement. The non-detatchable hood fits completely over a bike helmet, yet is still a reasonable size when you’re not wearing your helmet.
Pockets
The Scout has two front hand pockets with zipper closures. There is a small MP3 pocket on the back right hip, with a media port leading to the inside of the jacket. This pocket fits credit cards perfectly with little space to spare, so it will only fit a small electronic device. The inside of the Scout has two larger stash pockets that are a great size for holding sunnies, trail maps, or 16 ounce cans of PBR.
Material
The Scout is made of a mid-weight softshell riding jacket. The material is stretchy, flexible, comfortable to ride in and breathable. There are small perforations in the fabric in the armpits and there is a venting strip across the shoulder blades on the back of the jacket. I’ve ridden in this jacket several times in the rain and so far the DWR treated surface has been keeping me dry.
Durability and Packability
The softshell material of the Scout has been holding up well and still looks new, but the lycra on the waistband and sleeve cuffs have some signs of wear on them already. When the material is near anything rough, like Velcro, it tends to pull on the lycra a bit causing some minor blemishes. Since my jacket is black, it is hard to see unless you are looking at it closely.
The jacket packs into my riding backpack easily. It is obviously not as small as a super lightweight rain layer, but can be squished into a ball slightly larger than a softball if need be.
Magnets!
The front zipper is fully covered by a placket which has contrasting fabric on the edge to make for a stylish touch to this riding jacket. The placket is kept from flapping around by magnets at the top and bottom of the jacket. The Scout has a non-detachable hood which is also held down by a small magnet in the back. These magnets are a sleek way of keeping the loose fabrics at bay although they do add to the overall weight of the jacket.
Bottom Line
This is my new favorite lightweight jacket for wearing on and off the bike. With the Scout softshell jacket, Race Face has done a great job of balancing the necessary features of a riding jacket with the style of an around town jacket. This is my new “go to” jacket and I would recommend it to anyone in the market for a riding jacket that they can wear casually too.