Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell Review
The best water resistance for an ultralight windbreaker
We nod to the Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell (shop now) for its ultralight weight and water resistance thanks to a fancy DWR in an otherwise minimalist and sleekly effective windbreaker package.
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- Weight: 3.4 oz
- Price: $140
- Fabric: 15D Woven Ripstop Nylon
- Pros: Good DWR. Chest pocket. Hood/hem cinch
- Cons: Plastic-y hand feel. More expensive than average. Very sheer.
Construction & Features
What calls out the loudest is the GTT Empel Breathable Water Protection Technology, and water resistance treatment that claims to beat out C-6, C-8, and C-0 DWRs in terms of performance and durability. A quick at home test involving a light hose spray shows that it blocked more water than it let in. That said, it is definitely not waterproof and the sections that we sprayed ultimately got soaked. We are talking about a windbreaker here, and this is no replacement to a rain jacket.
Beyond that, this just another typical ultralight windbreaker. Weighing just 3.5 ounces, it packs down incredibly small and you’ll hardly even know you’re carrying it. It’s usually easier just to stuff into a pack or pant pocket, but if you want, you can invert the windbreaker’s chest pocket which has a double sided zipper and acts as its own neat storage unit.
The fabric is a ripstop nylon that performs well, and blocks light wind. 15D is something of a sweet spot in terms of thickness and durability relative to weight. That said, the fineness of the weave in conjunction with the DWR does give a bit of a plastic-y handfeel, but there’s no doubt that it is soft and smooth. Fabrics this thin are, unsurprisingly, quite sheer. In the light gray color we tested, we could clearly see the color of whatever was beneath the Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell.
Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell Review Verdict
The Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell is your typical ultralight wind breaker with a twist added in the shape of GTT Empel DWR, which performs well but is by no means waterproof. Beyond that, enjoy the fact that you get wind resistance and heat trapping for just 3.5 ounces. It’s great all around windbreaker.
