by can- » Sat Apr 05, 2014 9:05 am
if you want goretex I think there's no reason to get anything less than the new pro shell which isn't super available and is also pretty pricy. I'm worried to spend a lot on tech that could be outmoded in a year or two-- would hate to be one of the guys who picked up a visvim/supreme coach, or the n(n) nomad etc for it to be less effective than something you got at the for 300 in 2014.
I think there are a bunch of budget options from traditional outdoor shops. REI torrentshells are a nice ripstop and are cut on a modern/progressive block. patagonia h2No is another classic, and you can find both of these for 100-150 if you wait for sales. isaora shells always hit deep sale but I'm not a huge fan of their rider shells.
I'm not a huge fan of hard shells because they fit a very specific type of weather, they're pretty delicate and they don't age very well. they definitely look nice tho.