Highline Stretch Shell rules them all | Jim Young

Highline Stretch Shell rules them all | Jim Young

If you’re looking for one jacket to rule them all, this is it, according to Jim Young.

I first got a taste of Black Diamond’s Highline Stretch Shell in its original form. This was circa 2019 when it was a new concept as a super lightweight, 3L, waterproof / breathable AND stretchy shell jacket.

Fast forward to present day, that particular jacket has seen around 150+ days of heavy use in the mountains. And it’s still in good condition, minus some waterproofing in high wear areas.

2024 version

I have been testing the 2024 version in the colour Octane, which has been redesigned and updated for this year. The cut has been improved and now sits nice and low on your hips (perfect under a harness) and has a great hood that fits over a helmet.

The ‘power to weight’ ratio of this jacket is perfect for all New Zealand seasons and conditions. Gone are the days of carrying around a 500gm+ Gore-Tex jacket ‘just in case’, due to its 350gm weight. With its high 20,000mm waterproof / breathability rating, you can wear it on top of a base layer for wind protection on a hot climb. Or on top of a puffy for multi-layer storm resilience when it all goes bad.

Benefits of BD.dry™

The new BD.dry™ fabric with Empel DWR (Durable Water Resistance) finish, is such a nice change from traditional Gore-Tex. Stretchy, lightweight, and highly waterproof, it feels ‘barely there’ and can be worn across a wide spectrum of environments and when stuffed into your pack it is hardly noticeable.

After a busy year of using it, as my primary guiding ‘go to’ jacket, it does not show many signs of wear and keeps me dry in a storm every time. 11/10 would recommend it to a (friend) (anyone) looking for one jacket to rule them all.

Photo credits: @jayfrench

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