While the weather tends to be mild in San Diego, with only the occasional blockbuster storm to shake up city, a jacket is still a critical element for anyone enjoying the outdoors.  In a climate like San Diego it important to have a jacket that can do everything.  Unlike more severe climates, one jacket should serve multiple functions and keep one comfortable in a wide range of weather conditions.  The thing about a jacket in San Diego is that it does not need to do anything perfectly, but should do a lot of things well.  For this purpose I propose a softshell jacket is an ideal companion in the San Diego wilderness.

I have been testing out just such a softshell from Merrell named the Ridgeline.  This lightweight super breathable do anything jacket has been my companion from snowstorms in the Sierra Nevadas, to mild evenings at Petco Park watching the Padres play ball.  This softshell jacket has been stuffed into numerous packs and duffels, stepped on, slept on, and generally abused, and it still looks as nice as the day it arrived.  It is the do anything go anywhere piece that I described earlier;  perfect for San Diego.

While the Ridgeline does not provide (nor is it intended too) an abundance of insulation, it does cut the chill, and the provides wind blocking and moisture repelling that keeps the cold at bay.  It is also very breathable, and shines during those high activity times when it is just too snotty out to remove your jacket.  During inactivity in colder weather, I found that I needed to layer under the Ridgeline as the breathability sapped the warmth of the jacket pretty quickly.

The Ridgeline is a nice looking jacket, with a close cut that is not too baggy or frumpy, but loose enough to layer.  The stretchy fabric provides great range of motion.  There are hand pockets on each side, and a nifty little napoleon pocket on the chest with a water resistant zipper that is perfect for stashing my camera. The hem features a drawstring bungy to seal out the elements, and the sleeves are cut longer on the top than the bottom to extend the coverage while active. The jacket is comfortable to wear while carrying a pack,  and there are no seams or buckles that get in the way or feel awkward or out of place.  At a retail price of $99.00 it is not going to break the bank to own an extremly versatile well built jacket.