Black Diamond Fineline Stretch Shell Review

We pushed the Black Diamond Fineline Stretch Shell through adventures of all shapes and sizes, deliberately choosing stormy days to go out and push its limits. From all-day alpine climbs to casual afternoon hikes, we explored every aspect of the Fineline. This jacket rides the line between weight and performance quite well.

Water Resistance

The Fineline came in towards the front of the pack for water resistance, particularly among those options offering excellent mobility. Its BD.dry 2.5L fabric offers decent weather protection, although we still think it's best suited for rain storms that are on the friendlier side. When faced with all day drizzles or shorter downpours, this jacket kept us dry, but during prolonged deluges, it wasn't quite up to the job and we got slightly wet.

Throughout our shower testing, our findings were similar with large, 25 square inch wet spots appearing on our underlayers due to water soaking through the Fineline's material. If you need a rain jacket for the occasional storm in normally drier climates, this option will likely work well, and is substantially lighter than much of the competition. If you need a jacket that can handle hours of intense rain, like in the Pacific Northwest, we recommend looking at another option.

Breathability

The Fineline Stretch Shell is made with a 2.5 layer construction, utilizing a liner for the next-to-body layer. This type of rain jacket construction can vary greatly when it comes to the degree of breathability it produces.

Fortunately, Black Diamond's in-house fabric, BD.dry, boasts improved airflow by incorporating a substantially less “rubbery” liner than the competition. This doesn't entirely eliminate that “clammy” feeling one many experience with sustained uphill adventures — our testers did notice moist skin on humid or warmer days — but when traveling at a more moderate pace or on cooler days, our testers found such sweaty skin proved minimal.

Comfort and Mobility

The Fineline Stretch Shell delivered excellent results, with little restriction to our movements or lift in our midsections. It's rare to see a rain jacket with two-way stretch fabric, but this one offers just that.

While it isn't as stretchy as a fleece or a softshell, this model boasts excellent movement. We found the cut to strike a rare balance of slim fit for technical use and loose enough to offer decent mobility. The sizing can be a bit tricky, but for those who find the Fineline a bit snug, one can simply bump up to the next size. The adjustable hem and cuffs further allow one to dial in the fit until its just right.

For shoppers needing a more technical layer in this jacket category, we also appreciated the helmet compatible hood, which is less common in the rain jacket world. The entire jacket fits into the right hand pocket, with a carabiner loop allowing you to leave this jacket clipped to your harness.

Weight

This jacket came in towards the very top of the lineup. Our lead reviewer, Zach Lovell, shared, “This is where I saw the Fineline really stick out; while it isn't the absolute lightest option, it's among the lightest jackets that are fully featured.”

While some featherweight rain jackets are out there, most offer minimal weather protection and limited features. The Fineline Stretch Shell boasts an excellent weight of 9.40 ounces and offers a full list of useful features plus a 2.5-layer fabric construction. It's also highly packable, making it one of the better options for weight-conscious shoppers still needing a high-performing shell.

Construction Quality

The Fineline was reasonably sturdy compared to many other options we tested. It utilizes two-way stretch nylon and an interior liner. Typically, stretchier materials tend to be more abrasion resistant. While we found this to be the case in our field testing with the Fineline, we noted some users report the face fabric rips more easily than perhaps others might.

Other Fineline users also reported that the liner began flaking after a year or two in action. Although we didn't have either experience throughout our testing period, we did evaluate both concerns directly, further investigating such potential defects in construction by deliberately scraping the Fineline's exterior and liner across abrasive surfaces to see if tears would appear. We are pleased to report the jacket held up quite well, though we cannot say if the same issues might not eventually appear a year or two down the line.

Should You Buy the Black Diamond Fineline Stretch Shell?

This jacket is worthy of a closer look if weight is a top priority and you need a true rain jacket with multi-layered construction rather than a light shell for the occasional thundershower. This is also one of the more cost-friendly garments among the higher scoring jackets in our lineup, making it a great option for active users.

What Other Rain Jackets Should You Consider?