^true, the ability of wicking comes down to a few of things... the first is marketing bullshit...then...the interier lining has to allow and promote moisture to come though or pulll away, at this point the moisture meets the inside shell material...you need a shell layer that vents very well along with shell fabric that allows an exit for moisture...so the goal is to meet and match interior lining with shell fabric that works together in a way that our divoced parents did'nt...soo its a mutually exclusive relationship...and less is more for lining...thin breathable inside matched with burly shell equals a day in the woods or bc that will keep you dry...but i know alot of you only care about looking cool in the lodge eating a french fry...
whether or not its a shell, like almost all freestyle outerwear is i would say..could be wrong, just layer up and youll be snug as a bug in a rug..no homo
its a shell, it may have some slight insulation, but its a shell none the less.
If you want to stay super warm, layer up, or buy a nice puffy. I picked up an Orage Cook jacket. Sick as hell. Puffy, and 20k waterproofing, which is rare in a puffy jacket.