Softshells - A misunderstood term or just mis-used?

In recent years, the softshell garment has seen an incredible rise in popularity and the market has simply exploded with products that tout themselves as being softshells, but more and more, I feel that the term is being mis-used.
Why is that, you might ask.

Here's the thing. A softshell garment is by it's very definition made with materials that are highly breathable but offer some degree of weather-resistance, most notably the ability to block wind and shed some water, be it rain or snow. They are not however, meant to be entirely waterproof! Their main strength is their breathability compared to hardshells, while still providing substantial weather-resistance.
Yet, if you go through the catalogue of most high-end gear manufacturers, you'll see scores of jackets that are seam-taped and rated as waterproof, but listed under the softshell category.
This is in my opinion, a complete mis-appropriation of the term and to an extent, misleading to the customer!

These waterproof "softshells" are almost entirely made from fabrics that consist of three layers.
An outer layer or "face fabric", a waterproof-breathable membrane (this can be Gore-tex or any number of other proprietary membranes) and an inner layer, often made with micro-fleece or some other mildly insulating and highly wicking material, such as brushed polyester or polyester mesh.
While they're often quite comfortable and lack the typical - and much hated - "swish-swish" of a typical hardshell garment, they are nowhere near as breathable as a true softshell. The membrane simply puts physical limits to how much moisture the fabric can effectively disperse.
Thus, inevitably, for high exertion activities like biking, climbing, hiking, etc etc, a true softshell will often perform much better than one of these pseudo-softshells.

Now, you've heard me say "true softshell" several times and might be wondering "What is a true softshell then?". Or you might not, but I'm going to tell you anyways!

A true softshell will be made from a fabric that has a highly wicking interior surface, of varying levels of insulation and an abrasion-resistant, water-repellent (but not water-proof) and highly wind-resistant face fabric that often will have some degree of mechanical stretch. And that's it.
No membranes to impede breathability or trap moisture when you sweat faster than the membrane can dissipate.
In other words you will - in 90% of the conditions you'll experience - stay drier and thus warmer.

A good example of a true softshell material is PolarTec PowerShield. Another is the Schoeller Dryskin line of fabrics. There are many others of various proprietary makes.

In essence and to sum up, if you want a true softshell, which often is far more comfortable and suitable for a wider range of environmental conditions than a hardshell or "pseudo-softshell", then avoid any softshell garment that is listed as waterproof or waterproof-breathable.
It's not a softshell. Simple as that.