It’s time for my seven year old Endura something or other to be retired to dog walking duties. Bit sweaty but still works, amazingly tho too flappy nowadays after I lost about 10kgs this year! Quick look round the web suggest a million jacket options. Not helpful. I do have an old stealth that I dig out when it’s very cold, but for spring/autumn/not freezing winter, looking for

– waterproofness but not at the total expense of
– breathability
– zip off sleeves look a good idea
– long arms for my gibbon like frame
– Not insanely difficult to wash/re-proof

Not bothered about hoods/loads of pockets/reflective stuff or colour. Black probably based on the fact it’s going to get muddy. Had Endura and Gore stuff before, happy to stick to those if something works but so many blooming options.

Budget. Hmm. £150 would be the max. Want it to last a while tho. I still have my Gore ‘pac lite’ from 15 years ago!

I’ve got two winter jackets at the moment so maybe this isn’t the answer you’re looking for.

Bought a Gore Phantom at the end of last year and wore it pretty much continuously for the rest of the winter. Ideal in cold/dry/damp conditions.

Also bought an Endura Flyte – a simple, 3 layer, hardshell. Really good fit for me – at 6′ 5″ with long arms – so worth a try if that’s your shape as well. It’s only been worn a few times so far but seems impressively breathable. That might be because it’s new or might be because they were freak conditions but I normally expect to boil in the bag a lot more than I did on my commute.

Thanks Simon. At least that gives me a couple to check out!

Gore Phantom

+1

i have a gore phantom after all the good reports here. then it’s zip broke. i then pressed my hagloffs soft shell in to service as a stop-gap. better than the gore in every way for me. bit lighter, long arms that are easy to push up, seems to breath better, at least as waterproof. looks a bit less ‘biker spod’ IMO. cotswold for about 120 IIRC.
the gore still gets used for road riding, not least because it has rear pockets and isn’t black w/o reflectives.

Just an update. Ended up with a Phantom. Tried the Flyte and thought it was a nice jacket, not too heavy or bulky. But the medium was a bit a roadie fit and the large a bit flappy. Ended up with the Phantom at 20% discount from Evans (which I felt was a reasonable purchase since I’ve left a line of strewn clothing in their cheltenham shop).

Tried it last night on a chilly ish but dry night ride. Thought it was great, zip down for climbing, zip up for descending, nice and toasty, good fit, doesn’t seem to trap moisture. Not rustly!

Still going to need to carry a waterproof in the camelbak, but more rides than not in autumn/winter are cold and oggy rahter than absolutely hosing it down so thought i’d get more use of this.

I’m 5ft11, 11st8, 33in waist with gibbon like arms. Large was a great fit.

medium was a bit a roadie fit

?? you mean snug? Do you wear a camelbak as if you do anything ‘baggy’ just ends up bunched up under the straps. Added to which something snug will be warmer when you need it and breath better as well…

it was a bit too snug on the shoulders with the front zipped up and arms not quite long enough. See comment re: gibbon 😉

Phantom is great, I have 2, a yellow one for commuting and a red one for MTB. I end up wearing them all the time as its waterproof enough for most adventures bar torrential rain and zip off sleeves make it tunable enough for most temperatures 😀

Just had an email from Evans. Promo code ‘gore20’ for 20% off Gore bike wear

Yeah I had that deal. Cheltenham store had all sizes of phantom’s when I was in yesterday. Tried most of ’em on!

Patagonia M10. End of!!

arms not quite long enough. See comment re: gibbon

Wow. I thought my arms were long. Where do you buy shirts?

arms not quite long enough. See comment re: gibbon

Wow. I thought my arms were long. Where do you buy shirts?