Has anyone else found this to be about as breathable as a bin bag?

I got a Montane Atomic jacket in this fabric (not for cycling) and even when not excercising the condensation builds up really rapidly.

Any other recommendations for light, cheap fabrics that actually breath? I know, pick 2…

Not that it really helps but I’ve got a rab pertex shield+ jacket.
Wore it in a rain storm in the jungle in Malaysia in 90% humidity, not at all sweaty inside, was absolutely amazed by it. Wife had a mammut goretex jacket on, sweaty as a bin bag.

I find goretex active to be good for cycling and medium-paced jogging. If you give it the beans then it does get sweaty.

Pertex Shield should be more breathable though?

What base layer do you wear underneath it?, I have a Montane Photon Pertex shield jacket and find it a brilliant bit of kit, it’s got one of the highest ratings for breathability and a very high hydrostatic head rating for waterproofness.

What base layer do you wear underneath it?

Makes no difference, tried it with all sorts of stuff. My dad had the same problem with the trousers.

I did a bit of googling and there are a few folks out there complaining about the breathability.

If you want more breath ability then sacrifice water proofing. I use a monatne featherlight most of the year on the road bike unless it is forecast for torrential rain the entire day. I find that I get as wet from the inside in more waterproof fabrics and it works well enough that I only get a bit damp.

I have a Montane Photon Pertex shield jacket and find it a brilliant bit of kit, it’s got one of the highest ratings for breathability

I think this is actually a different version of the fabric from the one I have.

Basic Pertex is very breathable, never had a problem with condensation with it.

Ahh, quite possibly – there appears to be two variants of Pertex Sheild or possibly two descriptions of the same product?

Your Atomic Jacket :

Waterproof to a minimum of 10,000 hydrostatic head and with a minimum MVTR of 8,000g/m²/25hrs

My Photon Jacket :

Exceptionally high PERTEX® Shield Plus fabric breathability at 25,000 MVTR and a minimum 20,000mm hydrostatic head

Confusing?….I’ve never had any issue with it being sweaty in the slightest and my core runs hot.

Two different versions – Pertex Shield OR Pertex Shield Plus

They are both advertised (on montane site and elsewhere) as being made from Pertex Shield Plus , somethings not quite right?…….

Just had a quick look on Montane, the Atomic is listed as Pertex Shield, no plus, with the 10K and 8K figures you have shown above.

Ahh, my mistake, i’m reading it on my iPhone screen.

I have a Montane minimus which looks to be Shield+ and it’s surprisingly breathable. I ran in it last night and was working quite hard. A touch damp in places but a long way from wetting out.

So it seems that Sheild+ is significantly better. I ran in my Atomic today and I might as well not have bothered with a jacket.

Original Pertex isn’t sweaty or waterproof, but it makes a great lightweight windproof.

Pertex was typewriter ribbon; the factory looked around and found another use for it.

globalti – Member
Original Pertex isn’t sweaty or waterproof, but it makes a great lightweight windproof.

Had my ancient Polaris one on this morning 😆

Pertex is a wicking fabric, to be truly effective it needs to be used alongside Goretex, which gets pretty pricey in these days of margin pressure.

Never had a problem with a montane minimus.

Pertex are a brand rather than a type of fabric.

Some of their fabrics are lightweight wovens (non-waterproof) which are used as wind proofs or on down jackets. E.g Pertex quantum, classic or Microlight.

Pertex Shield is their waterproof technology and comes in 2 guises. Shield and shield plus. Shield plus is higher performing (typically more water resistant and more breathable)