Anyone know if something exists along the lines of a Rab vapour rise but waterproof, like with a gore text active shell or pertex shield?
Really what I want is a highly breathable waterproof shell with a wicking micro fleece lining and pit zips, chest pocket.
Ideas?

mrs has got a vapour rise. she has worn it all winter so far, it seems pretty good waterproofwise. water beads and rolls off it.

I’ve been using a Vapour-Rise Lite pull-on for about a year. Definitely not “water-proof” in but great for damp windy days and it’s highly breathable which is great for cycling. I would strongly recommend it.

Yes,ive got two VR lites, they are good in showers when new, but they do saturate in downpours, especially after a few washes, even when reproofed.
I’m looking for something that is very breathable, lined, and waterproof…if that exists?!

From personal experience I can’t find anything breathable enough for me that is waterproof. I’m starting to look at the paramo stuff that uses Nikwax analogy but is seems pretty expensive new.
Isn’t the theory that add soon as you open pit zip the membrane can’t function as the moisture condenses rather than staying a vapor?

I don’t think there is a perfect solution for riding a bike. In this climate you can’t avoid wetness for other than short periods (an hour or two).

I’ve been looking for years and keep coming back to my Rab VR stuff – which I have used in several Puffers. If it’s really cold and wet then I use a Buffalo shirt. I also have had some success staying warm with a thick oiled wool jumper (2 Puffers).

My experience is that the misery starts when you stop and all the wetness within starts to chill you. If you’re feeling cold when you’re riding then maybe Buffalo is a better choice than VR.

What I do when I stop is to chuck on a Buffalo belay jacket which keeps me warm and sucks some of the wetness out. Wet gloves get stuffed inside my shirt next to my skin to keep them warm too.

I do have Paramo stuff too, but it’s too baggy and flimsy looking for mtb riding IMO. I sometimes use a Primaloft Paramo gillet instead of the belay jacket, and it has the advantage of crushing into a backpack quite easily.

I’d much prefer a warm and dry solution.

One tip that may be useful if you’re using stuff like Buffalo is to carry one of those small super absorbent camping towels in a plastic bag. When you stop reach in and give yourself a quick wipedown and you’ll remove most of the surface sweat so the wicking system will work better.

Just make sure you rinse out the towel immediately when you get home, or your nose will hate you when you eventually open up the plastic bag… 🙂

I’m looking for something that is very breathable, lined, and waterproof…if that exists?!

NO. If it rains heavily you are going to get damp/wet. The choice is then yours whether you wear a waterproof and get warm and damp from the inside, or choose something not waterproof and get wet through from rain and possibly cold. I think the temperature and activity can have a big impact on the choice you make. If you are going slow, or needing to stop a lot then I’d get the waterproofs out every time. But if the temps are OK (>4degC) and you are going to be moving fast then a decent baselayer (& possibly midlayer) and windproof should be enough, then change out of your wet kit as soon as you get to your home / car, to avoid the chills.

The tip above from epicyclo about the towel is worth considering, especially if you can’t change out of your kit instantly for whatever reason.

Paramo have a new jacket and trouser combo called………….. Enduro. It has an “athletic ” cut so may offer a closer fit.

Just looked at that. Potentially a nice bit of kit. Shame about the hood though.

As for the price – maybe the best time to be analytical about that is when you’re in a sleet storm several hours from shelter. 🙂

Paramo’s about the closest you’ll get. I’ve used the Enduro mentioned above on a bike and it works okay, though it’s expensive, warm and the hood is superfluous. Have a look at the Velez Smock as an alternative, nit slick or glam but good in sub-zero conditions ime.

Sleet is the real killer as far as I’m concerned.

It’s almost as if it has a different viscosity from normal water and can penetrate anything. It may simply be its ability to chill the moisture trapped within the garment though.

I’d love to be warm in sleet without having to shuck off clothes when it stops, or add them when it starts.

Sleet is for me are when proper waterproofs are a godsend, screw being a bit damp and hot, I’d far rather that than the alternative.

Paramo should tick most of your requirements.
Patagonia also do a fleece lined waterproof and soft shell (with taped seams it was that waterproof iirc). Will Google to find the model.

Thanks for the detailed replies, the paramo Velez looks good, but pricey. Is it lined?
I also contacted Rab, they agreed that my specs are impossible to meet currently (maybe possible as technologies advance), but they do have a “rab fusion” which is vr front with eVent shoulders and sleeves. Just hard to find and also seems to be a shell?
Anyone tried endura stealth II? I’m guessing it is highly waterproof but less breathable?

Error in my previous post – the rab fusion is polartec neo shell shoulders, not eVent, not sure where I got that idea from.
neo shell stuff looks worth a look – sugoi RSX or something? Again looks to be shell only though,no lining.

johnmongo – Member
…Anyone tried endura stealth II? I’m guessing it is highly waterproof but less breathable?

I’ve got a set of Stealth, put it on and went outside on a coldish day.

Came back in and took it off, already shivering.

I reckon you’ve got to be outputting a lot of heat to stay warm in that, and you wouldn’t want to have to stop for any length of time or you’d quickly chill down. I might wear it if I was going from point to point on a shortish road trip with warmth guaranteed at the far end and no stops.

High metabolism athletes may disagree.

Sports pursuit have the berghaus vapour storm on at £120 in a gopping colourway but if you can take a hit on the colour then it looks a great jacket. I’ve ordered one, it’ll soon be covered in mud and dull down a bit, I hope…..
I’ll spare you the link though as I’m not after a fiver!

Montane Sabretooth jkt

I take your point on the berghaus vapour storm – I’ve seen it in outside in lemon and aquamarine…I suppose it is highly visible 🙂 I think it is Gore Tex active with sort of “shark gill” vents, but no lining.

Just looked at the montane powershield – I think it is a similar thing to the rab vapour rise in terms of water repellent rather than waterproof.

Nearest thing I’ve found to lined breatheable waterproof so far is the Marmot Nabu made of brushed lined Polartec Neoshell. Anyone tried this?

came across this thread on google, thought i will chip in.

i own a vapour rise guide and a vapour rise lite, i use the Guide for trekking (for biking, i found it too warm).

i started off with goretex pro (ME Kongur 2013 ver) as outer layer, then i found it not breathable enough so i start looking into other kit.

i then bought a mammut gipfelgrat (neoshell), then a patagonia northwall (power shield pro).

the mammut is very similar to the marmot nabu except the face material of nabu is far softer. (i think the face material is the same as marmot’s own “up-track” which is more commonly avaliable). the mammut is in every way a hard shell, certainly harder than the goretex lol.

in terms of waterproof, the spec is: power shield pro: 5mHH, neoshell: 10mHH, goretex pro: 28mHH.
i havent been in a full on downpour with the northwall (power shield pro) yet, but so far it has been doing a good job keep me dry. neoshell and goretex are both as they claim totally waterproof. (although some people claimed 10mHH is not good enough with heavy backpack…)

in terms of breathability…while neoshell is fair abit more breathable than goretex pro, it is still nowhere near a typical softshell with gore-windstopper. thats also the reason why i continued to hunt for more breathable piece.

so far from my experience, breathability and waterproofness is inversely proportional. so it depends how waterproof you need it to be, so far i found power shield pro gives me the right balance, 5mHH with breathability closer to vapour rise.

i think neoshell and power shield pro are both great with vapour rise because neither is wind proof, lol.

some side notes.
1, interestingly power shield (non-pro) is not from the same tech family tree as power shield pro and neoshell.
2, rab discontinued their fusion jacket (i got an email form rab today), otherwise it will be perfect match to vapour rise range.