Just had delivered a Altura Evo jacket but the XL is too baggy on the midsection- across the shoulders ‘just’ tight enough to tell me that a large will be too tight. FFS.

Anything out there thats NOT spendy? Must be breathable and actually waterproof. I’d ride it both off and on road.

Depends what’s spendy to you.

Sports Pursuit had some paramo velez adventure smocks for £115 which is a great price for that particular jacket.

I have a slightly heavier weight Paramo jacket and the materials are amazing. Very very breathable.

Polaris gear has always been a good fit, price and quality for me.

Again depends what you mean by spendy. Rapha hardshell jacket currently reduced to £175 from £260, fantastic reviews, feels great to wear, but I guess that’s spendy.

To paraphrase My Bontrager its generally ‘cheap, waterproof, breathable’ – pick two.

No such thing in my local climate (SW Scotland)

12 deg and pishing? if it keeps you dry from the rain, then it’ll be soaking inside from sweat, unless you’re a skinny, non sweaty racing snake, which you aren’t.

Best I have had, and I’ve had lots, is a Gore Alp-X soft shell. unless it’s really pissing, then it’s spot on.

To paraphrase My Bontrager

You have your own Bontrager? impressive Gary!

Simon theres two types of Velez: Velez Adventure Light Smock or the Velez Smock. The latter will be too warm for riding? Same rain/elements protection skin though? I prefer to layer +/- up underneath. Plus the sizing. Only XL available- I’m XL in Montane due to my shoulders but more a large on my waist- how do they size up in the real world? (I’m 43chest/34waist).

The Velez is a baggy fit at the best of times. I have an Adventure Light. I’ve never tried cycling in it though as its a bit of a sail (and I’m more the short/stout sort of build).

Don’t bother with waterproof and breathable, they don’t work (can’t due to physics). Best bet is to get a very light hardshell and keep it your pocket till it rains, then accept you’ll get soaked with sweat.

The adventure light would probably be the best choice for cycling as its lighter than the normal velez and thus I imagine a bit more breathable. As has been mentioned they are a fairly casual fit. I am a large generally and large is spot on for me.

Skin, costs nowt, highly breathable & very waterproof

I reckon either of the Velez would be too warm for cycling.
I have the adventure light and I wouldn’t want to ride in it, and as above, they are a bit flappy so you may as well stick with what you have.
Brilliant for walking in though and at that price I might just get another!

too baggy on the midsection

fat club is over there >

How about a Madison Apex?

I saw a Vaude jacket advertised in the section between this new post box and the forum posts recently. If I hadn’t just bought a Mavic waterproof (which might fit your bill) I’d be looking at that. Can’t find it now though.

Think this is the new Mavic

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mavic-sprint-h20-jacket-aw14/rp-prod89544?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom&gs=1&gclid=COu2_YablsMCFeHKtAodCXcA8A&gclsrc=aw.ds

Karrimor Alpiniste from Sports Direct. Don’t know about the sizing but its cheap and made with event fabric.

I just bought a fox downpour from stif. Only ridden a few times in it. Doesn’t get hot, has zip vents if it does and it keeps the rain out. Don’t know it that’s what you’re after though.

EDIT: ^^^ That mavic looks nice.

Got this for XMas, was delighted with it, until I ripped a big hole in it 3rd day out. Repaired now, hopefully good as new.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sugoi-icon-mtb-waterproof-jacket/

Some of the ^^££ are abit too much for me. Especially when you DO fall off!!

Pace 3×3.
Vulpine jacket from out the sale….bargain at £xxx…..I actually bought one to wear for MTB as I have one for road riding lovely jackets……super breathable and waterproof so far…..only thing is until my pace 3×3 dies a complete ripped to shreds death I can’t bear the thought of coating the Vulpine in Chase Paste so wear it out and about as a nice casual jacket.
How about a Funkier TPU jacket from merlin, superb price and funkier stuff seems built for us big boned types. My mate has one and rates it for the money.
Polaris stuff seems to be quite impressive to in value terms, I just got one of their AM jackets (vapour) as I shredded my old Rab Generator. It’s actually a bit better for heat regulation than the generator and not quite as hot.

Don’t bother with waterproof and breathable, they don’t work (can’t due to physics)

That’s not true at all. They can and do work, due to physics, but there are limitations.

Let me know if you want the full explanation.

Let me know if you want the full explanation

Science, innit.

Paramo now do the Ciclo jacket for guess what…. cycling

Gore fibres are used in space suits, so that makes it rocket science.

Get a decent soft-shell. They’re not that expensive. You don’t sweat to death in them, and while they don’t keep you absolutely dry, I find they’re miles better than horrible sweaty hardshell jackets.

Heres an idea. Why not try something on before you buy it? I know its a pretty revolutionary idea. It might just catch on though!

Rapha hardshell jacket in the sales? Because you’re worth it 😉

Paramo want 200 of your finest notes too.

Binners- do you spend your free time driving around bikeshops trying to see what they have in stock in your size?

Neither do I. We are both getting loaded after pressing ‘buy now’ on a internet site 8)

For breathability in the UK especially you want eVent or Endura’s PTFE I think. They have tiny actual holes that let air in but not water. Other fabrics have a water permeable membrane that works much less well when it’s not very cold but very humid – ie most of the time here.

The downside of eVent is that it needs reproofing a bit more often, and more washing too. If using any waterproof jacket on the MTB I think a rear guard is essential, and a good front one too.

But as above – only necessary in really heavy rain. Otherwise, stick an extra layer on under a windproof shell.

Erm…. I do when looking for something like a decent waterproof. Or shoes. Or helmets. Something where the fit is important. Don’t bother with owt else. Just order fat bastard size. . 😳

Your best bet is to just get really drunk, and then have a look on’t’interweb. Drunken purchases always work out well 😛

I think Andy Kirkpatricks writing is very illuminating on this

http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/articles/view/the_truth_about_breathable_waterproofs

Read his stuff about soft shell too

As a sweaty bastard (Tm) Ive pretty much accepted the idea that waterproofs are not for me unless it’s truly I’m pretty much stopped still, and that polar proof is my friend for 98% of the rest of the time.

Your best bet is to just get really drunk, and then have a look on’t’interweb. Drunken purchases always work out well

No because I’d end up with Tatiana and Stanka at the airport ringing me saying hello mista Mark we are your wives you ordered 😯

What you actually need is Epic cotton made jacket. The fibres are treated before the jacket is tightly woven. Air holes in the weave but won’t let water through but sweat vapour escapes. That’s why I mentioned the Vulpine jacket. The seams are not seam sealed and theoretically as they are a stitched point they could leak water however I’ve been in proper downpours on the bike in mine with water beading straight off and no ingress through any seams.
Check out what they have left in the sale or look for epic cotton jackets on Google.

Paramo to hot even the adventure light for English weather / temps, I know from experience! Sold them for good money on eBay they hold their money if you do get one,

I’ve never found anything that’s properly breathable and waterproof for high-energy type stuff.

I’ve got a Nike windproof thing that’s shower proof and keeps the worst out. I keep it washed and proofed with Nikwax Stuff. I use it for almost every winter ride. I’ve got a Endura PTFE jacket that’s used for foul weather and is as breathable as it comes but is still no use if it’s warm and wet. i’ve tried various other goretex/pertex/event/paramo/vapour rise/SuzzTex(r) stuff and it all works to a point but none is perfect for me.

Other people’s experiences may differ, everyone rides differently and “runs” at different temps.

It’s really simple: if your high work rate produces more sweat than the transfer rate of the membrane, then you’ll be soggy inside your jacket.
The best jacket in world is no good if you’re sweating buckets for 2hrs non-stop.

Highly breathable, highly water resistant garments excel in these conditions as you don’t get as wet from the inside. But if it’s pissing down for an hour and you’re riding as hard as you can all the time you’ll get wet.

Fresh dry kit back in the car or house is the simple answer.

is still no use if it’s warm and wet

Depends what you mean by ‘no use’.

If I’m out in heavy rain I use a goretex jacket. It doesn’t come close to shifting all my sweat and my base layer is sodden, but I’m warm and it’s a lot better than being soaked with cold rain from the outside. So although it’s definitely not breathable enough to keep me dry, it’s better than the alternative.

However this only apples when it’s really really raining.

My Madison Apex does a sterling job on cold wet road rides, it’s the only jacket I’ve used this winter for commuting. For warmer wet rides I tend to just get wet instead.

For anyone interested on Paramo stuff I’ve found jackets / trousers using Pertex Vapour Rise (Rab did some jackets with it) is very similar in use, although seems to be a bit lighter and more comfortable. I use a vapour rise jaacket for commuting and it’s brilliant, but it’s a bit too warm for a proper ride.

So Molgrips feel free to explain the concentration gradient that will drive sweat out into a typical UK hill rain situation where relative humidity is ~95%?

Mister P is it too warm for circa 6-12degrees ?