I have a gore phantom which is great from October to may but too warm at this time of year
I like the look of the as jackets but can' find any good reviews
Are they more breathable and not as warm. Do they pack down small and are they as water resistant as the phantom?
Any other options, my montane featherlight velo is good but is hopeless in even very light showers
Thanks
Cotswolds have got a couple of different Active Shell jackets in, an ME one and a Berghaus one (not bike specific, don't know if anything for bikers is out yet).
As far as I know, Active Shell's meant to be Gore's most breathable effort yet (not sure how it compares to eVent). I believe Gore have put restrictions on the face fabrics manufacturers are allowed to use with AS, meaning that any jacket made from it is going to be pretty light and packable - certainly, the two I've seen are.
I'm not sure if it's quite as durable as Paclite, or some of the lighter eVent stuff, but as it's only just out, there's no way of knowing yet. Still going to be totally waterproof though.
Equally, as stuff's only just appearing, I don't know that there are many (any?) reviews kicking around just yet.
NOTE - all the above could be wrong...
Thanks for the info, that looks good but I should have said the more humble (cheaper!) windstopper active shell
Ha! And I should probably have read the thread title a little more carefully!
Same membrane as other Gore Windstopper fabrics, but thinner backer and face fabrics generally so no real insulation properties, pretty much waterproof apart from the seams, so yes about the same level of water resistance and breathability as the Phantom but with less insulation. So in a nut shell, thinner version of the fabric used for the Phantom.
It's kind of confusing that Gore's chosen to call their new waterproof fabric by pretty much the same name,
Thanks, sounds just right
No worries.
Sorry to sound stupid but is the Active Shell lighter in weight than Paclite?
Thank you. 🙂
@cinnamon girl: Not sure. It is very light. Not much in it I suspect. Ordered mine from Germany and it's only just arrived.
Windstopper AS generally results in a jacket about the same weight as Paclite, if not slightly lighter. The confusing thing here is that these terms all relate to the membrane and the actual jacket weight is more affected by the choice of material it is affixed to.
Windstopper is a lot more breathable than Paclite - the new waterproof Goretex Active Shell is too.
Presumably none if this is anything like N2S?
Have high hopes for this jacket as the Windstopper (Soft Shell not Active Shell!) Phantom Jacket II has been brilliant. Only downside is it's not great in heavy or persistent rain.
Removable arms are very handy - quick and easy to get off, less so to put them back on.
Breathability is the main problem for a lot of jackets. Very easy to overheat and become drenched from within.
As was commented on already this week it's a shame that Gore dropped N2S.cynic-al - Member
Presumably none if this is anything like N2S?
Active Shell is a completely different fabric from Soft Shell. Think of it more like a more breathable, slightly less waterproof PacLite...
hear heir druid
I have a Gore Phantom for when it's cold. It's excellent but gets a bit hot / sweaty when the temperature is over 7 or 8 degrees. I have a Castelli Transparente, made from windstopper x-lite, which is thinner, more flexible WS for warmer days like this:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/castelli-trasparente-long-sleeve-wind-jersey/#more
That Castelli jacket looks great. All depends on the climate (obvious!), the terrain and speed at which you travel and how hot or cold you tend to run.
Last summer was pretty cool and I don't overheat too badly - the result of losing around 10kgs over the past couple of years.
When the arms are off, you can generate a lot of cool air by taking the front zip down a few inches.
I will post comments on the Alp X when I get a chance to test it in a range of conditions.