[Closed] Jackets - wet or dry?

eVENT stuff is worth looking at, breath well, for a sweaty bloke like me anyway 😉

Also. If you have a TKMax close, spotted eVENT Montane jacket going for £40!

I do - I do!

😀

My Endura Stealth softshell is almost as waterproof as my admitedly fairly old endura Event Jacket, it is however at least twice as breathable.

Buy a softshell, you could always combine with a really cheap waterproof for when its absolutely throwing down

I run hot as well, so I go for warm and comfy over trying to stay dry. I use an eVent jacket in Summer and it does well at keeping me dry when walking, but it's no good when getting all hot and bothered biking/climbing/running, that's when I'm down to baselayer and/or windstopper. Same in winter, I go for warm, I realised years ago I'll never be dry!

edit. as per richmtb - I have a haglöfs softshell windstopper jacket with hood, it' seen me right in lot's of diffrent conditions.

I am also a sweaty bar steward and found EVent was very breathable. I plan a EVent purchase sometime this winter.
Note to self: Must visit TK Maxx more often.

Softshell - its a revolution. I only wear a hardshell now if it is persistant stair rod rain.

So much more comfortabkle to wear, both in therms of fabric feel and breathibility. No more boil in the bag.

Choose carefully through. There are a squillion varying face frabrics and twice as many materials which are bonded to the inside. I have an early schoeler fabric with bonded microfleece, awesome down to about -5 with wool baselayer, but too hot for some warm spring and autumn days. I have another arcteryx softshell which runs much cooler, the microfleece in that is thinner and quartered down to the face fabric in squares. I can wear more base/mid layers underneath if it is cold. Truely awesome breathibility.

yeah I wear my endura flyte jacket now only when it's properly horsing it down, otherwise it's the gore tool jacket in the winter, the phantom in the spring.

softshells are the nuts!

phycovirtical guy has a good article on breathable waterproofs.

I'm a windproof / softshell guy now too unless it's very unpleasant or I'm out for a very long ride.

yeah I wear my endura flyte jacket now only when it's properly horsing it down, otherwise it's the gore tool jacket in the winter, the phantom in the spring.

softshells are the nuts!

Hum interesting - seems the majority think softshell! Probably better than hard-boiled. Birthday is round the corner, just past the berm and after the wee drop, so need to start looking and making big hints to Mrs Nain

Andy Kirkpatrick - oh, good call, TheBrick!

http://psychovertical.com/thetruthaboutbreathablewaterproofs
...and another Schoeller vote here, too warm for a top for me, but I've got a few pairs of climbing trousers that work well (I find my legs benefit form the extra warmth)

Another softshell user.Old Gore Phantom N2S. Helly underneath when it's really cold. Very very rarely been out in conditions that it couldn't cope with, and even properly wet through it still keep me warm, and dried out quickly. Only use my Goretex for walking now.

Softshell here - Endura Stealth, does a very good job of keeping you dry also.

I might be wrong, but if you don't have a "waterproof" layer, and the fabric get's saturated with water, won't that severly impede the breathability?

Endura Stealth plus Paramo Windproof here. Softshell can be pretty warm so important to have good length pit zips. I never use a hardshell for cycling -just too sweaty

does a very good job of keeping you waterproof also.

I'm already waterproof!

Sensible comment: have you looked at the Buffalo jackets, they do a lightweight cycle specific one. Idea is that they're breathable and keep you warm when wet, but don't try to be waterproof. Haven't tried them myself, but only heard good things. Would consider if I was looking for a new winter jacket, or had some spare cash.

Goretex and eVent are a bit of a disappointment for mtbing imo. They need to be clean to work properly. Biking jackets are never clean for long, washing kills the DWR coating and the face fabric wets out then breathability drops massively. They are a bit pricey to be crashing in and they don't like spiky bushes either.

I find softshells too warm most of the time, and i look enough like my Dad already without wearing any Buffalo. He swears by it but it looks a bit warm.

Windstopper or pertex are preferrable unless its hosing it down all day.

but I run hot anyway and almost always I was as wet within as it was without.

Try a different angle then.

I'm a sweaty fella so I've gone for warm and comfy as opposed to worrying about staying dry.

I get layers that wick away (as much as possible), baselayer things (cheapos work well, looking for warm remember) then a cycle top, long sleeve if cold. If it's windy I've always got a gilet - currently using a ron hill running one (as it's about the cheapest i could find in dark colours). I actually find that unless it's pissing down that i just get to a warm, comfy, "damp" at worst state and I can ride for hours like that.

Yeah - exactly - that's my question really - breathable waterproofs don't seem to cope with my perspiration rate, so I end up wet anyway.

What makes me cold when wet is usually standing around (waiting - he he he!) on top of the hill in the wind, not the actual rain itself.

I have ridden quite successfully in wool, but could do with more wind-blocking - so maybe a softshell or a lightweight paclite type thingey. After all, breaking wind on the tops is essential.

[i]What makes me cold when wet is usually standing around [/i]
- agreed, that's where a light warm top with insulation can come in handy, something easy to stow when riding but you can quickly put on when waiting - a Buffalo/Pertex smock is quite good for that - and I just bet you'd love the look!

[i]breaking wind on the tops is essential. [/i]
<chuckle> 🙂

So - had a look at Buffalo - looks like good stuff. Anyone actually used any? Also cycling specific cut seems only to come in flourescent yellow - anyone tried the 'big face' top? Is it really +/- £140?? <falls down>

Ian,

I've got a Buffalo, but it's a big thick thing I inherited and use for walking. I probably wouldn't recommend it for biking as you need to wear it without any layers underneath and potentially with some side zips open to vent - falling off could be very painful!!

Winterwise, I've got a Rab soft-shell that I wear through the summer for casual use, then it becomes my biking jacket once it gets cold enough. I wore it right through last year's cold winter with a merino base layer and a synthetic one on top and was fine.

Rainwise, I've still got an eVent jacket, but it's rubbish. I can do about 15 mins before the shoulders soak through.