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Good to see Vupline launching new products and not just holding the old range. Still trying to keep the prices high as well - £450 for this new mac.
But has anyone actually found Ventile a good fabric for riding? I've still got my first generation Howies Pilot jacket. Mainly gets worn at festivals now but it was never good for riding in. Windproof yes but when it gets wet it soaks into the fabric which then gets heavy, stiff, and takes forever to dry. It didn't actually wear particularly well either - because it's quite stiff it has worn through at the cuffs and hems.
Assumed they'd gone bust.. seems Mango Bikes have rescued them?
Never had any of their products, but this article makes for interesting reading..
[url= http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/what-the-hell-happened-at-vulpine/021275 ]http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/what-the-hell-happened-at-vulpine/021275[/url]
May I be the first to say
[b]
How much??!![/b]
I looked at their trousers, briefly. Then bought some giro for half the price.
Ventile is a very expensive material to make clothing from, although it's very pricey it's not too different to Howies, Hilltrek and other companies making Ventile jackets
Ventile rules. But yes, heavy (and warm) when wet.
Its supposed to go rigid when wet. The fibreswell and it prevents cold water flushing during emmersion in water.
For a world war 2 fighter pilot that makes sense. For firehoses (original intended use) it makes sense.
Fir a jacket thats supposed to allow movement... less so.
[url= http://welldresseddad.com/2013/03/28/icons-ventile-fact-or-fiction/ ]Ventile fact or fiction[/url]
The new owner of Vulpine is not doing so well - [url= http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/mango-bike-sold-redundancies-confirmed-as-brand-relocates-3/021911 ]BikeBiz Article[/url]
It has been sold back to co-founder Ben Harrison for the price of £1, after accruing £250,000 in debt.
I don't think I'll buy anything else from Vulpine while they're going through all the turbulence
I like Ventile as a fabric, it's very breathable and is weatherproof enough for day to day use (I have a single layer smock and a double layer jacket). I'd wear it more but the stuff I have is a bit big for me, need to find something in a better size
However I don't think it would be that great on the bike, the stiff-when-wet but would make it a bit annoying for proper cycling use, although it would be good it an urban environment (I have an epic (brand, not descriptive term) Vulpine jacket and it's great on my brompton and for turning up to work and other things without looking like I'm wearing a cycling jacket)