[Closed] Waterproof & breathable without costing the earth?

Spots pursuit are great for waterproof at cheap prices. Dare2b also have some decent, if heavy jackets in their range.
Marmot precips can be had for cheap too.

I said they work, I didn't say they work everywhere. In fact I did say that PU membranes don't work well in the UK which is what you are alluding to I think. However eVent does not require a humidity gradient to work which is why it is ideal for the UK.

eVent suffers from exactly the same problem as other fabrics in that the outer layers gets saturated with water in typical wet, dirty biking conditions and the breath-ability is reduced to chuff all. Regular washing and proofing helps but I'm holding out from some sort of clever nano technology stuff to make truly water repellent fabrics.

I've got an altura attack jacket, they're not super-cheap- you'll pay £75 for one- but they are damn fine. Useless in summer showers, it's a bad weather jacket but I live in it for winter, and autumn and spring rain. Tough, too, it took a big road crash to kill my first one. Breathable and also has gigantic vents. Yes you can get sweaty, but there's a lot of backward thinking on this, people think "breathable" means you don't get sweaty, when it means no such thing, it just means the sweat can get out. You can get sweaty when you're nekkid and nothing's more breathable than nothing.

For warm weather, gillets are best imo, they keep the important bits dry and keep the arms out as radiators.

eVent suffers from exactly the same problem as other fabrics in that the outer layers gets saturated with water in typical wet, dirty biking conditions and the breath-ability is reduced to chuff all

Well that's what DWR is for. I wear an eVent jacket as my every day waterproof, and it does need reproofing fairly regularly. Water usually doesn't bead off after a while but it doens't soak in either. It still breathes.

I'm not saying they are perfect, but they have their place and for me, they are better than the alternatives IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

Northwind in that case better to pack a clean thin top in a carrier bag in your backpack- showers over..swap tops.

Leftfield- how about hikers/walkers jackets that are thinner/not as billowy as the Paramo? i.e Berghaus - any other (budget?) goretex hiker ones?

Leftfield- how about hikers/walkers jackets that are thinner/not as billowy as the Paramo? i.e Berghaus - any other (budget?) goretex hiker ones?

Ok shortlist to try (I had ordered the Madison Apex yesterday but Tredz emailed me to say big delay/so cancelled order):

Event fabric
http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-elite-alpiniste-2-event-jacket-mens-442087

Goretex:
http://www.blacks.co.uk/mens/022003-berghaus-mens-velium-ii-gore-tex-active-jacket-light-blue.html
(Extra 15% off online)

I wear Paramo for everything but the bike (unless it's really cold and wet). For the bike I'm a convert to thicker stretchy double-weave windproof fabrics like Mountain Equipment Exolite 2, which has been replaced by Exolite 275. If it's really wet I have an Altura Pocket Rocket. If I lived further north (rather than the south coast) I'd probably get one of the light Buffalo smocks or jackets like this:

http://www.buffalosystems.co.uk/products/active-lite-shirt/

Or this:

http://www.buffalosystems.co.uk/products/fell-jacket-2/

My mountain biking stuff gets so filthy that I'd rather avoid technical garments that need washing in soap flakes / techwash and regular reproofing. If you want truly waterproof and reasonably breathable then that's unavoidable.

hora - you'll find that standard walking/mountaineering jackets probably won't have arms that are long enough, will be baggier on the torso and arms and have a shorter drop tail.
That's why cycling specific kit is better on the bike as it is designed for outreached arms and spray from the back wheel. I reckon a decent cycling softshell will fend off the worst of the weather and if truly pissing down then you might need a waterproof but a cheap one will do.

Have you looked at Galibier.cc clothing?
e.g. http://galibier.cc/product/tourmalet/

Hora - that Goretex jacket you linked to isn't Active Shell, it's a 3-layer (less breathable) version. I reckon the eVent one will be a lot more breathable, and no less waterproof.

I use the Velez but only for cold weather mountain biking, when its around freezing with just a Helly Hansen base layer underneath.

Works fantastically and the side zips let you dump heat quickly if need be. Above 5C its getting too warm for me to use it though.

Above 5C or so I use a Rab Vapourise Lite smock. Technically not waterproof but amazingly keeps you comfortable in all but the very worst rain. I will also carry a Montane Featherweight smock to throw over the top if it does get really wet or cold, again not waterproof bu the two combined is as near as dammit

as a Zinedane Zidan heavy sweating at any pace above sloth meander I have found no breathable waterproof to cope with keeping me dry and the rain out, closest has been
OMM Kamleika which is pretty good but a bit fragile for MTB

after that accept a different approach a Scott Gore Active Windstopper good for most days bought from Start cycles

or a
pertex top that is windproof and breathable

with manmade synthetic baselayer/thin fleece or merino wool mid

then

gilet ideally windstopper or pertex depending on how cold or wet

The Vapour rise idea is great but having ridden in the day in Buffalo I prefer layers.

Good luck

edit also have for really terrible days or for trail centres waiting and chatting rides a Raceface jacket huge pit zips and really robust but without the pit zips not breatable, pit zips are good

Have you looked at Galibier.cc clothing?
e.g. http://galibier.cc/product/tourmalet/

Wow that looks a bargain and stylish too for roadbiking. I'm going to order one of those purely for the roadbike.

I clicked through to reviews on their site and also hit this:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/reviews/jackets/polaris-hexon-waterproof

I wore the Karrimor jacket on Wed for the first time on the bike. Its long enough at the back for on the bike, bunches up a little at the front but not enough to bother me. I never felt overly sweaty but only had a long sleeve base layer on. The pockets are nice and big and allowed plenty of air in. Haven't tested its crash proofness but it feels substantial. I got it for less than £70 and very pleased with it. I'd probably only use it on the bike if I was heading into the hills and the forecast wasn't good. For most other times the thin Karrimor softshell I got for £30 keeps me warm and dry without getting hot.

I have the Pace 3x3 Event jacket and it seems pretty good, but I don't think it would be robust in a fall.

I also have an endura venturi Event jacket and that is thicker than the Pace and is more robust (have fallen in it a few times and only got one little hole in the elbow now) and I have worn it on the road when working hard climbing and in heavy rain, and was quite happy with it.

I wash the jackets regularly in the liquid soap flakes stuff you can get from ebay for £5-£7 a bottle.

Trouble with active shell and lightweight event is it is not robust for a fall.

Fall/damage doesn't bother me if you can buy swatches and glue/fix it back up. No one offroad looks at your fashion in bad weather!

The reviews of the Galibier jacket make a point of stressing breathability. However it's advertised at 4k MVP and the Endura Venturi at 28k MVP.

Quite a discrepancy there...?

Must be a typo on someones page? I'm very hesitant about spending big money on Endura after having two pairs of shorts fail on me in the usual places.

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.

Almost right. 'Vapour Rise' is a range of garments by Rab. They use a variety of linings, and use Pertex Equilibrium woven outers. They are very breathable.

Have a look at Gore Golf jackets to avoid the cycle tax.

I have a Epic cotton jacket, it's good but water comes in after about 30mins of heavy rain

I did- the golf ones are also spendy. The Nike one is simply gorgeous. Funnily enough I had some Nike winter cycling gloves years ago- the best I've ever had and the footballing adidas ones that I found a few weeks ago in the cupboard are far better than alot of cycling-specific ones..

As a result of this thread, and in the interests of research, I dug a very old Goretex cycle jacket out of a pile at the back of the wardrobe. It's a lovely, dry, cold day but the jacket is now drenched inside. I'd forgotten just how far modern fabrics and membranes have come on.

Fall/damage doesn't bother me if you can buy swatches and glue/fix it back up

not much point buying a jacket with all the techy taped seams and the like them.

I had an old race face jacket that wasn't a techy breatable jacket, more just a nice nylon type of thing, with reinforcement on the elbows, etc, and had pit zips.

I wore it when I first started mtbing so it was out for 3 to 4 hour rides a day in the heavy rain and mud (I was very enthusiastic when I started), with a single long-armed HH lifa underneath.

It did me OK - probably because of the pit zips and the fact that everything was synthetic.

I also used to use some Ronhill jackets, which are good value.

not much point buying a jacket with all the techy taped seams and the like them.

Disagree. A nice breathable waterproof jacket is still almost entirely as nice and breathable with a bit of gaffer tape on the elbow.

the jacket is now drenched inside

PU membranes like Goretex rely on water condensing on the inside of the jacket, so it'll always feel wet - even modern ones do. The question is can the membrane shift that condensation fast enough to allow your base layer to wick the sweat from your body fast enough to keep you dry.

TNF do a Summit Series jacket in Pertex Equilibrium for £50. It's not cycling cut but it is slim, and I do most of my cycling on or off road wearing Summit series stuff (there used to be a factory shop near my in-laws). Cut is fine for cycling.

So we're back to Pertex Equilibrium again a lá Rab Vapour Rise, Montane Dyno, TNF Iodin, Lowe Alpine Northern Lights etc. etc.

dyno is a fantastic cold weather jacket- piss poor for rain protection though. So tell me Pertex(?) is the one to avoid? Cos its fantastic but its terrible in even light rain- the arms get wet way before the body. The body is fantastic though with blocking wind. For anything 2ish degrees upto 12degrees its my go to dry/damp jacket for riding. Rainy though? No.

There are many Pertex fabrics.

This should help
http://www.pertex.com/products/

PU membranes like Goretex rely on water condensing on the inside of the jacket, so it'll always feel wet - even modern ones do

My old Gore AlpX does this. Staying comfortable (not dry) is as much about the layering under jackets like these as the jacket itself (e.g. a decent merino base and a suitable jersey.)

Same goes for road. I usually don't bother with a waterproof. It's more about staying warm and comfortable when wet than keeping dry. Especially if it's just for a couple of hours and you're working quite hard.

Edit... Hardest thing I reckon for clothing to cope is the typical stop start nature of mtb group rides and all the hanging about that tends to take place between bursts of activity. Best to crack on!

Sprayway gore tex acid yellow coloured-jackets in tkmaxx for £49 avoid or at that price worth a punt? Can't find any info etc on them online though in this colour so assume its 2-layer.

PSA for Polaris Graphite on SportPursuit. £150 down to £80. Gets 5* review on bikeradar.

http://www.sportpursuit.com/sales/polaris-jan15

If you're not a member you *can* [url= http://www.sportpursuit.com/join/james_hatfield_11251 ]use my invite[/url] but don't feel obliged - this kight be against STW rules?

Event fabric... Montane Direct Ascent Event jacket baby!

Blacks have them reduced to 120 + there's a 10% off code hanging around on google so that's £108 for a £225 jacket. Event fabric - why the 'hate'(?)

Mud really only splatters not complete covering so no need after every ride. I'd only use it a couple of times a month as I own a Montane Dyno as well

[quote=molgrips ]

the jacket is now drenched inside

I bought the Event Montane and now sorting my front mudguard (hip pack sorts the rear)

You might find the Direct Ascent's cut a bit long for biking use. That Berghaus Velum you linked to earlier, which is made from Gore-Tex Active - decent fabric - would maybe be better option if the Montane jacket's cut doesn't work for you.

Then again fit is pretty individual, but it's definitely aimed at walkers rather than climbers and longer than average. Climbing jackets tend to be cut shorter to work with a harness, so may work better on a bike.

I checked that at go outdoors last night 🙂 Thankfully I'm built like a Orangutan trunk v legs. Its slightly longer on the rear too which is a bonus.