What’s the fit like on those Gore Lupra jackets? L size here in real life -42chest- but wondering if the XL would be safer…
Size of them didn't work for me. Really life XL(ish) 43" chest, 36" waist, 187cm but with annoyingly wide shoulders. I tried and returned both XL (too tight across shoulders and short in arms, quite baggy around the body) and XXL (way too flappy/baggy and still not great across shoulders).
Ended up spending £20 more via their sale for a Rapha Trail Gore Tex in XL which fits me like a glove.
An update following a very wet ride this morning… The over-helmet hood on the MT500 is brilliant, I can ride twisty singletrack without feeling restricted, it keeps your torso noticeably drier than just having a high snug collar, partly because it acts as a convenient air intake as well as a better way to keep the rain out.
But I think the best money you can spend on a properly bad weather waterproof is on a Brynje polypropylene mesh base layer. It’s only for days when you’ll always have something on top of it because it looks awful but it makes all other base layers seem too hot, too cold, too damp, too sweaty, too slow to dry, too poor to vent, etc. It’s not a small improvement, it’s more like the gulf between a cotton t-shirt and a tech base layer, than the marginal gains you get with a better non-mesh base layer.
If you dare buy one then well done! I get in first with the fetish night comments when I’ve misjudged the weather and the mesh sleeves end up on show (I’d rather have heat exhaustion than expose the torso, it looks more naked than being naked…)
An update following a very wet ride this morning… The over-helmet hood on the MT500 is brilliant, I can ride twisty singletrack without feeling restricted, it keeps your torso noticeably drier than just having a high snug collar, partly because it acts as a convenient air intake as well as a better way to keep the rain out.
But I think the best money you can spend on a properly bad weather waterproof is on a Brynje polypropylene mesh base layer. It’s only for days when you’ll always have something on top of it because it looks awful but it makes all other base layers seem too hot, too cold, too damp, too sweaty, too slow to dry, too poor to vent, etc. It’s not a small improvement, it’s more like the gulf between a cotton t-shirt and a tech base layer, than the marginal gains you get with a better non-mesh base layer.
If you dare buy one then well done! I get in first with the fetish night comments when I’ve misjudged the weather and the mesh sleeves end up on show (I’d rather have heat exhaustion than expose the torso, it looks more naked than being naked…)
Fair play, but a bit too Right Said Fred for me.
Just starting to learn here too, but I’d focus on fully taped seams and breathability first, packability is secondary.
Looks nice, thanks for suggestion!
Brynje mesh base layer , Polartec Alpha mid layer and a nice fitting water resistant hoody. No point worrying about waterproofing when it's going to need washing all the time. The DWR will be toast. Warm and comfy when wet is always better than trying to stay dry and creating a boil in the bag . I like Schoeller softshells for an outer. Most MTB waterproofs are trash.
“Brynje mesh base layer , Polartec Alpha mid layer and a nice fitting water resistant hoody. No point worrying about waterproofing when it's going to need washing all the time.”
Running quite hot, living on the mild south coast, and often riding in the more-sheltered woods I’ve found that occasionally a waterproof works better than a windproof or softshell plus base layer because I can’t add another layer of insulation without getting too hot - today I had a lot of zipped vents open for most of the ride even with just the mesh base below.
I’ve been curious about the Alpha fabric for a while - which mid layer do you have?
Grid fleeces like Alpha are very good. I have a few Patagonia R1's in diff styles and colours. But if you run hot they might be too much.
Pick a colour and fit you like
I have a 66 North Alpha quarter zip. I have too many fleeces and all the other grid fleeces are not as good as Polartec Alpha. It refuses to feel damp. Just get one you won't regret it.
I need a good fleece, I'll have to have a look for some Polartec Alpha ones on Vinted.
The Patagonia Granite Crest jacket I bought earlier in this thread has been brilliant so far. Its kept the wind and rain at bay and doesn't run too hot with a Nike DriFit l/s or Endura BaaBaa merino l/s underneath.
A mid layer can make things a bit hot. I was mainly thinking about vile grizzly winter wetness tbh. I ride with a backpack so I've always got the option of removing a layer. I don't like to rely on reproofing. Better to be able to chuck in the wash with normal clothes.