Waterproof jacket

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CopperBrompton

Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
Location
London
If you wear a waterproof jacket (I have a gortex shell that stops even the worst rainfall), you are reduced to a crawling pace so that you don't sweat yourself in a raisin.
Not if you wear eVent or Gore AS, which is the point of it.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
I want a single versatile and durable jacket to use in a broad range of conditions. I am contemplating a trip to Iceland next summer, and a much longer trip later on that will span various climates ranging from humid tropical where I don't mind getting wet, to, well I don't envisage anywhere that will go below -5 deg C, with a lot of rain and perhaps snow, that'd be the Pamirs around September time..
I suspect you may be asking for too much from a single jacket.
At least that was my experience of touring Iceland where my normal(for the UK) waterproof jacket was uncomfortably tight due to the extra layers I was having to wear underneath in order to maintain a comfortable body temperature.
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
Paramo have, finally, got round to designing a cycling specific garment. I invite all of you to join me in contacting them to say that:
a) Black is a good colour
and
b) Hoods on jackets don't work for cyclists.


I'm a huge.fan of Paramo gear - by far the best outdoor kit on the market in my view - but bike jacket with a hood? Well, cat flap on a submarine anyone?
 

snorri

Legendary Member
Paramo have, finally, got round to designing a cycling specific garment. I invite all of you to join me in contacting them to say that: b) Hoods on jackets don't work for cyclists.
I will be getting in touch to place an order pronto!
I've been trying for years to find a replacement for my old hooded jacket..
IME a well fitted hood will not obstruct side vision or head movement so why does it not work for cyclists?
Edit .... Seems odd it is claimed to be designed for city cyclists, I would have thought us rural types are exposed to rougher weather conditions, perhaps it's not really up to the job after all:sad:.
 
I have only just seen this thread.... I was away on tour when it was started (carrying my waterproofs the entire time and not needing them once!) I personally have not found a single cycling waterproof top that keeps me totally dry. Having been there and done that numerous times (as have many others) I came to the conclusion that cycling specific waterproof tops were not up to the task for when we went off around the world. Off tour, I am quite happy to use my cycling waterproof top and get damp (sometimes soaked to the skin in torrential rain) but it is a totally different matter when camping wild without the ability to dry kit, day after day....

Instead we went over to our mountaineering waterproofs which have never let us down even with the worst that the far north of Norway threw at us (and it was bad...) I use an Arc'teryx mountaineering waterproof with pit zips and very few pockets, which are not used. I can't remember the make my OH uses, but he has recently replaced it with a RAB jacket which I am not overly impressed with. I have had all sorts of fabric types over the years including some ceramic ones which needed periodic drying and reactivating and have had several failures (including a life threatening situation in the highlands which resulted in hypothermia after a goretex jacket categorically failed on me.) I am back with a goretex one now which is +4 years old. I don't mind having paid a lot for it - it has done a lot, been a very long way and not let me down.

Yes my mountaineering waterproof top have a hood - and yes, when the weather is that bad, it is necessary to use it otherwise there is this big hole at the top of the waterproof that lets water in! Rather like shoes being at the bottom of waterproof trousers and filling with water... The hood is designed to go over a caving helmet (or under) and works well with a cycling helmet and does not restrict head movement - though between you and me when life is that bad there is the thought that a helmet is pointless and it usually finds its way onto the rack rather than my head. It does restrict your ability to hear, but then so does torrential rain all day long and when it lasts for 2-3 days without ever stopping you become exceptionally grateful for hood not to mention something you can trust... I also use a scarf/thin travel towel around my neck to catch what has run down my face from that tiny bit of skin that is always exposed... it works really well.

but then I also use waterproof cycling trousers when the weather gets really bad - and hate wet feet so have modified my waterproof cycling trousers to stay over my shoes and not ride up... :laugh:

anyhow, that is my 2p's worth and thoughts on the matter....
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I wonder if any cycling jacket was ever invented to keep us warm and dry? I doubt it.

My Altura Night Vision doesnt and my Endura doesnt. Well, I have only tested the Endura in torrential rain on a scooter at 50mph and I didnt stay dry. No surprise there.

If you dont get wet from the rain, you will get wet from the sweat. As soon as you stop riding you start getting cold.

For my commute to work in Winter my first base layer is a short sleves black top with a Roll neck affair. I bought it from Decathlon in France years ago and it is made by Tribord. It is 80% Polyamide and 20% Elastene. It acts like a wet suit top and keeps the sweat to my body and warms me up. I am never cold. I ride 12 miles to work and it gets very cold in Winter over here. Luckily, we have good changing\shower facilitets at work.

Steve
 
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