Something that can at least reasonably be rolled up and stuffed in a jersey pocket. Time to get ready for fall and winter CO cycling!
Love my Showerpass jackets - had them for years and still as good as new.
hope this helps
rapha rain jacket - perfect for Oregon wet winter riding. always throw in my jersey pocket. Showerspass is nice too though!
No breathable jacket is waterproof, only water resistant. They gain their water resistance from a chemical coating (which wears off), and that coating can only sheath so much water. If you want a jacket that is fully waterproof, you need a fully rubberized jacket which will not breath at all.
Castelli Pocket Liner. Front can be Velcro closed with the zip un done to allow airflow. A good jacket for when it’s raining cats and dogs. This and a Gabba should be more than enough for most winter riding. I find full mudguards affect comfort on the bike more than anything in torrential weather. I’ve got deep mudguards with those little rubber flaps at the bottoms. Feet stay dryish and clean. Ass status dry. Possibly the best and cheapest winter essential.
Sportful also worth a look.
Do you have a Gabba jersey?
Absolutely love mine. Matched it with nano-flex arm warmers… and raced Norseman this year. Temps were going up and down, sun, then crazy rain, hail…torrential cold rain…and was SUPER comfy in it.
Dry as a bone throughout.
I’ve got this one, http://www.endurasport.com/products/?ProductID=16. It’s not as breathable as I might like but it is waterproof as all heck. It is vented fairly well and I love the hi vis on it. I got the green color and it is really bright.
Castelli Pocket Liner. Front can be Velcro closed with the zip un done to allow airflow. A good jacket for when it’s raining cats and dogs. This and a Gabba should be more than enough for most winter riding. I find full mudguards affect comfort on the bike more than anything in torrential weather. I’ve got deep mudguards with those little rubber flaps at the bottoms. Feet stay dryish and clean. Ass status dry. Possibly the best and cheapest winter essential.
Sportful also worth a look.
How do you find the Castelli jackets fit size-wise? I think their short sleeve jerseys tend to run small. I really like what I see on their website though, as far as rain/waterproof gear…
Sportful hot pack no rain stretch…
A very good balance between packable, light. Breathable and water proof…
Total waterproof pointless cos I sweat inside it anyway…
Take a look…
I like the Castelli fit, as well as Sportful. I have four pairs of bibs and six jerseys from them and always buy the race fit (BodyFit in Sportful language, Aero Race stuff in Castelli). With athletic gear, a lot of companies seem to make bigger sizes accommodate larger waist lines, rather than scale stuff up with an athletic fit. The Castelli and Sportful pieces don’t and have a very athletic fit.
I wear XXL in the jersey. I’m 6’5", 42.5 inch chest, and weigh 200lbs. I’m a Medium in Nike. Large in Salomon. XXL in Castelli and Sportful… Italian sizing.
With the Pocket Liner, after wearing it for a while, I wished I’d sized down. The pleated areas keep flapping to a minimum, but I’d have liked the fit to be a bit closer to the body in places. It’s not flapping around, but I could have sized down comfortably. It’s a great jacket for going out on days were it’s raining quite hard and you can just get your head down and plug away.
The Gabba fits just like a jersey. I’m pretty sure the Sportful No-Rain is the same gear, and often available at lower costs. I have a short sleeved Gabba, which serves as a warm jersey or a jersey for drizzle. I wear it almost exclusively with the Nanaflex armwarmers which gives good flexibility, although if it’s warm enough to leave the armwarmers at home, it’s probably too hot for the Gabba, so a full sleeved Gabba is probably just as useful. It’s a really good bit of kit.
Can you tell me more about the Castelli Pocket liner?
The info I have found sounds encouraging, but at >$300, it better be rocking.
I’ve read it stows easy in a jersey pocket. Is this just a shell/cape?
Is it a winter jacket with insulated layering? Or just a rain jacket?
I love the gabba stuff, but I’m looking for some thing to stay warm and dry into the upper 30s.
Can’t go wrong with Search and State S1 jacket
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Hincapie Edge eVent Jacket. Not only waterproof but also breathable, which makes it the one jacket that works all fall & winter.
No breathable jacket is waterproof, only water resistant. They gain their water resistance from a chemical coating (which wears off), and that coating can only sheath so much water. If you want a jacket that is fully waterproof, you need a fully rubberized jacket which will not breath at all.
On the other hand, water molecules are larger than what we’re breathing. So wouldn’t it be possible to be both waterproof and breathable under standard conditions? Like what Goretex/eVent-type fabrics have been doing for decades?
I’m 6’4" 42" chest 32" waist 200lbs and wear the Gabba Convertible in size XL. I prefer a race fit, no flapping jersey and thats what I get when I order by their true measurements listed on their webpage. I pair it with their seamless short sleeve baselayer. I do hate to get caught out in the rain however and avoid it whenever possible, it just trashes equipment.
Castelli Pocket Liner…
It’s an unlined shell, with a couple of pit zips to dump sweaty air if needed. It doesn’t add warmth beyond the expected ‘added warmth’ of cutting the wind chill. I’ve worn it down to near freezing temperatures, but layered underneath according to the tempo of the ride. To be honest, it’s so subjective, I like the jacket as just a rain shell.
The jacket seems well made, and the eVent fabric appears to be fairly robust. I’ve put it through the wash a fair few times now and it looks like new still. I like the front closure as you can have the zip undone, but with the velcro patches the jacket remains nicely closed whilst allowing air to enter the front, and you can vent air through the pit zips. This means the jacket caters for a wide range of tempos. It doesn’t have pockets, and the jacket has an internal elasticated strap in the lumbar region to keep it snug against you whilst allowing it to expand should you have your jersey pockets crammed full of winter katundu.
I know a few guys with the same jacket and it’s well liked. As to whether it really is a pocket liner… It is doable, but you would have to really cram it into a pocket to get it in. But then if you’re looking for a jacket purely for a bit of extra insurance if it looks like there might be showers, then there are other jackets i.e. Sportful Hot Pack. What the Castelli does well is protect you on those days where you’ve got 3+ hours to get done and it’s raining fairly hard, and not looking like letting up. Those days where your standing by the window thinking, “Sh*t. I can’t put this off anymore…” There’s nothing finer than full length mudguards, overshoes, and a Castelli Pocket Liner when heading out the door on those days. I’d say in wet weather, it’s as good as it gets.
The cut is good; nice and long in the arms, dropped at the back. For sizing, I’d try one on before buying. I feel I would have been happier with a size down from my normal Castelli/Sportful sizing. I usually buy from the Castelli Body Paint / Sportful Bodyfit and the fitted nature of those pieces is great. The pleats in the Pocket Liner help to reduce excess material whilst allowing the jacket to articulate nicely, but I would try one on as you may like to go a size down and get more of a racing fit. If I were to replace it, I would do that.
Would I pay full retail for it? I’d have t really think about it. It does exactly what it is designed for - a robust hard shell that is as breathable as waterproof jackets get, whilst allowing you to vent extra heat when you up the tempo.
So wouldn’t it be possible to be both waterproof and breathable under standard conditions? Like what Goretex/eVent-type fabrics have been doing for decades?
Only if those standard conditions are standing around not exerting energy! In 30+ years of running/exercising and trying to find the elusive “waterproof and breathable” garment, personally I’ve had no success. eVent has come the closest, but still drenched with sweat on the inside after about 20 minutes or so. I know some people who hardly sweat at all, so naturally, your mileage may vary. I’d sweat wearing nothing, so adding even a featherweight layer of “breathable” fabric isn’t going to help.
Castelli Pocket Liner…
. Those days where your standing by the window thinking, “Sh*t. I can’t put this off anymore…” There’s nothing finer than full length mudguards, overshoes, and a Castelli Pocket Liner when heading out the door on those days. I’d say in wet weather, it’s as good as it gets.
o.
That’s exactly the response I was hoping to get. Thanks so much for taking the time.
I’m one season deep into being an all-weather rider, and I’m trying to buy a few awesome things and not a bunch of stuff that doesn’t work.
You seem like a wise man, any chance you can recommend some gloves? Neoprene with liners leaves my hands sweat soaked and freezing after a few hours.