Winter jacket recommendations

I use a Showers Pass Touring Jacket: “The ideal jacket for daily bike commuters, the Touring Jacket fits comfortably over street clothes, keeps out the elements, and features 7 different venting options.” I don’t know if it’s “ideal,” but I like it. Although I wasn’t going to wear it over street clothes, I wanted a jacket that would let me put on layers underneath it and not be tight and restrictive. I also have a Showers Pass Elite 2.0 and I have some issues with the build quality on it, but I don’t have any issues with the Touring Jacket.

Looking at their web site, it’s been replaced by the Transit Jacket. Now that it’s available in black, I may need to justify a reason to get a new one.

I wear only the Gore Men’s Phantom Jacket. It’s water resistant. The GoreWindstopper is in the front and the back mesh gives good ventilation. It prevents overheating. Here is the link.

http://www.amazon.com/Gore-Phantom-Jacket-Lemon-X-Large/dp/B0028NDTA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352233731&sr=8-1&keywords=gore+winter+jacket

I don’t have jacket recs, but I’ll thrown in a plug for wool base layers — sometimes dollar-for-dollar a better investment than the jacket that goes over them.

And most efficient of all: the all-purpose neck gator that you can pull over your mouth! (And rotate in case it gets crusted over.)

@vvill 35300 wrote:

Hmmm… this might be what I “need” for 30-50F. What is the fit/cut like?

Will,

I wear this jacket with a regular jersey or base layer from 0 to 40F. I feel it’s too hot for above 40F. It’s a club fit. I’m wearing a Medium but the sleeves are little long for me.

It’s not fancy, but I just picked up a Pearl Izumi Thermal Barrier jacket. I’m a complete wimp and so far I’ve been okay with just the jacket and base layer down to 35-40, but I’m still experimenting. This morning, with temps at about 34-35, I wore a stretchy/skin tight Under Armor-type l/s shirt, a looser wool blend l/s shirt, and the jacket and was borderline too warm once I hit a few hills. Last night it was maybe 38-40 when I rode home and I just wore a wool base layer and the PI jacket and was plenty warm, particularly after riding the Powhatan Stairstep.

So really, maybe you don’t need a new jacket…just a hillier commute

@jabberwocky 35334 wrote:

My commute is pushing 500 feet of climbing over just 7 miles, so its not exactly flat.

Stoplights and downhill stretches where you have to watch your speed are the worst for keeping warm. Having climbs just means your clothes freeze when you stop.

Ability to easily carry a bottle of wine is a feature I really like in a winter jacket.

I’ll write up a serious answer tomorrow.

Hugs and kisses.

Dirt.

The Layers 101 thread can be helpful. I think you found that today, Will.

I said in another thread that I threw a lot of money at the cold this year. In the past I’ve used layering and good quality stuff to combat the cold. My goal this winter is to do some more serious endurance rides regardless of weather. The reason why I spent a lot more on winter clothes is because I needed something that can keep me warm without bulk and really get moisture away from my skin. That’s where spending insane amounts of money on winter gear pays off.

I found that going with pretty good stuff keeps me warm and comfy for rides under 2.5-3 hours. Much more time out than that and I start having freeze/thaw cycles that are not comfortable and can be dangerous if you’re far from home/warmth.

Just keep in mind as you build your winter wardrobe that you need to consider both warmth AND moisture transfer.

Does that help?

Later!

Pete

PS: Wine transport is high on my list of important features.