Author Topic: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?  (Read 6608 times)

Re: Expensive Waterprrof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #50 on: 23 October, 2020, 12:46:41 pm »
Got me thinking about the Shakedry Cap as well as an alternative for those with less hair to worry about (me).

Gore Shakedry Cap

I know the jackets specify not backpack compatible as I guess this causes wear on the jacket - would the cap suffer the same fate being worn under a helmet?

Part way down that page it states this:

Quote
We have taken inspiration from classic cycling caps but used durably waterproof GORE-TEX SHAKEDRY™ for protection from rain and added a reflective band for visibility at night when not wearing a helmet.

To me this implies that you can wear a helmet over the top of the cap if required.

Re: Expensive Waterprrof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #51 on: 23 October, 2020, 01:06:54 pm »
The problem for me comes when I goto climb into a Bivvi bag at the end of the day, and my hair and back of my neck is all soaked. That doesn't dry, and just chills you down further.

I also find that my helmet keeps my hood from flapping around or causing issues when I do have a heavy amount of wind to the face, such as down hills...

J
What do you do with your hair? If it's long enough to be that annoying wet it's probably long enough to be plaited and tucked away in your jacket? I guess that's just moving the problem elsewhere by capillary action.

I don't like a hood on cycling jackets- peripheral vision and all that. I don't remember wet hair or water down my neck ever being an issue- but I run hot (& sweaty) so stinking like a wet dog damp everywhere is par for the course.
LW&B & I did get pretty cold & wet in Italy last year (was that only last year??) but that was inadequate layers- having dressed for the Italy of my imagination rather than the weather forecast- rather than any lack of hoods.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #52 on: 23 October, 2020, 01:18:13 pm »
That Italian 600 seems an age ago... Having functional brakes would have helped my blood pressure a fair bit but it wasn’t getting wet that stopped us from finishing. Such is life!
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #53 on: 23 October, 2020, 02:31:42 pm »
Hey !  Who corrected the typo in the thread title ?
Rust never sleeps

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Expensive Waterprrof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #54 on: 23 October, 2020, 03:05:51 pm »
What do you do with your hair? If it's long enough to be that annoying wet it's probably long enough to be plaited and tucked away in your jacket? I guess that's just moving the problem elsewhere by capillary action.

Due to an old injury, I don't have the flexibility in my shoulder to plait my own hair (which is really annoying). if it's pissing it down, I normally put it inside my jacket to the front and left, put my hood up, adjust the hood, put my helmet back on, and am good to go. No issues with peripheral vision, and my hair isn't able to wick the rain down my neck. Keeps me nice and dry for when i crawl into my Bivvi bag.

In really cold weather, I will also have a buff on round my neck, and probably my cold avenger face mask.

Quote

I don't like a hood on cycling jackets- peripheral vision and all that. I don't remember wet hair or water down my neck ever being an issue- but I run hot (& sweaty) so stinking like a wet dog damp everywhere is par for the course.
LW&B & I did get pretty cold & wet in Italy last year (was that only last year??) but that was inadequate layers- having dressed for the Italy of my imagination rather than the weather forecast- rather than any lack of hoods.

There is a saying "you pack your fears" if you fear hunger, you carry extra food, if you fear the cold, extra clothes etc... Even if the weather is showing as being bonkers warm and sunny, i always carry something by way of waterproofs on all but the shortest of rides. Being cold and damp is not fun.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #55 on: 23 October, 2020, 09:16:44 pm »
In maybe 2012 I got a Rohan Storm Ryder (I think that was the name) jacket on recommendation of a friend. IIRC it was £250 at RRP, which was silly, but I got it in a 50% sale. It's kept me dry since. It's a shade of orange which is bright without being garish (not actually fluoro). It rolls up into its own pocket, which is kind of unnecessary. It could perhaps be tighter fitting. It has no hood, which is good IMO. And it's not made anymore so...

Hoods: not just visibility, also ballooning. But it depends on hood size versus head size; small head. Even hoods which fit okay on foot or running are no good for me when cycling. If it's really wet, a waterproof cap is good but a simple cotton one is normally okay. I have short hair though.

Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Expensive Waterprrof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #56 on: 23 October, 2020, 09:33:26 pm »
I must admit, I've never wanted a hood on a bike jacket.  Like for LWaB, the loss of peripheral vision is too high a price to pay.

I've wanted a hood on a bike jacket after I get off the bike.  It's like SealSkinz socks: Eminently useful bit of cycle touring kit, but not something you'd generally want to wear when riding.

bhoot

  • MemSec (ex-Mrs RRtY)
Re: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #57 on: 23 October, 2020, 10:45:32 pm »
In maybe 2012 I got a Rohan Storm Ryder (I think that was the name) jacket on recommendation of a friend. IIRC it was £250 at RRP, which was silly, but I got it in a 50% sale. It's kept me dry since. It's a shade of orange which is bright without being garish (not actually fluoro). It rolls up into its own pocket, which is kind of unnecessary. It could perhaps be tighter fitting. It has no hood, which is good IMO. And it's not made anymore so...
I reckon I have that jacket too, best cycling jacket I have ever had and as you say sadly no longer made. I wish I had bought a second one. I still use it as a comfortable windproof on dry/light showery days but the waterproofing is almost non-existent after loads of use.

Re: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #58 on: 24 October, 2020, 10:12:21 pm »
I used a PEdALED waterproof jacket for 2 TCR's. Great it were.
I wouldn't normally stump up that level of cash for a single item, but the company gave a 50% discount on their gear to participants who had entered the TCRno5 video competition. So I went big at the time.  Most of the gear I ordered was excellent. though the jacket had to be switched out to a larger. (some of their sizings are pretty random)
Ive got my eye on another waterproof from these guys.
https://7mesh.com/rebellion-jacket-hi-vis
The Bibs I got from them are so dam good Im curious to try some of their other gear.
Its a big ticket item though so will have to involve Santa at least.
If I pick one up I'll report back.
often lost.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Expensive Waterprrof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #59 on: 25 October, 2020, 09:30:19 am »
Hoods inflate and flap too much during downhills. Too dangerous for me.

Must say I like the look of the Rapha Pro Team insulated rain jacket - what it has is not so much a hood as an integrated balaclava, very snug fit so no danger of flapping or affecting peripheral vision. It's even more expensive than the Shakedry jacket though.

I have the standard non-insulated hood-free Pro Team rain jacket. Don't know how it compares to the Shakedry, but I like it a lot and would recommend it (although mine is a few years old and the current design looks quite different).
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #60 on: 25 October, 2020, 09:37:12 am »
Also, for this time of year, I'll often opt for an all-weather jersey - the Vermarc Zero Acqua and Castelli Gabba are both fantastic, highly recommended, both good enough that you don't really need a rain jacket over the top most of the time. (I know the Gabba has the reputation but the Vermarc jersey is just as good, in my opinion.)

These are my go-to for winter audaxes.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

C-3PO

  • Human-cyborg relations
Re: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #61 on: 25 October, 2020, 07:39:00 pm »
Hey !  Who corrected the typo in the thread title ?

We aim to pease.

Re: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #62 on: 25 October, 2020, 07:48:39 pm »
Hey !  Who corrected the typo in the thread title ?

We aim to pease.
:-)

I'm very glad to see that someone can at least prrof read.
Rust never sleeps

Re: Expensive Waterproof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #63 on: 01 November, 2020, 07:27:27 pm »
Just to add that I was very happy to have my couple of years old Castelli rain jacket yesterday. For most of the ride I wore that over a short sleeved merino baselayer and stayed dry and comfortable. I wasn’t riding hard and the weather was windy and wet (later dry) rather than cold, but it worked as intended.

Re: Expensive Waterprrof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #64 on: 04 November, 2020, 01:33:47 pm »

I know the jackets specify not backpack compatible as I guess this causes wear on the jacket - would the cap suffer the same fate being worn under a helmet?

I suspect so.  I have a Rapha shake dry and the hood is a slightly different material.

Re: Expensive Waterprrof Jackets - Worth it?
« Reply #65 on: 04 November, 2020, 07:52:00 pm »
I'm looking at purchasing one of the Shakedry jackets myself
Look at the Under Armour shakedry jacket (see reply 18 up above)
Hood, long body with proper drop tail, proper sizing, and half price.

Googling around, it seems that backpack compatible (and non-black) shakedry jackets have been produced, but they aren't available any more so maybe they were used with too-heavy packs - Gore H5 Shakedry