New jacket

davidmiller

Guys,

my £50 Altura jacket that I bought 18 months ago has given up the ghost in terms of the zip. I'm not overly impressed, I would have hoped it would last longer.

As I commute 10m into Cambridge each day and we don't see so much rain i'm not really sure what to go for. Windproof or would you advise waterproof?? I would hope to use it for the commute next winter and for many winters after.

I'm not averse to spending a good amount for a good jacket. Afterall, my missus spent over £300 quid on TWO dresses for my company xmas do. She's worn one of them just the once

Any advice, good reviews or warnings appreciated.

Cheers,

David

redddraggon

Assos airJack 851

http://www.assos.com/en/mens/detail.asp ... =38&color=

£150 though, but a very good jacket.

davidmiller

redddraggon wrote:

Assos airJack 851

http://www.assos.com/en/mens/detail.asp ... =38&color=

£150 though, but a very good jacket.

...that looks great. I saw it on Wiggle. I could get one for £120 with their current offer.

Do you have one?

David

redddraggon

DavidMiller wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

Assos airJack 851

http://www.assos.com/en/mens/detail.asp ... =38&color=

£150 though, but a very good jacket.

...that looks great. I saw it on Wiggle. I could get one for £120 with their current offer.

Do you have one?

David

Unfortunately I don't, but it's one of my next purchases. Already got some Assos stuff, and you can really tell the quality compared to other brands.

At £120 I'm tempted to get one now......

Nuggs

redddraggon wrote:

DavidMiller wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

Assos airJack 851

http://www.assos.com/en/mens/detail.asp ... =38&color=

£150 though, but a very good jacket.

...that looks great. I saw it on Wiggle. I could get one for £120 with their current offer.

Do you have one?

David

Unfortunately I don't, but it's one of my next purchases. Already got some Assos stuff, and you can really tell the quality compared to other brands.

At £120 I'm tempted to get one now......

I have one and it really is awesome. I feel none of the wind but it's incredibly breathable.

It's cut to be ridden on the bike (so off the bike, the front rides up a bit) and it really shows - it is so comfy.

Shadowduck

I also had an Altura, on which the zip also died - I was also unimpressed.

I now have an Endura Venturi eVent jacket which is fantastically waterproof and breathable. The only slight downside is that the zip is fiddly with gloved hands and tends to snag in the little gutter at the top if closed fully. I'm still pretty happy with it.

Magnus Thor

I can second the Endura Event Jacket! I've had mine for a while now and must say it's fabulous. It's very waterproof and breathable, fits fine - and it has pockets. Perfect for commuting and touring. And it doesn't look too bad off the bike either.


Magnus Thor
Iceland

fto-si

I am impressed with my Gore Oxygene , not 100% sure they are still available , its got cycling specific cut around the waist and its an advantage that you can fold it small enough to fit in your jersey pocket

alfablue

David

I would post the jacket back to Altura, regardless of warranties, in theory you have a claim against a product failing for up to 6 years, under EU law. Altura may well just replace it anyway, out of goodwill. I have had many such successes sending things back way out of warranty (e.g. Sealskinz gloves after 3 years; VDO computer after 8 years!!!). Worth a try. I would just send it, not enquire first, then they are probably under slightly more obligation, and they may see it as making more sense to send you a new one as they would be sending the original back anyway, but the chances are they are a good company, even if the product shows some weaknesses.

Probably if buying new I would go for something like the Endutra Venturi eVent Jacket as some of the guys already mentioned. eVent is supposed to be the most breathable fabric, and carries a lifetime warranty; alternatively a Gore-Tex Alp X Pac-Lite jacket, also with a lifetime warranty (which I have tested!) and also light and very breathable.

I say, get a nice new one, and also send the old one back and maybe you get a spare, or one to eBay.

Brian B

Another vote for the Assos 851 jacket. It is totally windproof and the most breathable jacket I have ever had - I wish I had bought one years ago as it has made cycling in winter so much more enjoyable.

shmo

For a cheaper option the Gill Pro Speed Jacket is only £75 on Wiggle and is made from the same event fabric as that endura venturi. It has a good cut too but no pockets which is the only drawback with it. Bought mine at the start of winter and can't fault it as a cold / wet weather jacket.

xover_runner

Another vote for Assos hee, had mine well over 2 years, still like new and is awesome.

Buy cheap, buy twice

redddraggon

I've just gone and bought one off Wiggle. I've overspent again this month and I only got paid a week ago.

richardjallen

Shadowduck wrote:

I also had an Altura, on which the zip also died - I was also unimpressed.

I now have an Endura Venturi eVent jacket which is fantastically waterproof and breathable. The only slight downside is that the zip is fiddly with gloved hands and tends to snag in the little gutter at the top if closed fully. I'm still pretty happy with it.

Third for the Venturi jacket but I would add to the list of faults:

The cuffs have storm closures on them - velcro straps that tighten the cuff around your wrist. The storm closures are made of rubber and are sewn into the cuff. But rubber, being a material that rips, is no good. A small tear started on one of them and now the whole thing has almost ripped off. I do not use it now because it will come off. They should have made the storm closures out of event fabric as well. Or just elasticate the cuff and be done with fiddly storm closures altogether.

Edit - The front zip is nice and chunky though - not something that will fail quickly.

davidmiller

redddraggon wrote:

I've just gone and bought one off Wiggle. I've overspent again this month and I only got paid a week ago.

hope you did n't get the last XL in yellow as I'm just justifying it to myself.

D

redddraggon

DavidMiller wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

I've just gone and bought one off Wiggle. I've overspent again this month and I only got paid a week ago.

hope you did n't get the last XL in yellow as I'm just justifying it to myself.

D

They've got 4 XLGs in yellow, but I've got myself a black in XL

phelim

gore pac lite jackets excellent quality and last for years.

richardast

I didn't know what jacket to get recently so I ordered 4 from Wiggle, tried them all on and kept what I thought was the best (1 from Gore, 2 Endura and 1 Altura).

The best by far for me, and the one I kept, was the Altura Attack in orange and graphite - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360031860&n=Altura%20Attack%20Jacket

The Gore Cross felt like a boil in the bag and looked naff.
The 2 Enduras weren't cheap but felt it.

Unlike your experience, I found that the Altura just felt like it was a different quality. I've found it really breathable and when I had my recent spill it showed how amazingly hardwearing it is. Not a scuff, in spite of the fact that it was obvious from the road muck that I had slid about 10 feet on my back.

giant_man

I love Assos and also recommend the Airjack 851, but for 30 quid more you could have the Castelli Espresso, also excellent for next winter, from Wiggle here:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... o%20Jacket

Would be my choice right now. Rather tasty I think.

sean65

+1 for the Endura eVent jacket.

Took a thorough downpour this afternoon without problems. Because it breaths so well, even when it's not raining you'll not get cold when you stop as it keeps on wicking.

Also, as you're commuting, you'll also have some reflective parts of the jacket that make you visible from a 360 degree view.

I think I'll pick up a pair of the 3/4 eVent shorts as I'm so pleased with the performance of the jacket.

Another jacket that looks great is the Endura Stealth. It's like a softshell but it's also waterproof.

Assos is good but not really ideal for commuting. You'll want a few pockets etc...

red dragon

I have found through use that the Rapha original softshell jacket and the Endura stealth softshell jacket are both very,very good.

redddraggon

After ordering the Assos jacket at the weekend, I wish I had done it earlier and had the jacket for my journey home today. I got very wet and cold on the journey home. I bet when the jacket comes tomorrow that there's not another day cold enough to require a winter jacket.

Nuggs

redddraggon wrote:

After ordering the Assos jacket at the weekend, I wish I had done it earlier and had the jacket for my journey home today. I got very wet and cold on the journey home. I bet when the jacket comes tomorrow that there's not another day cold enough to require a winter jacket.

They're so breathable that it'll be great for mild (not necessarily cold) days...

redddraggon

Nuggs wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

After ordering the Assos jacket at the weekend, I wish I had done it earlier and had the jacket for my journey home today. I got very wet and cold on the journey home. I bet when the jacket comes tomorrow that there's not another day cold enough to require a winter jacket.

They're so breathable that it'll be great for mild (not necessarily cold) days...

Wore it on the way home from work today for the first time, if the day was much warmer I think I would have boiled.

Ace jacket otherwise though.

redddraggon

Even more impressed with it, very stormy conditions on the way to work this morning and it looked after me well.

Thumbs up for the Assos jacket!

davidmiller

Well, having found out how much bonus I'm about to receive I've succumbed to the tempatation of the 851 in blue. As it's only windproof (SWIMBO thinks I'm bonkers for spending so much on a jacket that ain't even waterproof!!!) I ordered one of those cheap (by Assos standards) DHB see through waterproof's.

I seem to be different sizes depending on if I use my height or chest !!!! Ordered it priority service so I get to use it before it gets too warm. May get to try it out on sunday.

I'm well excited (distracted) today with Paris-Nice going up Ventoux !!!!!

Best wishes,

David

italiaandyf

Hi
I bought a gore phantom recently, just before xmas when the temperature was starting to drop, and find it excellent, totally windproof, warm, when it's pretty nippy out I just wore a HH warm long sleeved base layer and the phantom jacket and was very warm - it's not totally waterproof but then I wasn't looking for that - I like the fact you can zip the sleeves off and use it as a gilet - good jacket.

davidmiller

I'm sat here now at the pc in just my new Assos 851 jacket.

Guys, don't even try to picture it !!!!

David

richardast

It's like Thunderbirds meets the Village People.

dnrdnr

Riding in the Highlands of Scotland this year (wet, very wet, or cold) I have used only wool baselayers and a Gore windstopper. It does get wet in a downpour but is still warm and comfortable, a bit neoprene like. Much more comfortable than "breathable" waterproofs which always end up wet and smelly from the inside whether it rains or not. Try it!

davidmiller

richardast wrote:

It's like Thunderbirds meets the Village People.

I was thinking Star Trek meets Space 1999 (please don't say Village People). It is VERY bling and I am worried about being a bit of a poser in it - esp at my 8 mph !!!!!

Still, so long as it make me go FASTER that's all that matters.

David