Softshell jackets, talk to me

Stuey01

Endura Stealth, any good? how warm? too warm for autumn?

What about Gore?

Anything else worth looking at?

Ideally I'd like zip off arms, so I can turn it into a gilet. But I could live without this.

What have you got and how do you like it?

Thanks

Chip \'oyler

Rapha Softshell. Very good. Very smart. Very warm.

mrushton

+1

The canines nuts. Might even sell my L to buy the new one. But a top bit of kit despite the expense

a_n_t

Stuey01 wrote:

Endura Stealth, any good? how warm? too warm for autumn?

depends how warm it is!

Wore mine for the first time last week with just a base layer and ended up cooking!!
The morning was pretty chilly and it was fine then but it warmed up quite alot in the afternoon and it was too much. Lovely jacket though. Going to be perfect for those sub 10'c temps.

guilliano

For mornings at this time of year the Endura Windchill is a much better bet and at half the price. Stealth is an extreme weather jacket.

gkerr4

rapha - worth the budget-stretching for!

cougie

I do like my Rapha - can be worn off the bke too without looking too much of a dork.

LazyBoycp

a_n_t wrote:

Stuey01 wrote:

Endura Stealth, any good? how warm? too warm for autumn?

depends how warm it is!

Wore mine for the first time last week with just a base layer and ended up cooking!!
The morning was pretty chilly and it was fine then but it warmed up quite alot in the afternoon and it was too much. Lovely jacket though. Going to be perfect for those sub 10'c temps.

I think having to fix that puncture helped warm you up too though, so it wasn't just the jacket! (I was the person on the red Roubaix who lent you his pump - don't worry, I'm not stalking you!)

OT, I've heard that the Rapha is meant to be brilliant. I'm thinking of getting one at some point soon, though I was really upset when I saw that the price went up £25 recently. :x

a_n_t

LazyBoycp wrote:

I think having to fix that puncture helped warm you up too though

Oh yeah! forgot about that Hate getting punctures on club runs, never feels right afterwards, thats why I got off at Prestbury, felt like I was riding through jam!

Mendip rouleur

Had one for two and a half years, and agree it's for the winter really. Very good though, kept me dry in downpours, freezing snow, jungles and rainforest (yes real South American ones) and always very warm. The side vents are good when it does get too warm, and pocket size is also good, if a little inflexible in that it's all into one pocket at the back..

amck111

I have both the Castelli Leggerezza and the Castelli Ripresa jacket.

I would recommend the Leggerezza Jacket. It is a great wee lightweight, warm (but not too warm) jacket and the sleeves also zip off too, should suit you well. The Ripresa jacket on the other hand is really only for those icy days. Depends on what you want the jacket for...

Monty Dog

I rue the day I turned down a Rapha softshell for £50 a few years and frankly find the latest price ridiculous. Gore jackets are just as good quality as Rapha IME, the Gore Tool is an excellent jacket and plenty of good pockets for winter riding, pit zips and so forth. I also have a new Gore Phantom - windstopper with zip off sleeves - unused and un-needed - grey size small, but nearer 38"-40" and happy to let it go for £40 plus postage - PM me if interested.

pete54

I have a Rapha Lightweight Softshell, which I find plenty warm enough for even the coldest Winter days. Fantastic jacket - they have a medium in blue in the clearance section for £130 at the moment.

onthefells

I also have a Rapha lightweight softshell but despite a fair bit of use I think softshells are a complete waste of money and here's why.

If its dry you don't need em...a long sleeve jersey with a base layer is nearly always plenty warm enough and when not a lightweight gilet over the top is all I need.

If its wet they aren't waterproof so you get soaked during a heavy downpour.

Finally and probably the biggest reason...you can't take em off or if you do you can't get em in your jersey pocket.

So I'd spend my money on a lightweight waterproof that fits in your jersey pocket that can be put on and taken off if needed.

pete54

If its dry you don't need em...a long sleeve jersey with a base layer is nearly always plenty warm enough and when not a lightweight gilet over the top is all I need.

If its wet they aren't waterproof so you get soaked during a heavy downpour.

Actually, I kind of agree. I mostly wear mine over casual clothes when I'm riding my hybrid. On my road bike I wear a long sleeve jersey and a long sleeve merino base layer, plus gilet if I need it. I have a Montane Featherlight jacket in my back pocket if it looks like rain.

a_n_t

and when it's freezing cold?

Dont have much in the way of bodyfat so under 10'c i'm always cold!

giant_man

Assos of course, the airblock jacket can take good care of your heating needs on the bike.

pete54

and when it's freezing cold?

That's what I wear in the depths of Winter. I only weigh 60kg, so don't have a lot of fat on me either.

onthefells

Ant just pedal a bit faster

only joking...and I wish I had as little bodyfat as some of you 60kg lads!!

call me cycnical...and I am but I also fell for it...but softshells are the perfect example of a ' marketing success'...ie selling us something we don't need. The only time I wear mine is when its 'drizzling' and even then I set off knowing that if it turns heavy I'm gonna get soaked so I may as well wear my highly breathable waterproof.

the other problem, for me anyway, is even when its really cold I find my arms get too hot in my softshell...guess I should have bought the softshell gilet which does look pretty useful and would merit putting the waterproof in its pocket.

Donnic

I agree with the "marketing hype" around them. Its creating a product we think we need that we don't really.

Get a paclite goretex, or soemthing similar in terms of weight. It will fit easily in a Jersey pocket when you do get hot, I find it provides all the benefits you will want, just without the annoying downside of getting drenched. Also makes a great top layer when its sub-10. (Coming from someone who's sub-60kg, so not much warmth to be found from body fat)

redddraggon

giant mancp wrote:

Assos of course, the airblock jacket can take good care of your heating needs on the bike.

Can't beat an Assos jacket

MrChuck

Donnic wrote:

I agree with the "marketing hype" around them. Its creating a product we think we need that we don't really.

Get a paclite goretex, or soemthing similar in terms of weight. It will fit easily in a Jersey pocket when you do get hot, I find it provides all the benefits you will want, just without the annoying downside of getting drenched. Also makes a great top layer when its sub-10. (Coming from someone who's sub-60kg, so not much warmth to be found from body fat)

Sort of agree but it depends on what you mean by 'softshell' I think- for instance I wouldn't say things like Endura Stealths are softshells at all, and I can't really see the point of things like that.

To me softshells are not necessarily 100% windproof (but that much more breathable because of it) and water resistant rathet than waterproof (same reason), and with only a tiny bit of insulation. So when it's not actually properly raining (which it isn't most of the time) you can stay more comfortable than you would do in your waterproof, and only put that on when you really need to. I've got a couple and really rate them for hillwalking, but it has to be pretty cold before I'd use them on the bike.

So totally waterproof/windproof fleeces (as most cycling softshells seem to be) do seem a bit pointless to me- much better off with a simple windproof shell and some merino underneath, maybe with a very small paclite or something in your pocket for when it's really pi$$ing it down.

a_n_t

Well I cant fault my stealth, whatever it is. I know its going to keep me warm and dry for the next 6 months. Worth every penny.

Philip S

I've got a Campag winter jacket, which I really appreciate on the cold days of winter (the less than 6 degrees kind of days), but it's not the best fit in the world (the arms are a little on the short side).

MrChuck wrote:

I've got a couple and really rate them for hillwalking, but it has to be pretty cold before I'd use them on the bike.

Here's a thought - I've always quite fancied a softshell for hillwalking, but have never really been able to justify the outlay. Perhaps I can justify two birds with one stone: Would one of the less obviously "roadie" softshells - say, the Rapha - do a job on the hills as well?

Garry H

Philip S wrote:

I've got a Campag winter jacket, which I really appreciate on the cold days of winter (the less than 6 degrees kind of days), but it's not the best fit in the world (the arms are a little on the short side).

MrChuck wrote:

I've got a couple and really rate them for hillwalking, but it has to be pretty cold before I'd use them on the bike.

Here's a thought - I've always quite fancied a softshell for hillwalking, but have never really been able to justify the outlay. Perhaps I can justify two birds with one stone: Would one of the less obviously "roadie" softshells - say, the Rapha - do a job on the hills as well?

I use a Patagonia softshell for climbing/hillwalking in winter and it's fantastic, but would be too warm for cycling in. I wouldn't consider the Rapha one to be a "proper" softshell. A "proper" softshell should be breathable enough not to need any ventilation zips under the arms, otherwise you may as well wear a Windstopper jacket. I would go with something that's insulating, but a bit more breathable.

giant_man

The problem with softshells is there doesn't seem to be one which does it all: waterproof, breathable and packs up very tight. 2 out of 3 seems to be the equation.

onthefells

Philip S, funny you should mention that as I do a lot of hill walking and running. I am about to buy some softshell cycling trousers that will also double up as walking trousers as I damaged mine on Tryfan a couplle of weeks ago (I should be braver than sliding down the steep rocky stuff on my backside!!)

Never liked softshell jackets for walking either as again I find them either too hot or not waterproof enough when it really comes down so for me they fall between 2 stools. If I wore one for walking I'd feel I needed a waterproof too thereby defeating the object.

However, there is absolutely nothing stopping anyone using a Rapha softshell for walking...but if I were you I'd get the lightweight softshell which is on sale on their site...I think the 'normal' one would be too hot especially when walking uphill for any length of time.

daviesee

Rapha winter jersey.

Effectively a softshell.
Warm in the winter, duh!
Vents to cool down.
Half the price of the Softshell.

If you need water resistant/proof then look at specific jackets.

I am sure I am missing something but I ca't see what.

Edit:- What I am missing is that they don't appear to do them any more
Glad I got mine when I did!

Garry H

giant mancp wrote:

The problem with softshells is there doesn't seem to be one which does it all: waterproof, breathable and packs up very tight. 2 out of 3 seems to be the equation.

A "softshell" isn't designed to do it all though. It's designed to be insulating, a tad windproof, but not so windproof that it restricts permeability and, possibly, water resistant. A proper one will keep you comfortable even when wet. The original softshell was that ugly Buffalo thing, favoured by climbers and hillwalkers. If you want waterproof, carry a shell like Gore Tex or e-Vent. The Assos 851 is probably the one that comes closest to the original idea of a softshell; windproof where it needs to be and permeable in all other areas. Go buy one

giant_man

Already did mate and very nice they are too!

JonEdwards

I reckon the 2 softshells I own are amongst the best bits of bike kit I have.

I'll admit I get cold easily, but my Gore Tool jacket has kept me warm through 3 winters worth of commuting. It's not entirely waterproof, but close enough as to not matter. It stays warm once wet, and there's sufficient venting that I can use it in any conditions from well below freezing to + 8 or 10°C (although it is a bit sweaty then). I know that with just a base layer underneath I'll be close enough to comfortable to not need to think any further about what I'm wearing. I've done a few long road rides in it too

I've also got an Endura Fusion jacket that I wear for MTBing, which although not quite as good as the Tool cost half what the Gore one did, so I'm less concerned about falling off on it.