Gilet or a Gore Phantom?

mjgoodhand

I was just about to pull the trigger on a Gore Gilet:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gore-bike-wear/countdown-as-vest-ec022401

I then spotted the Phantom jacket for £95 at Wiggle and now don't know what to do! I read a number of reviews and it sounds great.

I had decided that a Gilet would be ideal for spring or autumn audaxes but I only have a fairly cheap winter jacket at the moment (although it does the job with base layers even below freezing). I suppose ideally I would like a Gilet but the flexibility of the jacket / gilet combo might be useful. I do have some lightweight arm warmers (pearl izumi)

Can anybody comment on how good a gilet the phantom makes - is it as good as a specialist gilet? Any other advice would be welcome.

Martin

Stuey01

The phantom is a LOT warmer than the countdown. If you want it for spring/autumn it might be too warm.

It's brilliant in cold weather though.

markshaw77

I have two Phantoms and as Stuey01 says, they are brilliant as a winter jacket, but even with the sleeves removed they are probably too warm once you get above about 7 or 8 degrees outside.

For sheer versatility, they are brilliant, and anything less than a ton is a good price, but they are definitely a good deal warmer than your average gilet.

redvee

On my 2nd Phantom after the zip died on me a month ago and now have a red one compared to the subtler grey I originally purchased from Evans. In the recent cold weather was warm enough with a LS jersey and wicking layer, this week just the wicking layer and Phantom. One word of warning, don't try and undo the arms when riding along. the zips are the most awkward things to reach when wearing the jacket.

mjgoodhand

It sounds like the best bet might be to go for the gilet now and look at getting a Phantom (or other Gore windproof jacket) before next winter and stick with my cheapy Aldi special if it gets cold again this year.

The Gore clothing seems to get great reviews and isn't quite as expensive as Assos or Rapha. This is a good thing at least as far as the other 'arf is concerned.

boblo

Gore clothing is ace. Mrs Boblo has a Phantom and it's been great. I have a Tool (stop tittering at the back ) which is a winter weight softshell and a Complete which is a bit like the Phantom but in softshell. The latter is the best and most flexible bit of kit I own. I've used it from about zero through to plus 40c. Sadly, the Phantom has replaced it in Gore's range.

mjgoodhand

I feel a Sid James moment coming on! It seems a lot of the users of this forum brag about their tools so maybe I'll go for a gilet and then next autumn I might get a tool too!

I am 5'10" and 13 stone 34" waste. Dare I ask what size gilet and tool I should go for? I'm usually a large are Gore clothes a fairly standard sizing?

Anyway enough Carry on Cycling for one post! OOOOooooo Matron.

redvee

mjgoodhand wrote:

I am 5'10" and 13 stone 34" waste. Dare I ask what size gilet and tool I should go for? I'm usually a large are Gore clothes a fairly standard sizing?

Anyway enough Carry on Cycling for one post! OOOOooooo Matron.

I'm the same size as you in one aspect but bigger in the others and wear a large Phantom which is OK but I'd go into a shop and try them on. If you've seen a good price online, go to Evans and buy the jacket then hit them with the online price printout/evidence for the pricematch promise.

mjgoodhand

The problem is I live near Grimsby which is pretty much the ar*e end of nowhere when it comes to cycling shops. The best price for the Gore gilet I have seen is evans anyway so I think I'll take a risk on a large.

boblo

Buy it from Gore and if you are really, really, unsure get the next size(s) and send back the ones that don't fit. Thta's what I do when I'm unsure and can't find summat locally....

meanredspider

I have the Phantom and I'm really not sure when I'm going to wear it with no sleeves. By the time it's warm enough to remove the sleeves, it's probably too warm for the body on it's own. I have a much lighter gilet that I wear (an Assos one) that has a mesh back but the Phantom is almost too thick for on the bike with no sleeves.