Gore Phantom jacket

redvee

What other alternatives to this jacket are there? Looking for a soft shell that I can pull the arms off when needed. I'm on my 2nd jacket where the zip has failed, the first was done under warranty but my current jacket is long out of warranty.

maddog 2

Endura do one (Convert?)

Altura do one (?)

And Campag do one I think

FatTed

Castelli Gabba Convertibile Jacket?
I think the zip off arms are not as good as a short sleeved jersey with arm warmers
or just a long sleeved jersey/Jacket

getting_on_a_bit

Just to agree about 'zip'.
Had my jacket for around 4 years,still in great condition and a great all year round jacket.
Zip however is crap..have to be very patient to get it to snag in place before pulling up,issue developed after a couple of years.

rolf_f

I can't imagine the weather conditions where it was cold enough to wear my Phantom but warm enough that I wouldn't want the arms on it!

Coach H

Rolf F wrote:

I can't imagine the weather conditions where it was cold enough to wear my Phantom but warm enough that I wouldn't want the arms on it!

+1, the zip off arms seem a bit pointless to me. Great as a Jacket but too warm as a gilet.

nferrar

I've had a couple of Phantoms over the last few years and can only remember taking the arms off a couple of times, cold/drizzly start to the day then sun came out and it soon warmed up - even then though I'd have probably been better off with an insulating gilet + arm warmers (if I'd checked the forecast and realised it was going to get a fair bit warmer).
If you have the budget I'd def go with the Gabba s/s jersey and then decent arm warmers (I would say Castelli nanoflex but I'm not impressed by mine, wondering if the Sportful no rain's are any better?).
So the only real advantage of the Phantom is using the arms zips just to vent rather than removing the arms completely - I have done this a fair few times but it's more because the Phantom doesn't breath particularly well in the first place (compared with say the Assos Habu which is brilliant)

samsbike

I use mine a quite a bit. I like the fact that its one jacket for the morning and then a gilet in the afternoon. I will watch the zip thing though, mines only had a short one season.

redvee

Just back from local Evans store and had a look at a few jackets

maddog 2 wrote:

Endura do one (Convert?)

Only had black in store and I need a replacement asap, like tomorrow and they couldn't guarantee getting a jacket instore for tomorrow, zip did look to be better quality though.

maddog 2 wrote:

Altura do one (?)

Didn't feel upto the weight of the Gore jacket I currently have.

maddog 2 wrote:

And Campag do one I think

I'm not a millionaire

The old Gore jacket is in the local tailors to have the zip replaced, £1.60 for parts and £30 labour but a week turnaround, too good to throw away.

Wily-Quixote

I really, really don't rate my phantom....
I tend to wear it sleeveless with a long sleeve base layer on underneath as:
a. it's colder with the arms on (more on that later)
b. the arms are too constrictive and uncomfortable (and I'm no schwarzenegger)

The phantom's biggest problem is it's lack of breathability. I've worn it on 13 degree days, frosty 0 degree days and in every climatic condition it works like this: start riding feel cool, warm up, start sweating, sweat goes nowhere, cool down and get chilled. It doesn't seem to matter if I wear a baselayer or a base and jersey, the jacket is just too non-breathable... I put it doen to the circumferential windstopper around the arms which just don't ventilate well enough. hence it's warmer wiht the sleeves off.

I've moved to the endura jacket - fleece backing to arms and entire back - allows sweat to convect away from the skin and yet still blocks the wind.

Grill

I have an Endura Convert. Fantastic jacket although way too warm for it now.

Wily-Quixote

@ Grill... 0 celcius here yesterday morning. Add one endura windchill jacket, polypro baselayer - warm as toast....