Gabba vs other

cookeeemonster

Il Principe wrote:

Wouldn't bother with Rapha. Sky riders always look F*cking miserable when it's wet. IMHO their 'technical' kit isn't a patch on the likes of Castelli.

so you've got pictures of loads of gabba wearing pros who have spent 6 hours in torential rain and cold laughing, smiling, high fiving each other and maybe even doing wheelies? :P

Got no argument with the 'pros wear it' angle,but am still trying to work out if it'll work for an amatuer on a commute 5 days a week. The washing it after every ride thing is possibly the decider...bloody hell why didnt I just buy the damn thing earlier instead of this back and forth crap.

rubertoe was right, eddie the eagle would have manned the f up and just bought it.

THREAD CLOSED!!! NOTHING TO BUY HERE.

itboffin

it seems barely a distant memory now but earlier this year it was wetter than a beavers pouch anyway enough of the trips down memory lane.

In a fit of annoyance i bought the following

Gabba SS jersey
Gabba gilet
Gabba knee warmers
and the Gabba type neoprene overshoes and gloves
I already had the sportful norain arm warmers, since then i've only used the Gilet and arm warmers even when its been 15+c

I wonder if they have Gabba cap?

rubertoe

Glad to help out.

cookeeemonster

rubertoe wrote:

Glad to help out.

I do appreciate all the replies on this subject, wanted a range of opinions and got them. Now to have a long think...

EDIT: I'm now looking at the Castelli Fawesome gillet and armwarmer combo...

Anonymous

If all you do is commute a few miles cut some holes in a bin liner and stick your feet in plastic bags.

My personal view is that I don't really care about my summer kit at all, but because I find that winter weekends are easily wasted doing nothing, with some good kit I can happily do 100 miles without feeling like an arctic explorer (then have a solid session in the pub)

itboffin

CookeeeMonster wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Glad to help out.

I do appreciate all the replies on this subject, wanted a range of opinions and got them. Now to have a long think...

EDIT: I'm now looking at the Castelli Fawesome gillet and armwarmer combo...

yep that's the ticket but find a shop and try one on, remember they're meant to be very tight its part of how it works.

cookeeemonster

itboffin wrote:

CookeeeMonster wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Glad to help out.

I do appreciate all the replies on this subject, wanted a range of opinions and got them. Now to have a long think...

EDIT: I'm now looking at the Castelli Fawesome gillet and armwarmer combo...

yep that's the ticket but find a shop and try one on, remember they're meant to be very tight its part of how it works.

The only problem I foresee is that it's not something I can whip out of a pocket and quickly put on (gillet and arm warmers) but it still might work. Does the gap between the top of the gillet and your arm warmers get on your nerves at all re. letting water in? Also cant find the gillet cheaper than £90 at the mo, if I went for this option I think I'd want it cheaper tbh...but we'll see.

Thanks again everyone

smokey_bacon

CookeeeMonster wrote:

itboffin wrote:

CookeeeMonster wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Glad to help out.

I do appreciate all the replies on this subject, wanted a range of opinions and got them. Now to have a long think...

EDIT: I'm now looking at the Castelli Fawesome gillet and armwarmer combo...

yep that's the ticket but find a shop and try one on, remember they're meant to be very tight its part of how it works.

The only problem I foresee is that it's not something I can whip out of a pocket and quickly put on (gillet and arm warmers) but it still might work. Does the gap between the top of the gillet and your arm warmers get on your nerves at all re. letting water in? Also cant find the gillet cheaper than £90 at the mo, if I went for this option I think I'd want it cheaper tbh...but we'll see.

Thanks again everyone

I've never had any issues with a gap tbh. All seems to disappear into jersey pockets when required aswell.

meanredspider

The only time I've found a gilet useful is descending Alpe D'Huez. I run quite hot but it's my extremities that get cold - a gilet doesn't help. Even the gilet that I have (Assos) has a large mesh back for ventilation. If I were to get a new one, I'd probably go for the Assos "Emergency" one which is designed to do the same thing (except there aren't any hills long enough in the UK to deserve a descending gilet.

apreading

meanredspider wrote:

I run quite hot but it's my extremities that get cold - a gilet doesn't help.

It should - if your torso is cold then your body will reduce bloodflow to the extremities to keep your core warm. If you core is warmer because of a gilet, this means it will send more blood (which will also be warmer) to the extremities.

meanredspider

Often my body is boiling but the surface of my arms is cold. Your principle works if you're not moving but with your arms exposed to cold airflow, a warm core isn't going to help.

Ben6899

Conversely, I have a Solo gilet which I bought 5yrs ago and it's arguably the best VFM cycling-related purchase I've made. Packs up to nothing and keeps the wind off on those dry-warm-bitofachill days.

If the Gabba gilet does all that and is also monstrously waterproof, then it might be a goer for the OP.

cookeeemonster

Ok, so I weighed up the pro's and con's already discussed and decided to opt for the rapha rain jacket in the sale, as it seemed to fit a bit more with what I actually need.

Unfortunately it wasn't as much a bargain as the last sale...well not a bargain at all but if it works (big if) then it'll have been worth it.

I may regret not buying the gabba but maybe I'll pick one up in the sale next year

I'll update this thread in a few months once the weather cools down a bit and once I've used it a few times just in case anyone does a search on the forum and wants some info.

Thanks for all your help, sorry to all the gabba lovers but maybe next time

pblakeney

Well, I bought the Rapha Rain jacket in the sale yesterday too, for summer use.

I will be able to contrast and compare with the Gabba when the weather cooperates, which will probably be the weekend.

You will then know one way or the other.

dhope

Connected to work network so appears I'm browsing from the US. LS Gabba showed up at £92.50. I may have placed an order... gone for fluro as it'll be bad weather wear. Might change my mind and go ninja instead if I don't like the look when it arrives.

Edit: Ah, it thinks it's shipping to 'London, UK, US' :roll:

Also

Veronese68 wrote:

dhope wrote:

I'm just going to back quietly away from this thread before I end up buying something expensive...

Indeed. But then...

D'oh

bendertherobot

I bought the Fawesome last week in XL (fluoro) but it seems slightly tighter than the old black one I had. So I 'm returning it.

If anyone wants dibs on what it cost me before I do they are welcome, it's in the classifieds.

smokey_bacon

bendertherobot wrote:

I bought the Fawesome last week in XL (fluoro) but it seems slightly tighter than the old black one I had. So I 'm returning it.

If anyone wants dibs on what it cost me before I do they are welcome, it's in the classifieds.

Got mine yesterday. Its a medium and its what I call a race fit which is exactly what I wanted. Expecting to test it out tomorrow because it looks like it could be abit grim.

elbowloh

Yeah, so I ordered a LS Gabba and a Rapha Rain jacket...

Will do a "compare and contrast" when I get the chance!

cookeeemonster

PBlakeney wrote:

Well, I bought the Rapha Rain jacket in the sale yesterday too, for summer use.

I will be able to contrast and compare with the Gabba when the weather cooperates, which will probably be the weekend.

You will then know one way or the other.

Well not quite.

I've got no doubt that the Rapha jacket is waterproof, at least for the one hour commute that it'll be used for (should last a lot longer than that though) but the main concern was breathability. I cant use my current Gore Path goretex jacket much above about 5/6 degrees without getting uncomfortably hot and sweaty. I'm not expecting the Rapha to be massively different but I am hoping it'll be useable up to around 10 degrees if not a little bit more.

So using it at around 17 - 25 degrees is way out of the question for me unless it's magic

I will be interested in your experiences though (and elbowloh).

cookeeemonster

ps I tried the Gabba SS jersey and Fawesome gillet on the other day in Cyclesurgery in XL (one size up from my normal jersey size). The Gabba fitted perfectly and looked/felt like a real nice bit of kit. The Fawesome fitted like a childs vest, seriously it was small (put this in in case it helps others - possibly size up twice for the Fawesome)

pblakeney

CookeeeMonster wrote:

I've got no doubt that the Rapha jacket is waterproof, at least for the one hour commute that it'll be used for (should last a lot longer than that though) but the main concern was breathability. I cant use my current Gore Path goretex jacket much above about 5/6 degrees without getting uncomfortably hot and sweaty. I'm not expecting the Rapha to be massively different but I am hoping it'll be useable up to around 10 degrees if not a little bit more.

So using it at around 17 - 25 degrees is way out of the question for me unless it's magic

I will be interested in your experiences though (and elbowloh).

My experience of Gore reflects yours, and the Gabba is too hot for summer use.
My current choice in the summer is to simply get wet so I will concede to buying the Rapha more in hope than expectation, but here is to hoping!
I am hoping -5 to 10, Gabba; 10 to 20 Rapha. I doubt anything will breathe sufficiently over 20, and will probably find that the figure is lower than that.

cookeeemonster

PBlakeney wrote:

CookeeeMonster wrote:

I've got no doubt that the Rapha jacket is waterproof, at least for the one hour commute that it'll be used for (should last a lot longer than that though) but the main concern was breathability. I cant use my current Gore Path goretex jacket much above about 5/6 degrees without getting uncomfortably hot and sweaty. I'm not expecting the Rapha to be massively different but I am hoping it'll be useable up to around 10 degrees if not a little bit more.

So using it at around 17 - 25 degrees is way out of the question for me unless it's magic

I will be interested in your experiences though (and elbowloh).

My experience of Gore reflects yours, and the Gabba is too hot for summer use.
My current choice in the summer is to simply get wet so I will concede to buying the Rapha more in hope than expectation, but here is to hoping!
I am hoping -5 to 10, Gabba; 10 to 20 Rapha. I doubt anything will breathe sufficiently over 20, and will probably find that the figure is lower than that.

Interesting - in my mind I'd swop them over if anything for the temperatures quoted. I'd use the gabba for 10-20 and the rapha for below that (layered up if necessary) but I'm looking forward to your update

meanredspider

I used my Gabba SS in reasonably warm (14-15C) conditions when it was very wet and it was fine. That said, I was pretty soaked both on the outside and the inside so having a "waterproof" jacket is pretty moot

bendertherobot

Think of the Gabba as a lightweight wetsuit. It will keep you dry for a while, then it will get wet, mostly from the inside but also from ingress.

But you'll always be warm in it. It's for foul weather. It works when it's showery. But it works best in truly foul weather. It continues to work when other waterproofs have let go and don't provide any warmth anymore.

meanredspider

bendertherobot wrote:

Think of the Gabba as a lightweight wetsuit. It will keep you dry for a while, then it will get wet, mostly from the inside but also from ingress.

But you'll always be warm in it. It's for foul weather. It works when it's showery. But it works best in truly foul weather. It continues to work when other waterproofs have let go and don't provide any warmth anymore.

That's how I found my Assos AirJack 851 - windproof and warm-when-wet

MrSweary

Moot

ahem.. I'll get back in my hole now.

meanredspider

MrSweary wrote:

Moot

ahem.. I'll get back in my hole now.

Thank you

elbowloh

Just had an email from Evans to say that my Gabba has been despatched. Bit earlier than I was expecting, so BOOOOM!

pblakeney

elbowloh wrote:

Just had an email from Evans to say that my Gabba has been despatched. Bit earlier than I was expecting, so BOOOOM!

Was that Paddy Evans?

Sorry. Poor joke in poor taste, and dated at that, but sometimes I just can't help myself.

elbowloh

PBlakeney wrote:

elbowloh wrote:

Just had an email from Evans to say that my Gabba has been despatched. Bit earlier than I was expecting, so BOOOOM!

Was that Paddy Evans?

Sorry. Poor joke in poor taste, and dated at that, but sometimes I just can't help myself.

Sorry, I have no idea who Paddy Evans is, so if it's in poor taste, I've missed it!