Jacket/Vest Suggestions?

[anneimall]

Hi all.

I'm looking for a jacket/vest combo and would appreciate your suggestions. I ride mostly in the mountains and it can get quite windy with severe weather changes with the time of day and elevation gain/loss. It does not, however, rain much so I don't really need a bulletproof rain jacket. Also, I have a winter jacket, so I'm not looking for something warm, just for the wind and something packable to use in the shoulder seasons ... and after all that, something stylish too!

[Triskeliongirl]

I love my PI vagabound II jacket. I have it in screaming yellow. It is a flattering trim cut, and does exactly what you want. Ventilates well, yellow from backside, nice large rear pocket.

It runs on the small side, so if you are between sizes size up. I got it right here on TE.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My skiing friends like the Floe vest from Ibex:
http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/ProductDetail.php?GID=855&VID=9723&Product=Floe-Vest

And for jackets,
either the Dash jacket:
http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/ProductDetail.php?GID=602&VID=6483&Product=Dash-Hybrid-Jacket
the Pingo jacket:
http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/ProductDetail.php?GID=853&VID=9696&Product=Pingo-Jacket
or this one:
http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/ProductDetail.php?GID=852&VID=9690&Product=Alyx-Jacket

They use Ibex's Cirrus fabric, which is a weather/wind blocking fabric. They have a thin merino wool lining as well.
All of these happen to be on sale right now. :)

[melissam]

I love my PI vagabound II jacket. I have it in screaming yellow. It is a flattering trim cut, and does exactly what you want. Ventilates well, yellow from backside, nice large rear pocket.

It runs on the small side, so if you are between sizes size up. I got it right here on TE.

+1 on the Pearl Izumi Vagabond jacket. In fact, I've taken a couple of Triskelion's recommendations, and she has yet to steer me wrong. ;)

She's right about the sizing -- I normally take a size small, but I had to get a medium in the Vagabond jacket. And the screaming yellow is extremely visible!

The jacket packs well, and it's easy to convert from jacket to vest and back to jacket.

Since you're not looking for a warm jacket or one that's totally waterproof, I think the PI Vagabond is definitely worth considering.

-- Melissa

[Triskeliongirl]

Yes, for warmth I have my PI gavia jacket and for real downpours my craft rain jacket. It packs in its pocket, sleeves zip off nicely and easily. I did recently learn that for warmth though, I can layer it over an ibex full zip shak and it will be as warm as my PI gavia jacket layerd over a lighter base, which is good to know if I want to tour and keep total pieces to a minimum. It has tons of pockets (5 total), just a really nice piece, but do remember to size up rel. to your size in say shebeest (but you could order 2 and return 1 if you aren't sure). I don't mind sizing up, in fact I prefer mediums that run small, cuz then they tend to fit me better in length. Some smalls that fit me in width are too short in the arms and bodice. I also love that it has a slim trim feel to it, and so its not all blowing in the wind. So, while I am a small in a shebeest windpro jacket, I am a medium in the PI vagabound II jacket.

[surgtech1956]

Performance Transformer Jacket. There was a good review in Bicycling Magazine about this jacket/vest. Nothing fancy, but a nice price of $49.99.

[anneimall]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I was looking (online) at the PI Vagabond II and it looks like it would work great ... another one I'm considering is the Sugoi Versa ... does anyone have any opinions about that one (I like the red).

The Ibex stuff looks excellent, but not convertible. I have a lot of icebreaker stuff .. how does the Ibex compare?

[Triskeliongirl]

I don't know anything about the sugoi jacket, but the PI vagabound II is available in red directly from PI, maybe elsewhere on sale but haven't searched for it.

[indysteel]

I like my Gore Passion Plus jacket. The arms zipper off and it has a back pocket that you can "stuff" the jacket into and secure to your bike. I think the jacket runs a bit on the large side. I usually wear a small, but have it in extra small.

I've called it the best money I've spent for my bike. I wear it on the coldest winter days (with other layers of course) and find it to be very wind and water proof. It looks nice, too.

[Crankin]

I have the Sugoi jacket, in yellow. I love it. I got it last fall, when the zipper on the original wind jacket I got when I started cycling broke. It was one of the few jackets available in x small and it doesn't have a huge elastic on the bottom. It fits perfectly. I wore an Icebreaker half zip and a base layer under it, and I was perfectly dressed at 40 degrees on Saturday. I also have a Craft rain jacket. It is very warm and waterproof, with pit zips. It is hard to fold, so I hardly ever wear it. Instead, I use a cheap rain jacket that folds into the back pocket that I got at REI for $30. It doesn't breathe as well and it's a small, so it's a little big. But I can actually fit it in my seat bag if needed.