Ibex Cirque Jacket - review
Elk asked about warmth and waterproof in the Sierra Trading Post thread, so I figured I'd talk about it now that I've had an opportunity to wear it. Y'know, it was supposed to get chilly, so I got warm stuff, and it got warm instead!
Mine's not black -- Sierra Trading Post had these purply ones with the color name "Cobalt" -- I love the color! It's really not that great for visibility while riding, but they had a screaming yellow Zoot vest that I've decided to wear with it when riding. They look well together and the prices were right to make it easy to add the vest (I do have a jacket at home from last fall, after all, and could have economized)
Even more than the purply blue color, I love the comfort. I grew up in Minnesota, where you put on a parka about now and don't take it off until sometime in April. I HATE bulky, bunchy, noisy outerwear with a passion. This fits like, well, it feels like it becomes part of me, and that's FANTASTIC!
I rode to work today -- 46 degrees, sunny, and just a bit of a breeze. Lots of downhill runs, so I was able to simulate wind as I rode too.
Not having ridden at these temps before, I put on a long sleeved fleece top, then the jacket and vest. I also had tights and some warmer pants on top of those.
I was MORE than warm enough. About halfway to work, I unzipped both the vest and the jacket most of the way. Won't do fleece at 46 degrees again! I feel pretty confident that I will be able to wear this to ride down to 30 degrees, and maybe even cooler weather than that. I'm even guessing that I can wear it skiing some this winter!
No wind got through to my arms. I can only guess that it would not have gotten through the rest of the jacket too, since I had the nylon vest over the body of the jacket.
Waterproof? Don't know about that, but maybe sometime I'll take it in the shower to see!
Great jacket! I will use it LOTS this winter! Next winter, it will probably be too big, and I will CERTAINLY buy another. I'm contemplating dragging DH over to Sierra Trading Post to find one for him. I don't know if I can get him on his bike this winter, but it will be easier if he's got the right stuff, eh?
Karen in Boise
