Reveiw: Ibex Pingo Jacket

I have finally found the jacket of my dreams!

http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/Product...t=Pingo-Jacket

Fabric: This is a softshell, which I've never owned before. I was hoping a softshell would let my super-sweaty self be active without getting cold and clammy. And it does! I deliberately tried to overheat today on my bike, and while I did get mighty warm, I did not get damp. I've walked the dog in the rain in this jacket, and the rain tended to bead up and roll off. The outside is polyester, the inside is wool. The fabric stretches and gives enough that I've not yet felt it bind at all.

Styling: Oh, baby, what style it has! It looks so sleek, sexy sexy sexy! Sleeves are marvelously long and keep the wrists covered even while riding in the drops. The back tail drops just enough to keep your back covered on the bike. The front is short enough to prevent the jacket from bellying out. The hem fits over my generous hips nicely. Jacket as a whole drapes well, and the raglan sleeves sit beautifully.

Pockets: Three good-sized pockets with the nice water-resistant welded zippers. Each zipper has a "zipper garage" to go into when the zip is closed. The Napoleon pocket has a little port-thingy in it to let you feed your iPod earphones thru. And there is a ribbon loop to guide your earphone wires out the collar.

Sizing: I wear Large in Ibex, but I ordered an XL for my Pingo jacket. The XL fits great over my L Norgie crew and L fullzip Switchback. It also fits well over a thick wool sweater.

How does it layer over a shak one size smaller? It looks a tad short in the pic on the website, so I was wondering if it would cover a shak. I have a small shak, and all my ibex is small, so I am thinking of ordering the pingo in a medium to layer over my small stuff. You said water beads up on it. Would you think it would be waterproof if you were riding in the rain, or would the rain eventually get through? Its so purty, and the blue matches my bike..........

What temp range would be suitable to wear this in without overheating?

I just put the XL Pingo on over my L Shak.

The hem of my Shak was completely covered. If I raised my arms up over my head, the Shak hem peeked out, but when I put my arms back down the Pingo slid back over the top of the Shak. No Shak showing, and I didn't even have to adjust anything, it just did that by itself.

I don't expect this to be waterproof on a long very heavy rainy bike ride. But from what I've seen so far it is very very water resistant. I have every intention of wearing this on rainy bike rides, I think I'll be much more comfortable in this than in my GoreTex. (I sweat far too much even for GoreTex or Triple Point Ceramic or any other "breathable" membrane or coating. I am a sweat monster!)

Not sure what temp range folks could wear it in without overheating. Everyone is so different, I can only speak for myself. I'd be comfy wearing this walking or cruising on the bike with a t-shirt underneath up to around 60-65 degrees or so. With the Norgie and Switchback underneath I could be happy in the snow. (25-30 is about as cold as we get around here)

Ohhh, Knott- I'm feeling a little guilty now- like I did this to you! Not that owning a Pingo is terrible- in fact it's anything but! What color did you get? Can I mention that I SLEPT in mine the other night? (Was tired from work and house was freezing cold, and I just fell asleep before taking it off and woke up the next morning all warm and comfy but I digress).

And triskeliongirl- I wear a small in just about everything, and found the medium Pingo fits nicely- not too big nor too short but just right, and room for my fleece vest underneath if I need insulation. Sleeves are long- which is a definite bonus for anything active or for my freakishly long arms. It's trim without being confining.

The pingo doesn't have a back pocket, does it? Its soooo pretty, but I already have so many jackets.............

No back pocket.

Two front pockets and a Napoleon pocket.

It's niiiiiiiice.... you waaaaaaant one... really, you dooooooo... ;)

Tricky - I got a black one just like yours. Only a whole lot bigger!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

Tricky - I got a black one just like yours. Only a whole lot bigger!

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This has been said before, but be really careful about road riding in black jackets (and black shorts/tights, I presume). I see bike commuters around where I work quite often, and am amazed how many of them are in black and navy bike jerseys/jackets, carrying a black messenger bag on their back. They are almost invisible on the road to me, and I am actually aware of and looking for cyclists, unlike so many others in cars after work. Then I'll see one in screaming orange or yellow, and I can see them for a mile up ahead. I really worry when I see cyclists wearing dull, dark colors as I don't think they honestly realize what a difference it makes to motorists (many of whom are already distracted by their cell phone, the traffic, etc.). When I ride on the road, I wear either yellow, white, or red up top nearly all the time. It kinda sucks because I have a lot of pretty jerseys in more muted colors, but I save those for the trails.

If you wear a black jacket, please consider adding a screaming yellow helmet or even a safety vest. Yeah, I know they're geeky, but not getting hit is worth a little geekiness.

Thank you!
Emily

Hmmm, I *want* one but I don't *need* one. My PI vagabound II layers well over my shak, and is probably as warm as I need when paired with the shak. While its billed as water resistant, it gets pretty wet in a true downpour. I have my craft rain jacket for that, but the pingo is just sooo preeety. I would like black, not for riding, but to layer under my ski shell, but then its not available in my size. The blue does match my bike, but I just don't need it...................

Quote:

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

This has been said before, but be really careful about road riding in black jackets (and black shorts/tights, I presume). I see bike commuters around where I work quite often, and am amazed how many of them are in black and navy bike jerseys/jackets, carrying a black messenger bag on their back. They are almost invisible on the road to me, and I am actually aware of and looking for cyclists, unlike so many others in cars after work. Then I'll see one in screaming orange or yellow, and I can see them for a mile up ahead. I really worry when I see cyclists wearing dull, dark colors as I don't think they honestly realize what a difference it makes to motorists (many of whom are already distracted by their cell phone, the traffic, etc.). When I ride on the road, I wear either yellow, white, or red up top nearly all the time. It kinda sucks because I have a lot of pretty jerseys in more muted colors, but I save those for the trails.

If you wear a black jacket, please consider adding a screaming yellow helmet or even a safety vest. Yeah, I know they're geeky, but not getting hit is worth a little geekiness.

Thank you!
Emily

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Good point. And it worries me, too.

I am the biggest geek around. Been wearing screaming yellow and orange every time I ride the bike since the early 1980s. (before it was cool, and all I could find was hunting clothes) These days I have a screaming yellow helmet with blinkie on top, screaming yellow vest, blinkies front and back, yellow panniers, bodacious amounts of reflective tape, reflective sidewall tires, screaming yellow ankle/arm bands, reflective Road ID on the other wrist and ankle.

Yup, I've always figured drivers may laugh at me when they see me, but at least they have a chance of seeing me! :p

Here's a good source of screaming colors: www.alertshirt.com

Edit to add: they make a cyclists shirt with big reflective stripes down both arms front and back. Good for signalling turns.

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Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl

The blue does match my bike

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Indeed it does...perfectly if I might add. ;) I have the blue and I LOVE this jacket. I find that it's actually the best "bike to off-bike" jacket I own. As Knot says, it works beautifully on the bike in an active situation, but it also looks really sharp when worn with more professional clothing too. I've worn mine in a downpour (walking the dogs, not on the bike) and it shed all the water. I stayed perfectly dry.

I'm borderline between a medium and a small in Ibex stuff and I got the medium in the Pingo. It fits well over the small items, but it also fits comfortably over my medium Carrie hoodies.

Oh Catherine, you tempt me so............ I knew she would match Isis perfectly.

*If* I get it, do you think I should get the small or medium. Everything else I have in ibex is small and fits good, but they are items that stretch over my bust which I gather this wouldn't do. I did try the medium kates on I sent you and thought they were too loose......... But I too feel like I am right on the edge as well between small and medium, just more like on the small end. I guess I could always order both and send one back...... or not order anything............

Quote:

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

I see bike commuters around where I work quite often, and am amazed how many of them are in black and navy bike jerseys/jackets, carrying a black messenger bag on their back.

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I call those ninja cyclists... Sure looks stylish... but really not visible. It worries me too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl

Oh Catherine, you tempt me so............ I knew she would match Isis perfectly.

*If* I get it, do you think I should get the small or medium. Everything else I have in ibex is small and fits good, but they are items that stretch over my bust which I gather this wouldn't do. I did try the medium kates on I sent you and thought they were too loose......... But I too feel like I am right on the edge as well between small and medium, just more like on the small end. I guess I could always order both and send one back...... or not order anything............

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Trisk - I think you'd like the Medium better...for the chest room. I think it helps to have a little more room for the air to circulate. The advantage to this jacket is that it's not long, so a larger size wouldn't look as large as it might in another style, you know? I hangs beautifully, so I don't think you'd have it bagging anywhere. Am I even making any sense?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

I see bike commuters around where I work quite often, and am amazed how many of them are in black and navy bike jerseys/jackets, carrying a black messenger bag on their back. They are almost invisible on the road to me,

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My DH and I call them 'stealth cyclists'. You don't see them until you are on top of them!