Jackets with Wind/waterproof Front Panels - available in the UK?

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Originally Posted by Cataboo

... if you're going to put a windproof outercoating -.... get basically a jacket that is windproof only on the front panel and breaths on the back. I've got an rei one that's softshell front, merino wool back. Marmot has their driclime windshirt (I highly recommend the driclime pants as well). Patagonia has the windtracker jacket, I think it's called.

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Cataboo's post above is from the WoolWeenies thread. It addresses EXACTLY my current clothing dilemma, which so far I've not been able to solve here in the UK. Replying on the WoolWeenies thread would definitely take things OT, hence new thread with specific title.

HEALTH WARNING: This is a long post! ;)

First of all - hands up, I am a total merino convert. During the winter every item of clothing touching my skin is merino. (The exception is my bra. I'm large busted and have not found any merino bras in my size. I wear a 'non-sports' bra that has a lot of mesh panels and am pretty happy with its comfort & performance in all weather conditions.)

Like so many other TE members, I sweat freely and profusely as soon as my heart rate goes up. I discovered merino last winter and it's been a revelation and a godsend. Without it, I couldn't cope with the too hot/damp chill extremes I go through in the course of a typical ride, and might have turned into a fairweather cyclist and have missed out on so much (especially night riding, which I absolutely adore).

Winter days in the south of England, generally speaking, fall into two distinct categories: damp and mild (6-12 Celsius / low 40s to low 50s Fahrenheit roughly speaking) or dry, bright and cold (freezing). Cycling pretty much means I'm going to be, if not thoroughly soaked, than at least quite damp, either from sweat or from rain. I've learned that I'd rather have the dampness coming from rain than from sweat, but I can't avoid sweating altogether - there again, thank goodness for merino.

Of course, I'd prefer not to be drenched from rain though! I've tried a lot of jackets. If they're decent quality at all, then it's a choice between waterproof or breathable. Between those two competing factors, there seems to be a huge gray area. Unfortunately, it's not an area of varying degrees of waterproofness AND breathability, but rather degrees of neither-one-nor-the-other, i.e. failure at both. So you waste time and money trying to work out just how uncomfortable you can bear to be, with no hope of finding a jacket that does just meet your comfort threshold for both factors.

And then there's the wind - another factor altogether. I grew up in Oregon (Umpqua and Williamette interior valleys) and am used to rain but even after 20 years here still find the winds unexpected and hard to cope with. Maybe TE'ers from Pacific Northwest coastal areas can better relate...?

So - windproof jackets. I've not yet tried any jackets that specifically claim to be windproof. I do have a Lands End fleece jacket (the Marinac) that makes this claim and is not too bad (as well as being shower resistant) but I absolutely cannot cycle in it, as fleece makes me sweat far too much (even 'angel fleece' tops are impossible for me).

I had a chat about my issues with Debbie at minx-girl.co.uk (a UK e-shop for women cyclists, which hebe and I have praised in other threads) but admittedly it was in the context of the respective merits of 3 particular jackets that she sells. I went ahead and bought the Showers Pass Club Pro jacket.... which turns out to be wonderfully waterproof with lots of ventilation features but... just not breathable!!!!!. (When I take it off, moisture has condensed all over the inside of the jacket. I have to turn it inside out to dry!)

So I've been mentally designing the "Perfect Jacket". :D ;) And came up with the idea that jackets should have water and/or wind proof panels down the front (chest) and the front/top surfaces of the arms - but have totally breathable back panels and also down the back of the arms. And by breathable, I mean mesh or an otherwise totally breathable fabric such as lies beneath/behind pit zips in a lot of jackets. Base and mid layers can then be used to provide necessary degree of warmth for conditions on the day.

But of course, I'm not the first to come up with this idea!! :rolleyes::p And this morning I saw Cataboo's post on the WoolWeenies' thread (quoted above) listing options for this type of thing in the USA. It sounds like heaven and I am seriously jealous! :D

SO... does anyone know of any place in the UK selling these items or similar??? I'd love to try the REI softshell front + merino back one. I'll ask Debbie at Minx if she knows of anything but I'd have thought that if she could get it, she'd already have it, as she keeps her ear to the ground and seems exceptionally aware of what women are saying they want and then tracking it down. (She is one of the few selling Showers Pass from Portland, OR and was one of the first to champion Swrve for women.) So maybe I should just give her Cataboo's shopping list and beg/bribe her to chase this stuff down and start selling it here?? :)

Any comments, suggestions, tips very gratefully received!

I hope Debbie can sort you out with one. I suppose there's always the option of ordering from the US but the customs charges can run to stupid money.

Have you tried ordering off american websites? I think most of them will ship overseas. At least I know backcountry.com and all it's steepandcheap.com affiliates will (cleansnipe.com has them all, but the cycling specific ones are bonktown.com & chainlove.com) Certain brands they can't ship out of the US, but I don't think Marmot is one of them. I know arc'teryx is.

I'm not too familiar with the brandnames available in the UK, in fact most of my Scottish relatives have me stuff and mail it over to them. Can you get 66 north? It's an icelandic brand.

The other thing to do is maybe hit a TK Maxx and hope you luck out finding something? Do they have those in London? There's a couple around Glasgow that I've gone to with my cousins, and they're basically a TJ maxx. I have seen 66 north in them.

You should also be able to get Mammut over in the UK, I think they're a Swiss brand (?) - I mentioned the mammut ultimate hoody unzips all the way for pitzips, I've also got the mammut stratus hybrid which has a windproof somewhat insulated front panel, and the rest isn't.

I'll look if I can figure out what model the rei merino wool/windproof jacket is - but I think it was billed as a nordic skiing jacket and not a cycling specific jacket. I tend to repurpose my ski gear for cycling when needed.

Event is much more breathable than goretex if you can find it.

If you really can't find something over there, and you can find something on an american website, I can maybe get it here and ship it over to you. (I have to support everyone's wool habit, of course)

I think they do sell icebreaker over there - Have you tried the raven or the allstar jacket? The weaves on them are fairly tight and pretty close to windproof. (Okay, I will admit I haven't bought icebreaker new in a while, so the model names might have changed) But basicaly their thicker full zip wool jackets. Pairing one of those with a lightweight wind shell might work for you?

Cross post with woolweenies.

Try the vim hybrid:

http://www.altrec.com/ibex/womens-vim-hybrid-jacket

One of the icebreaker wind resistant jackets (they still breathe well)

http://www.altrec.com/icebreaker/womens-igloo-hood

These aren't wool:

http://www.altrec.com/patagonia/wome...-trails-jacket

http://www.altrec.com/patagonia/mens...ield-pull-over

http://www.altrec.com/marmot/womens-driclime-windshirt

Ground Effect in NZ will ship overseas and uses windblocking materials and merino wool. www.groundeffect.co.nz.

My Auckland club members all swear by the Storm Trooper/She Shell jackets for multi day tours with heaps of rain. In fact a whole group of them brought these jackets in the same colour and became a team when it rained! They are breathable material but also have underarm zips for added ventillation.

+10000000 for Ground Effect Jackets..ESP the Storm Trooper!

Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions. I'll start checking which of these are sold in the UK.

Yes, a lot of overseas brands will ship to the UK but hebe's right - stuff coming in here from outside the EEA can land the recipient with a very nasty Customs bill and/or an "international handling fee" by the Royal Mail.

When I lived in the USA, I shopped a lot from the Victoria's Secret catalogue. (Some of my favourite jeans and cardigans, not just undies. :cool: )The one and only time I've tried ordering from VS since I moved here was last winter - the Customs & Royal Mail bill exceeded the value of the goods, so I refused delivery and it all went back. :(

Yes, but Ground Effect pays VAT for UK shipments and advertises in UK cycling mags all the time and will know all about that.

From my experience, duty is far more likely on goods coming from the US/Canada than from Australia/New Zealand. The charges are nasty though, I think it's anything with a value of over 18gbp or so is charged an 8gbp handling fee then 20% of the whole value. If you don't pay you don't get your purchase delivered.

edited to add, Kiwi Stoker and Crazy Canuck are absolutely right - below is from the hmrc site. I don't know if this results in 20% higher prices for Brits, but it's worth a look. eta, gosh, looks like they pay the vat & duty out of their margins. How generous!

3.4 Prepayment of import VAT on goods purchased over the Internet

"UK Customs has special arrangements that allow some overseas traders to charge, collect and pay over to us the import VAT for goods purchased on the Internet that would normally be chargeable at the time the goods are imported. These arrangements operate under Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) signed with certain overseas customs and postal authorities. The countries that have an MoU with HMRC are: Channel Islands, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand. Overseas traders wanting to use this procedure must be authorised to do so by their authorities.

Once authorised, foreign businesses are issued with a unique authorisation number, which they must show on the customs declaration or packaging. Also they will include the statement 'Import VAT Prepaid'.

Where these arrangements are used you will not be charged a Royal Mail handling fee when you receive your package."

FYI, I have found both wiggle.com and probikekit.com in the UK good sources of cycling gear. Haven't looked for the specific products you want, but wiggle has a very large selection and good prices (w free shipping to US so I have used them quite a bit), and perhaps if you called them they could even special order you something.

I have the older version of this craft rain jacket that works great, and its available in UK on sale yet:

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=X0214

Lovelybicycle just did a great review of Chrome's merino hoody. It looks wonderful - I love the cut but my body shape is the opposite to hers. :rolleyes:

BUT a comment to her review recommended this:
http://www.nau.com/womens/categories...dy-306W01.html
(I love the assymetric front)
and that led me to this:
http://www.nau.com/womens/categories...et-014W01.html
which appears to be bang on with my dream specification!

Has anyone tried either of these? Especially the Duelist? Any feedback on cut/fit? My bust is about 41", which is a "off their size chart"! :eek:

BUMP

So, another winter's approaching (my third since starting with this whole cycling lark) and I'm still wondering about this one:
http://www.nau.com/womens/categories...et-014W01.html
Has anyone tried one on or worn it for any length of time? Is it as "flat chested fitting" as it looks? (I'm a 36D and this is a concern!) Does the wind-resist panel at the front actually work or at least help ward off cold winds?

Hmmm. It looks so potentially perfect, but it's a lot of money to fork over, without any opportunity to try one on on first. :confused:

Thanks Sheila for the Mountain Hardware tip. I do really want merino though if possible. I haven't given up on finding it yet! :)

It's not just tax, it's the Royal Mail - they've taken to adding an "international postage" surcharge to everything that comes in from outside the EU. I don't know if they do it with non-commerical parcels too - it can be hard to make that distinction sometimes. I could ask my sister (in Oregon) to send me something but hate to use something this expensive as a first attempt. Hmm. I guess I'm just not BRAVE enough to pull the trigger and take my chances, as it'll be such a major headache to sort out if it doesn't fit.

I'm about to pull the trigger on this:
http://www.embersmerino.com/merino-c...acket_p104.htm

I just stumbled across Embers Merino (based in Derbyshire, England) and found it seems to be highly regarded by members of the YACF forum - which has a lot of long-distance/audax riders. So fingers crossed the quality is good. Whether or not it addresses the specific needs I have is another question. I'll post my thoughts once I've got it and have worn it for a bit.

Looking forward to hearing what you think. I have lost my black merino base layer :(