Are they insane?!

[Veronica]

Here's a new jacket from Castelli.




Yeah I want to wear black when it's raining and $350.00!!!!!

Okay so maybe it really is that miracle fabric that truly does breathe and keep you dry. Those of you who are product testers I'd love you to do a review.

V.

[CorsairMac]

Holy High Cost Batman - for $350.00 that jacket better be windproof, waterproof, warm to -50 and ride my bike For me! Either that or I Really gotta find me a rich man that wants to keep me!!

[emily_in_nc]

with you about the color! Sheesh. Low-viz cycling clothing is one of my pet peeves. And it seems like it's a lot easier to find men's cycling clothes with high visibility than women's (tho' that situation has improved a lot just in the last year or so). I had the hardest time finding a bright wind jacket in women's sizing - everything I found was blue, purple, etc. I wanted screaming neon yellow and finally found it (review on girlbike.com) I think it's especially irresponsible of a company to market a jacket for rain and/or winter in a dark color, since that's when it's darker out and motorists have an even harder time seeing you. I guess this jacket would be fine for a mountain biker, but you couldn't pay *me* $350 to ride it on the road in the rain.

Emily

[Veronica]

And the reflective stuff won't help on a dreary gray day, when half the motorists don't have their lights on anyway.

V.

[Dogmama]

It looks like something from Star Trek.


"Beam me up, Scotty."

[bikerbarb]

When I complained that the women's jackets were not high visibility colors, my local bike store owner told me that it was because most women bought them to look good in and didn't really ride more than aournd the block.

A jacket I liked was only in his shop for men and he told me the company might have a restocking fee if he ordered it in women's and I didn't want it. (guess he didn't think any other women customers were likely to stop by)

Anyway, I found the same jacket, a GILL, for women, here and ordered it. I'll tell you how it fits. Does anyone have any experience with this brand? Any recommendations?

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=7887

[spazzdog]

Not that they carry a lot of cycling stuff, very little in fact, but this store in Arlington MA is woman specific gear. Very good quality, very good service. And they have online ordering.

Wild Women Outfitter web:
http://www.wildwomenoutfitters.com/index.jsp

[bikerbarb]

Update on the Gill Jacet I ordered. I'm very disappointed. I bought a large, and it has a tag in it that says '10'. It fits too snugly to wear anything under it. It's tight in the hip. I think it is a 10. It also has three velcro plackets under the larger placket that are extremely annoying and in the way of the zipper. So, for $140, I'm sending it back. Anyone have any other suggestions?
I want something bright, preferably yellow, with pit zips, that serves both as an outer layer as well as a rain coat. I don't want loud crinkly fabric. (And don't worry, I know the problems/limitations of rain coats and cycling and I'm realistic in my expectations.)

Any jackets you love?

[Veronica]

I'm very happy with this one.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=7278


I got a medium. I wear it on my after work rides with long sleeve wool underneath and don't overheat, temps in the mid 40s. It is waterproof - or at least enough so that when it's pouring I don't get wet on my way to work.

It is snug at the hips, but stays put and doesn't ride up. I wish the color was brighter for riding in fog.


Veronica

[SadieKate]

I'm not sure how waterproof you want, but hubby and I have older versions of this. We don't usually ride in the rain but we insanely did the 40 mile loop of the Rice Valley Tandem Rally in them last year. We even paid our money after it had started raining, but you gotta see the rooster tails on tandem teams in a pace line in the rain!

Anyway, our upper halves stayed dry; I just shook my jacket at the end and all the road gunk just fell off. I was very impressed. It used to come in a bright yellow.

Vagabond

[bikerbarb]

thanks. As the Vagabond didn't come in yellow, I ordered the Pearl Izumi Whisper, which is screamingly bright. It doesn't have pit zips, but maybe it'll work out. I'll let ya'll know when it comes.

[bikerbarb]

Well, after ordering and sending back 4 jackets, I found a GREAT one at a LBS I hadn't been to before. Actually, they happily ORDERED it for me in my size, no hassle, no 'restocking fee' at this store.
I am so happy with my new BURLEY jacket. It has everything I want: windproof, bright yellow, pit zips, 2 way zippers and fits proportionately for a female body. I got a medium and my fitted fleece jacket fit under it and I was warm and dry after riding in 40 degree rain this past weekend. (yes! Pittsburgh had snow flurries in late April!)

I bought new riding glasses, too, which fit great... I just need to figure out how to snap out and change lenses, but that's another thread.