Craft Rain Jacket vs Shower Pass Elite

[Triskeliongirl]

I am in the market for a new raincoat. Could folks that have these jackets disucss which is better in terms of

1- breathability (event vs ventair??)
2- water proofness
3- bulkiness to carry
4- fit (I prefer slim to boxy)

Also, I have heard a lot of great things about the shower pass elite, but a few commented that the pit zips are short. How long are they on the craft jacket? I also heard the showers pass runs large, but what about the craft? Are they both true to size in measurements (by the measurements I'd probably want a S in showers pass and an M in craft, but do the fits match the size charts??).

It is warm where I live, so I want something that I can still ventilate well if its not too cold out (say 40-50s), but that will also let me tour in places that are colder/rainier with approp. layers underneath. Being less bulky to carry is also good.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=22400
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=17125

[mimitabby]

I have a Shower Pass Elite

1- breathability (event vs ventair??)
the vents help a little, other than that, not much breathability.


2- water proofness
excellent
3- bulkiness to carry
fantastic.rolls up tiny weighs almost nothing
4- fit (I prefer slim to boxy)
slim fit. don't order a small size. (if you tend between two sizes, get the bigger one)

and the news is that the newer ones have really nice pockets. The pocket on mine is small, hard to reach...



http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=22400
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=17125[/QUOTE]

[Triskeliongirl]

Thanks for the quick response Mimi! The names of the fabrics are event and ventair, so I was asking I guess about the breathability, both in terms of the farbic itself, and then of course the physical vents. What would be the warmest temps out you would be comfortable wearing the jacket in, and not overheating?

I have a Shower Pass Elite

1- breathability (event vs ventair??)
the vents help a little, other than that, not much breathability.


2- water proofness
excellent
3- bulkiness to carry
fantastic.rolls up tiny weighs almost nothing
4- fit (I prefer slim to boxy)
slim fit. don't order a small size. (if you tend between two sizes, get the bigger one)

and the news is that the newer ones have really nice pockets. The pocket on mine is small, hard to reach...



http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=22400
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=17125

[/QUOTE]

[Triskeliongirl]

Mimi- what don't you like about the pockets. According to showers pass, the only difference is:

"The primary difference from Elite 2.0 model: The 2.0 jacket has a Napoleon pocket on the left front breast and the back pocket is welded instead of sewn and seam-taped."

The old one is CHEAPER and you can get it here on TE. I don't care about the breast pocket, but I do want a back pocket to hold a cell phone and keys. Will last years model do that? It sounds so from the above description.

I also read all the great reviews posted here using the search function, so I am inclined to go with the showers pass elite in a small.

I should add that Susan is being amazing about this. I ordered another jacket back in june in a medium, but then I lost a lot of weight (30 lbs!) and now its too big and she is still letting me exchange it, so I really do want to buy something she stocks now. And I have to say that the way this gal does business really makes me want to continue to do business with her. That jacket comparison chart she put up is so helpful.

[jobob]

and the news is that the newer ones have really nice pockets. The pocket on mine is small, hard to reach...

Just bear in mind that TE does not appear to be carrying the newer Showers Pass jacket with the redesigned pockets (yet?) - btw it's called the Showers Pass Elite 2.0

http://showerspass.com/cart/product_...4ca7ec9854f39b


ed to add: Ooops, I didn't catch your post above before I sent this, so if that isn't a big deal for you, then nevermind ...

[mimitabby]

you could get the cellphone and keys into your pocket, but don't expect to get them out quickly, it's tight and behind your back!

I wear this coat in 60's weather, would wear it in 70's too (it rarely is raining and that warm here so that's theoretical)

I will also wear it as a top layer all zipped up when it gets cold out too.

[Dianyla]

I have the Showers Pass jacket (original style) and it has a single back pocket. The zips are about 4-5" long, and I think they vent just fine. The back of the jacket also has a nice big overlapping vent. As far as packability, you could probably roll it really tightly and just barely get it into a jersey back pocket. Stuffing it into panniers or the compartment of a camelbak is no problem. The fit is really what sold me on it, though. I'm a petite shortwaisted busty person and it looks great on me.

I tried the Craft on for about 2 seconds, it came down to mid-thigh on me! IME pretty much all Craft tops/jackets are designed for long torsos. So I can't speak to the functionality/breathability questions.

[Susan Otcenas]

We are still carrying the original jacket. Why? There's a fairly large price difference between the two, with only moderate changes in features. Showers Pass still has some stock in the older one, so we've decided to stick with it figuring that the price difference was large enough that it would be a benefit to our customers.

But what are your thoughts on that? Is the Napoleon pocket and the slightly longer pits worth the extra $ to you ladies? Our stock levels are relatively low at the moment, so we can always transition into the newer style relatively soon....

What say you, oh wise TE ladies?

Susan

[Triskeliongirl]

Thanks for all your helpful comments! I just placed my order for the Showers Pass Elite from TE. Based on how other things are now fitting me Susan advised me to go with the small. I am still amazed she let me exchange the Shebeest jacket I bought back in June. When I ordered it I was still a large, and never imagined I would ever be a small, but I did leave the tags on just in case.... Susan was also great in terms of sizing advice, I never realized an online store can be so personal if you just ask. It really makes me want to continue to give her my business. Not to mention the great community she has created for us here.

I am really excited about the showers pass jacket. It sounds like a step up from my 15 year old large gortex jacket that I passed on to my daughter. That jacket was very bulky, and even with pit zips I would overheat in it above the 50s. It will be great to have something more versatile that packs small. I did some searches here, and so many people seem to love it. Plus, I read a bit more about the fabric, and it does sound like the best of the new waterproof fabrics in terms of moisture transfer and weight.

[Xrayted]

I love my showers pass jacket. It wasn't worth the extra money to me to have a pocket up front. It breathes great and if I need a little extra warmth, I just put on a comfy base layer. Teh color gives great visibility and the reflective strips are placed just right. I fit nicely in a medium, they're roomy but just a little. I only wish they came with the hood instead of having it separate. I need to remember to order a hood one of these days.

Good luck.

[sbctwin]

I order the Showers Pass Elite 2 from a company because I really like having a pocket in the front that I can reach. I ordered the large. What I got was probably a medium marked as a large. I called TE and talked with a very nice lady and she measured the SP jacket they carry. Just as a I thought, either the Elite 2 is now sized differently, or the jacket was mismarked. Sent the Elite 2 back and received my order from TE yesterday and there is plenty of room in the large.

What I was looking for in a rain jacket:
1. 2 way zipper
2. Pockets in the front
3. Breathability

I am short and a little round (image "classic Pillsbury Dough Boy" size), so I need the 2 way to open from the bottom when I lean over the bike. It also helps to vent. I really wanted the pocket in the front and for this jacket, I was willing to pay extra for it. The sleeves are too long, but that is really normal in anything I buy.

I will be using it on my Yellowstone ride this weekend...

[Triskeliongirl]

Looking at the pictures of the two jackets on the showers pass website, the cuts even look different, unless the pic of the elite 2 is of a guys. It seemed like the elite is a more curvy or feminine cut, but maybe its just the angle of the picture. They also say the elite 2 runs small, so maybe they did re-size them. I decided to go with the orginal elite from TE. I wouldn't use a breast pocket, and thought the zip even looked ugly there. I also like that so many TE gals LOVE the original jacket, especially the fit. Sometimes new isn't better. I loved the 2006 shebeest SSS short but they changed the chamois in 2007 and I hate the new chamois. They said they put a 'cut-out' in it since so many gals like cut-out saddles. But if you are riding on a saddle without a cut-out, the last thing you want is a cut-out in your chamois.

[GLC1968]

I know that you already ordered the Showers Pass jacket, but I wanted to say that I have the previous model (prior to the old Elite) and I love it. I got a great deal on it (seeing as how it was an out dated model) and I would have paid more. It is amazingly light and packs up very small. It's totally waterproof, but it breathes better than my cannondale jacket. I actually wear the shower's pass for the warmer temps (45 to about 65) and use the cannondale when it's colder (25 to 45). My shower's pass jacket has a little more room than I'd like, so it's also the jacket I go to when it's REALLY cold (below 20) because I can layer effectively underneath and still have breatheability. I can't comment on pockets for 2 reasons, 1) my guess is that my pockets are different from the Elite anyway and 2) I've never used them. Every time I've used that jacket, I've also had either my trunk or my handlebar bag...so I've not needed to use the pockets!

I agree that I wish it came with the hood. I still haven't ordered one!

[Skierchickie]

Yay! My DH got me the Showers Pass Elite jacket for my birthday! After much research and major hint-dropping on my part (along with bookmarking the page at TE), of course. I may not get a chance to use it this fall, but it will be great next season, when I start trying out loaded bike touring. Although, it is supposed to rain all week - I do have a hard time making myself ride this time of year, when it gets cold and rainy. I may have unwittingly eliminated my acceptable excuses!

Anyway, it appears to be a great jacket. The zippers seem a tad sticky, but I suppose that is the price you pay for waterproofness. The pocket in back seems quite large, so that should be handy. I can't imagine spending another $30 for a front pocket.

Anyhow, I'm all happy!

[Triskeliongirl]

Unfortunatly I had to send it back. Its very well made, but just didn't work for my body. I ordered the small, which fit great is width (i.e. bust and hips) but not length or arms. It was even already loose on the waist, so sizing up to get longer arms wasn't going to work for me. SO, I just ordered a PI vagabound jacket instead. Won't be good for real downpours, but I tried it on in a store and it fit well, and I do like the zip off sleeves.