Craft Rain Jacket vs Shower Pass Elite

[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!