I have both the Craft & the brand-new orange Gore. I have owned the Craft for a couple of years now & have been unhappy with the steam bath experience. I don't just get sweaty in it, I overheat terribly, have to take it off & then get chills. It has a back vent, but the fabric simply does not breathe. If you check out the web site, it makes no claims of breathability. That type of fabric is older technology windbreaker stuff. It is not designed to breathe because it is designed to keep wind out.

The new Gore Xenon is fantastic. This is new technology & it makes a huge difference. The fabric really does breathe. I have used it in temps in the 50's on very hard rides working up a sweat but didn't overheat. The sleeves have mesh, which makes a bit of an air pocket to keep the fabric from sticking to your arms when you are working harder. And yes, it is cut short in front. This seems to make sense as I lean forward riding a road bike, if it were longer in front it would bunch below your waist. The design is all about being aero-dynamic, even the elbows are shaped for being slightly bent.

I you want more rain protection, Gore makes a similar jacket that is more waterproof. This one is marked as water resistant. I have yet to test that feature, but I didn't really buy it with that in mind. I wanted wind protection for spring & fall riding.

Forget about getting this one to do winter duty as well. Winter is a whole world unto itself where you will want more air block due to the cold temps. This is a very lightweight, highly breathable shell that is form-fitting & packs down to nothing.