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December 05, 2008
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What’s the best jacket for biking during the winter?
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REI ONE Jacket (courtesy, REI)
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I ride my bike to class every morning, and as the temperature drops, I have
a jacket problem that is two fold. 1) My fleece does little to stop the
piercing cold winds. 2) My hard shell retains too much body heat, and I feel
like I’m in a furnace. What do you recommend?
— Bary
Charlottesville, Virginia
Do you have a question of your own?
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 You need to do one of two things. Either get a shell that’s a bit more
breathable, or go with a piece that offers some insulation and some
wind-proofing.
You could, for instance, try a Pearl Izumi shell over the fleece or some other light
insulating top. The Zephrr is a really nice lightweight shell—nearly
wind-proof, moderately water-resistant, and very light. It’s $65, which
isn’t bad, as I am sure you are on a budget. My question would be whether it
would slide over your fleece, as it’s a trimly cut jacket and designed for
bicycling, not knocking around campus. But if you can find the right
combination to wear under it (light wool sweater, with your hard shell in a
pack?), then you’ll be good. It’s much more comfortable than a full hard
shell. And it comes in brighter colors too, so that’s a bit safer.
A good alternative is to get a soft shell piece that sort of combines the
insulation of fleece with the wind-proofness (and most of the
water-proofness) of the hard shell. My first choice for this would be an
REI ONE Jacket ($189, but
on sale now for $139). Made from a Schoeller fabric, the ONE is pretty warm,
pretty rain-proof, nearly completely wind-proof, and very breathable. In
other words, it’s the “one” jacket you need in most of the weather you’ll
encounter. You can throw it on and bike to school in all but a downpour and
be fine. As a bonus, it looks reasonably good, with a nice clean design
that’s perfectly acceptable in class or around Charlottesville
après studies.
The 2009 Winter Outside Buyer’s Guide is now online so
you can get prepped for gift-giving season—even if everything you pick
is for yourself!
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