gillet and armwarmers vs jacket

[david1701]

Right I have no real winter kit (apart from a really really shitty boil in the bag jacket). So I need some. Looking at wiggles site the nice and cheap altura nevis is so cheap because they only have absurd sizes left, ditto most of the rest of the sale, no one else seems to have a great sale on.

They have their really good event waterproof gillet on half price, I could buy it and some armwarmers for a bit more than a cheap but decent jacket? Is this a good idea or should I spend 50 quid on just a jacket and lose the flexibility.

I run pretty warm and do a 5 mile commute, longer shopping runs (up to 20 miles) and proper distances for fun so need to get my head around doing them in the rain this winter

Hopefully it'll be my first winter of proper riding.

Atm I have shorts ss jerseys and 1 pair of longs, also buying a set of cheap overshoes for rainy days.

 

[HLaB]

Depending on what I'm doing, I sometimes prefer a gilet and arm warmers as they are more flexible but for a shorter commute in the cold and wet, I think I'd prefer my jacket, it gives you more of a sealed unit, where as a Gilet and armwamers do not offer a continuous joint. Plus a jacket usually has a handy pocket to stick your phone, etc in

 

[ceepeebee]

If they still have the gore phantom at 70 odd quid, have a good look at that, not completely waterproof, but windproof, warm and has zip-off arms. I love mine.

 

[david1701]

I'm with you, but I find my jacket to be way too hot to ride hard if I go on a training ride :s

Really don't want to buy both financially.

 

[david1701]

they don't ceepeebee :s

 

[HLaB]

I'm with you, but I find my jacket to be way too hot to ride hard if I go on a training ride :s

Really don't want to buy both financially.

I know what you mean, I'd buy a decent soft shell for training and buy a cheapish waterproof to occasionally wear on the top on colder commutes when you just need more protection from the elements (most times it won't be necessary if you have a good base layer), aldi do good vfm ones IMO.

 

[david1701]

ok I'll look into it, softshell jacket Hlab


How cheap is cheapish? they have the Altura Kinect as waterproof but with big ass vents or the dhb wisp as just windproof but cut to go over stuff. Does windproof mean waterproof ish to get you home on say a 40 mile loop or does it just mean windproof? :s

 

[david1701]

this ones very cheap but has no mention of ventilation so could be a bit sweaty?

 

[HLaB]

When I'm out with the club in winter, I tend just to wear a softshell or a long sleeve jersey but carry a montane feather lite which is marketed as a wind proof but its more than enough for me, the softshell/ jersey alone is ample most times anyway. For my old commute I carry one of the Aldi jackets instead of the montane, iirc it was just £7or £8 but my commute wasn't far (just over 3miles). For your distance something like that wisp on top of a softshell looks ideal to me.

 

[HLaB]

this ones very cheap but has no mention of ventilation so could be a bit sweaty?

Its not mentioned in the reviews as a problem but I don't know how independent they are!

 

[Dave Thomas]

If it was cold then jacket - but if it was mildish with the chance of rain/cold i'd go gillet and armwarmers.

Two different beasts IMHO

 

[david1701]

hmmm this is the softshell (only on in my price range tbh) but the mag review says too warm (so do some customer reviews- never noticed those on wiggle before )

so I'm tempted to go gillet armwarmers and v light jacket for the same ish money which means when its cold I can wear all of them or whatever feels right.

that or softshell and jacket but wouldn't that be crappy for hotter days on long trips?

Bleh this is confusing

 

[steve52]

hmmm this is the softshell (only on in my price range tbh) but the mag review says too warm (so do some customer reviews- never noticed those on wiggle before )

so I'm tempted to go gillet armwarmers and v light jacket for the same ish money which means when its cold I can wear all of them or whatever feels right.

that or softshell and jacket but wouldn't that be crappy for hotter days on long trips?

Bleh this is confusing

i go gillet and armwarmer plus i have a featherlight wareproof that crunches done to apple size so it all fits in the pockets and it came from aldi for very few pounds

 

[david1701]

Kinda my reasoning....

whats the score with knee/leg warmers? thinking fairly unnecessary?

 

[vickster]

Bikesyoulike have some very good deals at the mo (very good retailer in my experience)

http://www.bikesyoulike.co.uk/category/485/Clothing_Clearance

Night vision for £35 is a bargain I think! I don't find mine especially warm