Jacket Recommendation (mid-weight)

[Jay]

In anticipation of spring, or at least riding in above 0C temperatures, I'm looking for a new mid-weight jacket.

My winter jacket is Gore, it's very warm.  My current mid-weight jacket is screaming-yellow, some Italian brand I can't recall, but it has zero breathability.  It's good for single-digit (Celsius) temps, but I sweat a lot inside the jacket and eventually get cold.  I have a thin wind jacket I can wear around 5C+ with sufficient base layers, and it breathes better.  

I'm looking for something between the warm Gore jacket and the wind jacket.  Would like some wind resistance (on the front) and some breathability.  Not racing-tight fit, but not baggie either.  I don't have any non-cycling jackets that fit the bill.

[Richard Rose]

I have two jackets that might fit the bill. I hesitate to recommend either as both are expensive. I got very lucky with both & would never have paid the kind of money these cost. But they are both nice.

Seven Mesh Revelation is the first. It is Gore but I swear it does breath & it has several zippered vents that do a great job of exhausting heat. It’s a slightly loose fit but not baggy & it’s a good wind breaker.

Second is the Search & State Jacket. I think they only offer two, the name escapes me but maybe SV1? This one fits a bit more snugly but is very comfy. It has no zippered vents but the fabric does breath. Some sort of miracle fabric that “opens up” to vent heat but stays “closed” when cold. Apparently this happens on a microscopic level but it is comfortable in a wide range of temps. I have had both for a while & have no need for any other cycling jackets. With appropriate layering these two cover my bases. Added benefit of Search & State is all of their stuff is MUSA, if you are into that.

Good luck,

Richard

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 28, 2026, at 7:21 PM, Jay <jason....@gmail.com> wrote:

In anticipation of spring, or at least riding in above 0C temperatures, I'm looking for a new mid-weight jacket.

My winter jacket is Gore, it's very warm.  My current mid-weight jacket is screaming-yellow, some Italian brand I can't recall, but it has zero breathability.  It's good for single-digit (Celsius) temps, but I sweat a lot inside the jacket and eventually get cold.  I have a thin wind jacket I can wear around 5C+ with sufficient base layers, and it breathes better.  

I'm looking for something between the warm Gore jacket and the wind jacket.  Would like some wind resistance (on the front) and some breathability.  Not racing-tight fit, but not baggie either.  I don't have any non-cycling jackets that fit the bill.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e07be37b-a426-413c-a85d-0c791b9c967an%40googlegroups.com.

[rlti...@gmail.com]

I like the Stio Dawner jacket.  It’s marketed as “active insulation” and I think it works well in that capacity. It seems to breathe pretty well and is extremely good at cutting the wind.  I have the hooded version but do want an unhooded version for bike use. It will shed light moisture but will wet through in constant rain. The back is not cut specifically for cycling so it may be an issue when riding in the drops. My cycling tends to be more upright these days so it works for me.

I took this to Japan in a non-cycling trip as my main warmth layer and it was not up to the task since it was colder than expected. But for use as an active insulation piece it works great.

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 28, 2026, at 4:21 PM, Jay <jason....@gmail.com> wrote:

In anticipation of spring, or at least riding in above 0C temperatures, I'm looking for a new mid-weight jacket.

My winter jacket is Gore, it's very warm.  My current mid-weight jacket is screaming-yellow, some Italian brand I can't recall, but it has zero breathability.  It's good for single-digit (Celsius) temps, but I sweat a lot inside the jacket and eventually get cold.  I have a thin wind jacket I can wear around 5C+ with sufficient base layers, and it breathes better.  

I'm looking for something between the warm Gore jacket and the wind jacket.  Would like some wind resistance (on the front) and some breathability.  Not racing-tight fit, but not baggie either.  I don't have any non-cycling jackets that fit the bill.

--

[ascpgh]

I find myself circling back to layering versus single-garment solutions until reaching high 40°s-50°s. From 50° and up, the duration and vigor of a ride becomes key since my production of sweat or at least higher temperature, moisture-laden vapor. 

I think from the outside to the inside, based on temperature, wind, and humidity, as I dress. I've never lived in the specific climates that much of this market objectifies with their designs, and using my gear through my local dark season,  commuting from October through April.

The colder it is, the more breathable a shell must be, or the inner surface begins to run with condensate, which bogs down any breathability and becomes a conductive heat loss. Too breathable (like thick wool knit or fleece) is a convective heat loss. Insulative layers absolutely will begin to dampen with that condensing vapor as the temperature drops at incremental distances from your skin. That vapor carries body oils, too. In my week of below-zero temperatures, I wore my Patagonia Puff Ball jacket over a fleece midlayer, under my Veltile shell, and days later, I was surprised at how stinky it was.

Curious to see the solutions and settings from others.

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[Patrick Moore]

I generally layer wool under a wind shell of greater or less thickness depending on the temp, wind, and presence of absence of the sun (35* air temp on shaded front porch at 8:30 am and shirt sleeves on back porch in full morning sun at 5K feet), and with my very lightly lined Leatt shell I had pit zips installed so that it’s good over layers from 18*F to (remove layers to single wool jersey) 60*F with neck and pits open.

But what I’d really like to find is one of those old-fashioned heavy knit wool zip up jackets with nylon wind panels on the front and the front of the arms, leaving the backs open for ventilation through the wool fabric. Those are IME truly the best of both worlds: very warm, but very breathable. 

Someone very kindly gave me an Italian one that he’d bought in the 1980s, but it’s too short — I have a 6’2” torso on a 5’8” width, and this is cut for a fat Italian. Does anyone know where to find such old-fashioned wool knit + nylon wind panel jackets?

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e07be37b-a426-413c-a85d-0c791b9c967an%40googlegroups.com.

--

Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing services

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When thou didst not, savage, know thine own meaning,

But wouldst gabble like a thing most brutish,

I endowed thy purposes with words that made them known.

[rlti...@gmail.com]

Mission Workshop sold something like that called the Mission Cardigan. It was merino wool and had a windproof front on the torso. It was disappointing that the sleeves were all merino and had no windproofing on them.  This shows what it looked like:

The pre-resurrection Ibex had the Breakaway jacket which was perfect. Decently heavy merino with windproof front. I have two still. One in use and one in the stash. My favorite cycling jacket of all time. Arc’Teryx made a similar jacket in their commuter line which was close but not quite as nice.

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 1, 2026, at 2:37 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfguM7j7HdP-3mUnEcm8fbd_f0kVCJZpsBDpQkgpQwUMdXQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Garth]

Having tried all sort of combos of wind jacket/vests and various layers underneath, I now much prefer wearing the modern cycling jackets that are really a hybrid jacket/jersey in one garment. While my needs are served by Sportful and their brilliant Fiandre line that use highly breathable Gore Infinium proprietary fabrics, I otherwise would try a Voler Thermal and/or Wind jacket/vests. These these have a combo of wind resistant panels(w/bonded fleece on the thermal) and stretchy highly breathable panels. Plus 2-way zippers. They have a 30 day wear and try return policy also. The thermal is a fitted jacket, meaning it's meant to drape over you without being too tight or baggy, room for some layering underneath if needed. I find though with such jackets though a single baselayer shirt of varying warmths work best to maintain a constant core temp without overheating. Even if you do briefly, unzip it just a little for a brief stint. This is where 2-way zippers are awesome ! I would say the thermal jacket is for about freezing to about 60F, depending on what's underneath. 

https://store.voler.com/products/1010p11?

[Richard Rose]

Patrick, I had one of those wool jackets with the wind breaker material. It was a Castelli, was Italian made & fit my then slim anatomy like a glove. I did love that thing. By the time I had “grown” out of it after several decades, the wool was thin & the nylon ripped. And the zipper was stiff. I think I sold it on eBay for close to what it cost me. As good as it was I think my modern layering is at least as effective but not as stylish.:)

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 2, 2026, at 1:15 AM, rlti...@gmail.com wrote:

Mission Workshop sold something like that called the Mission Cardigan. It was merino wool and had a windproof front on the torso. It was disappointing that the sleeves were all merino and had no windproofing on them.  This shows what it looked like:

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/FECD08DA-5923-4039-8291-F33ED7F3DCB1%40gmail.com.

[Patrick Moore]

Garth: Would you mind answering a couple of questions about that Voler jacket? (Richard Rose and others, please chime in too.)

https://store.voler.com/products/1010p12?variant=45399184703678

1. Sizing. For  for someone who has a long torso and weighs ~160, the chart would indicate the Med, but if you want to wear it over 1 or 2 normal weight wool jerseys (I wear Wabi Sports jerseys) without things getting too tight, would a L or even XL be better? For the record, for cold weather LS jerseys I wear Wabi Large Longs, which are snug but not tight, and for summer where I want a looser fit, I have a Wabi XL but standard and not Long cut.

2. Wind blocking and breathing: does the fabric really breath effectively, as wool does, while still acting as a wind barrier?

3. Durability: does the breathing performance last the life of the garment? I've read that pretty quickly Gore and other breathable fabrics get "blocked" by bodily residues left by transpiration. 

One reason that I like the old knit wool + nylon panels is that wool breaths very well and nylon panels in the right places block wind very well and the right combination prevents sweating while also blocking heat loss from wind on torso and arms, and there's no delicate technology to make things stop working after a few years.

I have a wonderful heavy knit merino wool sweater, high zip-up neck, extended tail, very long arms, from Varusteleka. Perhaps I should have a tailor sew nylon panels onto front torso and arms.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/e7c3674e-1a5e-4bea-8972-e5e3e14e0640n%40googlegroups.com.

[Patrick Moore]

I should have said: ~160, 6-foot+ torso (5'11' Asian buld).

On Fri, Mar 6, 2026 at 11:15 AM Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

... 1. Sizing. For  for someone who has a long torso and weighs ~160 ...

[Garth]

While I don't own that particular jacket Patrick, my experience is with like principled jackets from Sportful. As I mentioned earlier, these jackets are more of all-in-one type garments. A out facing fabric of some sort bonded to wind barrier and a thin fleece lining, with various highly breathable fleece panels on the side of the torso, or on the back, or in the case of Sportful even the underside of the sleeves. With these you don't need to wear multiple jerseys, usually just a warm baselayer is good down to freezing on the warmest jackets. Some that have the fleece back are for more modest cold. This system works for me because I'm most sensitive to the effect of wind blowing over sweat. What these jackets do is create a relatively stable climate next to the skin without being whisked away by the cold wind. I'm someone who sweats very easily, even in the coldest of cold, and I also take chill easily. Some people are not however. If you're unaffected by the wind blowing over sweat then you'd be better of sticking with what you know. 

I had tried most every non-laminated/coated windbreaker type jacket and vest with a thick jersey and baselayer over the years, but I found they let in too much air or I'd overheat and had to stop and take something off, and freeze while I'm doing it. Now I never have to take the jacket off. I can't speak to any sweat and body oils affecting these jackets. Maybe a traditional 2/3 layer Goretex fabric was prone to that, I cant say. I think it's a case by case thing as there's too many variables to lump all 3-layer fabrics into one box of failures. Not everyone washes their clothing properly either. 

As for Voler sizing on a given garment, I'd suggest emailing them and asking for the actual garment measurements, and they'll get back to you in a few days with them. In general they do seem to be very regular American sizing, which to me means slightly oversized. I would suspect a medium in the jacket if good for you, as it's called an "adaptive fit", which for them would be in between club/loose and race/form fitting. 

[Garth]

I forgot to add, if you sweat too much with these types of wind barrier jackets you have too much insulation underneath. If even a thin baselayer is too much, then that's just not the right jacket for the conditions. Note, the Sportful ones I wear are made mostly with Gore Infinium, which is not like the windstopper of old. One is made of Polartec Neoshell. The barrier adds some natural water resistance, but would eventually wet out in prolonged rain. That's not the point of these jackets though, even if you get wet inside, you won't get a wind chill because the wind is not able to pass through. There's a delicate balance of finding what works for each person in terms of heat retention and vapor release. There just isn't a magic garment that will mimic a 75 degree sunny day with a light breeze, so just do the best you can. 

One thing of note, is my favorite types of these garments is the short sleeve variety. Like a wind vest, but the short sleeves. I even have a SS version made with the Neoshell. These are by far the most versatile jacket/jerseys I've ever had. They serve as both jacket and jersey. Pair them with arm warmers if needed. It seems Americans don't embrace these garments so much though, as I don't know of any manufacturers here than make them. It's all European companies. That Voler thermal jacket in short sleeves, or the wind vest with short sleeves, would be awesome. 

Voler also offers free return shipping even if you wear the garment, or they did, I'm not sure as I have not checked lately. That's pretty good to encourage people to try their stuff. The garments I have from them are stitched and finished impeccably, made by them in central CA. 

[Robert Blunt]

I have had great success with the Patagonia Dirt Roamer jacket, now called the Trailcraft jacket. It has a pretty unique ability to both lock in the right amount of heat and shed heat during more intense efforts. 

Rob Blunt

Pennington, NJ

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ddac7649-54b3-4254-8804-d010d09acdd2n%40googlegroups.com.

[Richard Rose]

Seven Mesh says to wash & dry frequently to preserve Gore & it’s unique (?) qualities. Works for me so far. The Search & State is a different animal. It’s a luxurious fabric for synthetic & it does breath to a point. As it has no zippered vents it can get too hot. On the topic of possibly adding nylon panels to a wool garment - just get a nice vest? I’ve considered this often. But it always seems if it’s cold enough for a vest I need the sleeves too.:)

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 7, 2026, at 9:13 AM, Robert Blunt <rwbl...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CAGTQPx-6a02%3Dfjq4XdPKbi5BvW_E3CVzY1RdFdzzsz%3Dvp1QW_g%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jay]

Thanks for all the recommendations, I've been reading the thread and looking some of these up online.  Some are expensive, and a few harder to source in Canada.  But some good options and considerations.

This morning was around 8C and I rode with a mid-weight wool l/s base layer and a thin, wind jacket.  That was perfect.  I know better what I'm looking for, something for around 0-5C.  My winter jacket definitely too warm.  My thin jacket can work with two base layers (thin + med or thick).  I'm not going to spend a lot on this, but will look around based on above.

[Patrick Moore]

I'm beginning to think that layering, with luggage to hold items discarded mid-ride, is the way to go. This morning started out at 28* but had climbed to 32* when I took the dog for his run (I on bike, he running) with strong sun but cold NW wind, so was cold with Wabi Sports LS jersey + merino neck dickie under very light Specialized shell. A couple of hours later it was mid 50s and I could discard the shell, eventually discarding the dickie too, only to put it on again later. 3.5 litre Crumpler seat bag held shell and dickie and wool gloves and bulky repair kit and sandwich. It's hard to imagine a jacket adapting to our typical 30*+ temperature differentials, often 40*, and I've seen 50*.

I also begin to think that, instead of the shell, my second, heavier Wabi Woolen jersey, to which a full length zipper has been added so that it can be used as a light jacket, with dickie or a wool scarf, might be the best mix if you add a more formal alternative to the sheet of newspaper stuffed under the front of the jersey. I must cut a torso-sized square out of one of my lawn and leaf bags.

I do have a Leatt cycling shell made from slightly heavier fabric than the Specialized shell, and with a very light lining. This over 2 wool layers (plus scarf or dickie and adequate head and hand and feet insulation) is good down to the upper teens. I had pit zips put in that make the jacket comfortable (if you also open the zipper at the neck a bit) from just below 20* to about 40*, and over just a single light wool pullover, from about 30* to about 50*.

SW high desert climate, strong sun, low humidity; not the dank horrible cold that you get in some humid climates.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/7AE0AA52-3307-4132-A072-DC9E4203D69E%40gmail.com.

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Garth; useful information. Given our wide high desert temperature differentials, I'm coming to the conclusion that layering and somewhere to stash discarded layers is the best strategy here. I also sweat heavily even in very cold weather if my garments can't breath, and when you start out at 30* and come back at 60* there's not single garment that's going to be comfortable for the whole ride.

I recall years ago when commuting ~15 miles to work, working hard on the hills riding a fixed gear, I'd wear a nice Kucharik ls wool jersey under a shell made from heavier nylon. By the time I got to work, the jersey would be soaked; fortunately, the wool still insulated. I learned from that to abandon heavy shells.

One very pleasant thing about wool is that it does not stink even after a combined 10 hours of energetic riding. It will be crusty, but it won't stink. My ls Wabi jersey had only 6-7 hours on it and was still fresh on today's multihour ride, until I took 2 falls that saturated it with fine riverine sand, requiring an early wash.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/89287dbf-5303-4d48-b722-0c1c70f594d0n%40googlegroups.com.

[rlti...@gmail.com]

I found that using lighter layers along with a wool beanie/skull cap would work well for me. My head seems to vent a lot of heat when air hits it.  When overheating I would remove the cap and when I cooled down again I would put it back on. It obviously would not work for huge temp changes but it did for climbing vs flat/downhill temp changes.

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 7, 2026, at 8:49 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgt9pgXX1QurKjZ4DA3_SyitMgwSPseL4dsHSy_5eYsjjw%40mail.gmail.com.