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 On Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 7:21:34 PM UTC-5 Jay 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 [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fefca065-c2d2-4ee8-9c8b-8aa699a9d908n%40googlegroups.com.
