Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

SF has had some heavy winds/rainfall lately (relatively speaking, anyways) and I hustled to purchase this jacket as I'm making the jump towards the bicycle being my main means of transportation. Anyways, this jacket has been great. It fits really well, and has a very quality feel to it in terms of construction. I've ridden in quite a few days of intense rain/wind/cold and this jacket has really kept me dry and comfortable. Even when it's not raining, I wear it because it's nice and reflective, and I can open the zippered vents to let some airflow in. The only downside is that I'd love for there to be two pockets to put my hands (I wear the jacket around town in rainy weather), but that's not such a big deal to me- keeping dry while cycling is my biggest concern.

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

I wear this jacket everyday for a 10 mile commute. It works well in a range of conditions (wet and dry) and temps (30-50F). Its very waterproof and also breathes extremely well. This jacket breathes better than any rain jacket/ soft shell I have ever owned or used. If any part of my base layer gets wet with sweat it is my back because I ride with a pack and the jacket can't breath there. I appreciate the minimalist cycling design, riding specific cut, and reflective details. Construction feels rock solid. It was worth the price.

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

You can find plenty of gushing reviews about this jacket if you google it, so I won't go too indepth here. It is spendy, but worth it.

I am 5'6" with a 34" waist and wear a size 40 jacket (short arms) and got a Medium. The fit is just right/a tad snug -- I only wear a cycling jersey underneath; for my size, if needed to add a a thicker insulating layer for colder temps, I would size up to Large. As is, when I have the pit zips zipped up (which is rare), the chest is a little snug, but manageable.

I am sold on eVent fabric, it breathes great. I tried both the mid level and a high-end REI cycling jackets and returned both before coughing up the extra dough for this jacket. The mid-level REI jacket (the Stratos?) was some generic fabric and didn't breath. The high-end REI jacket (the Veritas?) was too thin in the chest/shoulders for me and didn't have pit zips.

I live in the San Francisco area and the Elite 2.0 is great in a steady rain. My commute is 10 miles/30 min, so that is the longest I have used it so far (but am sure it is fine for many hours). I have worn the jacket in the low 40s with just a long sleeve thin jersey and was fine (I also have worn it in the low 40s with a short sleeve shirt and arm warmers which was also fine). Above 50 degrees, I just a short sleeve bike shirt.

I almost always ride with the pit zips open, especially once I have warmed up after a 2-3 miles. With all the venting options, this jacket gets as close as is possible to keeping you dry in the rain, without getting too sweaty on the inside.

The long back keeps my tail dry and the back pocket holds my helmet light battery just fine. The Napoleon pocket fits my HTV Evo phone (same size as the iPhone 4), but not much else.

Highly recommended. Kudos to Showers Pass.

Service and delivery comments:

I ended up buying it elese where (sorry REI!) because REI offered it in yellow, er, Golden Rod. I bought red.

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

Well, I thought the Showers Pass Mountain Elite was the best but then I tried this and wound up taking the Mountain Elite back. I have purchased 4 eVent bike jackets and eventually returned 3 and kept this one. It has all of the advantages of the Mountain Elite, but has a slightly roomier fit in the chest and belly, has a lot more reflective tape on it and thankfully does NOT have the annoying stand-up collar of the Mountain Elite. I bought an XL and I am 5' 11" and 200 pounds and the size is just right. Great drop tail covers rump very well and jacket is very visible. Good comfort all around and great ventilation with cuffs, pit zips and back flap. Light loops on back are a nice touch and very comfortable to wear. Only complaints are no lower front pockets (a real drag), fabric is a little too stiff and the front zipper puckers.

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

This is my first eVent fabric jacket, and I love it. I secretly hope that it rains from time to time just so that I can wear this jacket.

The main benefit to this jacket, aside from the material it's made of, is the fact that it breathes. It's vented all over, and it's wonderful. I recently switched from a messenger bag (bag = sweaty back), to panniers or a huge saddle bag to carry all my belongings on my commute. That was a good change, but this jacket with it's back venting brings a whole new level of comfort to your ride. The combination of that, plus long pit zips, and a 2-way front zipper make things just so pleasant.

The only downfall to this jacket is that I saw the shoulders getting a little damp. I was in some horrible rain the other day, and while the sleeves were doing well, the shoulders were not performing quite the same. Not sure if I need to wash this jacket again and apply some more repellency to it. I know the shoulders are the area that get beat up the most on a jacket like this during a ride... Nonetheless, it's the best I have ever tried and am enjoying every use I get out of it.

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

A good jacket overall, breathable and well designed, but I don't think it is as durable as some previous jackets I have owned. This may be partly due to the thin Event fabric, which is showing signs of wear, staining and crinkling around the zippers. Back pocket has a tendency to get caught on things due to its design, and has ripped at the top of the welded zipper.

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

If you drive a motor vehicle, you have a movable shelter to keep you dry and comfortable. If you bicycle, the size of the shelter has shrunk considerably. That shelter is your clothing, starting from undergarments to outer shell. The Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket is the best outer-shell jacket I've ever used. I've used it bicycling and jogging in light-to-medium rain. After such exertions, my inner garments were drier than usual and the inside of the jacket had no condensation, unlike my other breathable, waterproof jackets. I can't vouch for it in an extended heavy downpour, however, as I haven't hit those conditions yet for this jacket.

My wife and I were some of the first people to use Gore-Tex (Early Winters) jackets in 1979 when we bicycled across country. Those jackets had zip-on hoods and pit zips. My wife will not buy a jacket without an oversize hood to go over her helmet. She likes the added comfort. I used the hood one time, when an all-day 4-inch downpour saturated us in Virginia and we were out in the rain for ~8 hours.

So, my only two complaints about the jacket is the lack of a zip-on oversized hood and the fact that the jacket is not offered in high-visibility yellow. I wear a Pearl Izumi hi-viz yellow vest over the jacket so as to be able to be seen better. Why? I once wore a jacket the same color (Goldenrod) as this jacket. Going downhill at 40 mph in a tucked position approaching a minor intersection, a car pulled right out in front of me. I had to pass the driver on the left because I could not possibly have braked in time. (My life could have ended that day, and I now go a bit slower there.) Wasn't I visible enough? I asked. Apparently not. Hence, hi-viz yellow for me ever since.

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

Unquestionably the best rain jacket that I've ever used. It's also a great windbreaker for dry windy days. I usually wear it with one or two wool layers underneath (Ibex or Smartwool). With two layers, I'm warm down to 35oF. I used it in a rainy double century (Solvang Double 2011, circa 10 hours of almost constant rain and wind) and felt comfortable the entire time. I also use it for winter commuting and it worked great. I've ridden with this jacket 2000-3000 miles and it still looks new. I also like the napoleon pocket for cel phone or food.

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

I've used this jacket for several months and its great, the best I've used. I bicycle commute 12 miles/day 5 days a week in any weather condition. The wide sleeves scoop air, the back panel and pit zips vent air out. As already mentioned, people who use a backpack will block the back panel ventilation, but the pit zips are there. I use panniers and so don't have any problem. The material is very waterproof in my experience.
The only down side is that it seems like half the other cyclists around town have a goldenrod Showers Pass jacket, which seems like the only color anyone sells. REI needs to stock more than just the one color.

Comments about Showers Pass Elite 2.0 eVent Bike Jacket - Men's:

I commute almost daily in Boston and encounter all kinds of nasty weather. I love this jacket for its warmth in very cold weather (with varying layering). It keeps me dry from within & without.
I doubt there's another jacket out there this nice. worth the money!