Originally Posted by
_ForceD_
There will be argument, but IMO (and opinion of many others), you just can’t get “breathable” And “waterproof” in the same garment. Not in a garment worn for intense physical exercise anyway. If something is breathable…allowing moisture vapors to escape…the moisture can also get in. It would appear that the garment is “breathable” for a body that is doing very easy to moderate activity…i.e. walking…and not something strenuous like moderate to hard cycling. So what it comes down to is that one way or another you’re going to be wet…either sweating from moisture that can’t escape, or from precipitation leaking through. So…I choose the garment/material that will keep me warm (wind proof) when it’s wet. My personal choice for winter wear is, like you, a ski jacket. That is topped with a very thin outer Pearl iZumi polyester windbreaker. I can’t believe how affective those windbreakers are. They’re so thin and lite, but do an OUTSTANDING job at wind breaking. If the weather is dry but just cold…down to about 35°F all I need is a long sleeve shirt, and that windbreaker. But it does not really provide any water resistance.
Dan
Exactly. I've ridden a lot in the rain. Expanding on what you've said, water's going to get in, so I wear enough very breathable layers underneath, that when they get wet, I'm still warm because I'm working. No wool except for socks and maybe gloves. One has to have some sort of cooling system. In the summer it's sweat. In the wet, it's rain. In the cold and dry, one has to get rid of the water or it'll make you cold, so again everything breathable.