Customer Reviews:
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 Great Jacket for Occasional Use January 31, 2007
22 out of 24 found this review helpful
Last year, I spent a week in Maine cycling around in the rain. I got wet and cold, and all my "rain gear" failed me. At the end of the ride, I marched myself into a local bike shop, ready to spend whatever it took to get a waterproof and breathable jacket.
Claims that a jacket is both "waterproof" and "breathable" are usually empty promises when it comes to cycling apparel. Waterproof jackets are not hard to find, but you simply generate too much heat and moisture for the "breathability" of the fabric to keep you from overheating.
Nonetheless, the shop informed me that of all the jackets they sold, this one came the closest to the ideal. I was more than skeptical, but for the price, I thought it worth a try.
I live in Southern California, where it doesn't rain often, so the jacket sat in my drawer for months before it got its first use. I finally had a chance to use it on a 80 mile bike ride with over 10,000 feet of climbing, most of which was in a steady rain.
Here's the bottom line. The jacket IS windproof. It IS waterproof. And it IS breathable. More breathable than any jacket I currently own. And all that without pit-zips, a two way zipper, or adjustable cuffs. I was astounded.
If you're someone who spends a lot of time in the rain, this jacket is not for you. The material looks fragile ... almost like a paper towel with plastic sprayed over one side, so I don't think it would last. But if you're someone who needs a great performing rain jacket for occasional use, I don't think you can do better than the Rain Shield 02.
 falls apart way too easily; not good for cycle-commuting November 25, 2005
39 out of 40 found this review helpful
I thought this jacket was too good to be true when I bought the hoodless, cycling version, and indeed, it was. Yes, it's inexpensive, light, packable, keeps rain out, surprisingly breathable, and even U.S.-made. The fuzzy liner keeps the jacket from sticking to your arms. However, for regular, rainy-day commuting (as in Seattle), this jacket is just way too fragile and barely lasted me a couple months. The outer, pored layer is extremely thin and fragile. Unlike ripstop nylon, once it starts ripping, it's hard to stop, and it's easy to rip this stuff. Let's just say you should make sure to have your fingernails filed before handling it, and I recommend against tossing it in your pannier without the protection of a plastic bag. Given its short useful life, I'm not really sure if this jacket is good for anybody's needs...definitely not for commuters. I bit the bullet and went for a Burley jacket and couldn't be happier...well worth it.
 Cheap and very functional but not sturdy July 11, 2005
20 out of 20 found this review helpful
This is a great jacket to stuff in your bag to have on hand. Extremely lightweight and VERY waterproof, but also breatheable, so you don't get horribly hot when you wear it while biking. At the same time, it keeps you warm on a chilly morning. The only (and rather serious) trade off for this deal is that the jacket rips pretty easily. The material is not terribly sturdy so if you wear this jacket a lot, you are likely to shred it within a season as I did. At the price, it isn't hard to replace each season, but I wish I didn't have to replace it all the time.
Light, high quality, inexpensive December 23, 2004
35 out of 37 found this review helpful
Few products meet the expectations you have when initially purchased. For the elite few, you don't forget them. This jacket is one of mine...
I bought this jacket two years ago as I was reducing the weight of my backpack equipment but not willing to spend hundreds of dollars for designer label. The jacket is unbelievably light, works as expected, and is more breathable than any jacket I've ever worn. It performed well during an all day drizzle and at various times of heavy rain.
You won't want to wear it as a fashion statement.
An interesting aside: My wife found it in my closet one day and used it on a day trip to the zoo. It took me two months to wrestle it back from her.
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