# Best mountain bike jacket



## Big Jim Mac (Sep 29, 2005)

Looking for a mountain bike specific jacket. I've been riding in winter with my running jackets, which often leave my lower back in the chill. I've got good stuff to layer with so don't want anything too extreme, but most of what I find is designed for rain which is not what I need. Any suggestions?


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## Flamingtaco (Mar 12, 2012)

I've been fine with Columbia products at 5'11. Do you have a longer than average torso?

ATD produces big, tall, and big and tall cycling gear.


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## Big Jim Mac (Sep 29, 2005)

I'm 6-1". I also run and typically ride with a Brooks or Solomon running jacket. They always ride up leaving my back cold. Most of what I see in MB jackets are rain coats. I don't normally ride in the rain, it hurts our trails, so that is not really a factor. Like the look of the Showers Pass stuff but need something with a lining though I can layer up.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Big Jim Mac said:


> Looking for a mountain bike specific jacket. I've been riding in winter with my running jackets, which often leave my lower back in the chill. I've got good stuff to layer with so don't want anything too extreme, but most of what I find is designed for rain which is not what I need. Any suggestions?


Lightweight softshell, doesn't have to be for cycling. What temps are you needing this in?


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## MasterBaker (Oct 25, 2014)

Kitsbow.


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## Weaponized (Oct 22, 2017)

Condor and several other companies make tactical jackets that are soft shell fleece and they tend to run long. I use them for motorcycle riding in the winter and they don't ride up at all. You can get them in non-tactic







al colors. One positive note is that they're the most comfortable thing I've ever worn and fit like a warm glove yet they're extremely lightweight. You can also usually find them on sale for under $100

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk


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## Organ (Jan 30, 2004)

I really like the jackets from endura and gore. Both make windbreaker type and softshells. They are bike specific so they fit well in a bike riding position and have a longer back. They can be on the pricey side but are really well made and will last a long time.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Best is a unlined soft shell, super comfy, breathable, stretchy, and good in a bit of light rain. They don't pack down enough to stash in my SWAT Bib pockets comfortably. For this I have a Endura Pacjac, that I picked up for $20. It is light, windproof, doesn't breath as well, and doesn't stretch. It does pack down very small, so I can stash it in a pocket. I like the soft-shell if I'm using a pack, or it's cold enough that I don't have to take it off. The Pacjac gets stuffed in a pocket for the grind up, and worn for the fun part back to town.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

PS, I would never get a lined jacket for riding because it gives up versatility. You can layer underneath to suit conditions, but you can't remove a fleece lining.


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## Basshunter (Jul 19, 2017)

Here is a jacket I picked up for my wife for riding. I liked it so much, I ordered one for myself too.

It's long in the back specifically for riding. The back and arms come off for use in the shoulder season or to control temps easily anytime. Also very very reflective so if you are on shared trails at night or on the road, people will see you.

Sugoi Zap Versa

Excited for mine to arrive...

No affiliation, just top of mine as we just picked hers up this weekend...


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Travis Bickle said:


> Best is a unlined soft shell, super comfy, breathable, stretchy, and good in a bit of light rain. They don't pack down enough to stash in my SWAT Bib pockets comfortably. For this I have a Endura Pacjac, that I picked up for $20. It is light, windproof, doesn't breath as well, and doesn't stretch. It does pack down very small, so I can stash it in a pocket. I like the soft-shell if I'm using a pack, or it's cold enough that I don't have to take it off. The Pacjac gets stuffed in a pocket for the grind up, and worn for the fun part back to town.


I've got 3 packable jackets for summer riding (one of which I use for winter). One is a "are you kidding, this is like as thin as a trash-bag" type that doesn't seem to breathe well at all, but it does the trick on some of those rides when it gets a little chilly. it also packs about as small as your fist or slightly less. Another is an OR waterproof with soft fabric running up the sides to the pits for breathability, this does good in the rain (used it in WA a few months ago, as well as plenty of rides here in AK) and packs into a reasonably small space. Another is a north-face puffy that has soft fabric arms, but puffy insulated panels over the torso, it packs relatively small, same size as the OR waterproof, although it's not waterproof obviously. Between these three, just mix-and-match as necessary for the ride. These would work for the majority of cool and wet-weather conditions that most people encounter, not the sub-freezing conditions I usually encounter during winter.

Getting into the soft-shells, it usually has to be pretty cool IME, but there's a radical difference between uphill and downhill, what works on one won't work on the other much of the time, switching out as you ride is a good way to manage your heat output. Windblock on the front side is nice though.

I do have a dedicated "cycling jacket", a hand-me-down when I inherited a friends kit that he got rid of. The only place I can use this is on my subfreezing rides, it's too much to try and ride with it and a base-layer at any kind of reasonable pace, unless it's below 30°F.


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## rushman3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Patagonia Houdini jacket
Been using it for years,breathes well,fullzip with hood
stuffs small in its pocket(3oz.)
Clean it with Nixwax products and spray on DWR 
lots of colors


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## SteveF (Mar 5, 2004)

A good thing to consider is how much time you spend exposed to the wind vs. sheltered in the woods. I easily overheat in wind-blocking stuff if it isn't windy! My go to fatbiking choice is a Pearl Izumi softshell jacket from a few years ago. It's got some breathable sections and some wind blocking sections so it works decently for a pretty wide range of conditions. I also have wind and rain shells for when I'm on the road or when it's very windy, and when I'm in dense woods and/or it's not windy, I can often get away with just a flocked smartwool pullover with appropriate layers underneath. I'll often carry along a light windshell or windvest just in case conditions change. Easy to add a layer of protection that way.


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## Rocky Mtn (Jan 19, 2014)

sugoi had some jackets on sale as part of their black Friday deals


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## 410sprint (Oct 19, 2012)

Big Jim Mac said:


> Looking for a mountain bike specific jacket. I've been riding in winter with my running jackets, which often leave my lower back in the chill. I've got good stuff to layer with so don't want anything too extreme, but most of what I find is designed for rain which is not what I need. Any suggestions?


If you are not concerned about the cost, brands such as Patagonia, Mammut, Arc'teryx and Gore have jackets that will fit your needs.


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## MikeBurnsie (Jan 19, 2011)

I use one of thes for riding when it gets cold.

https://www.landsend.com/products/mens-marinac-jacket/id_271248?sku_0=::BLA


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