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Tony B. from California
December 14, 2009
I didn't want to write anything until I had a chance to truly use the product, and now after using the jacket for a month and a half of my daily commuting, local weekend rides and one long 1200mi journey that put me through just about every riding condition imaginable, I can with authority give my opinion. Overall construction: The jacket is top notch and if this represents First Gear products at all, you would do yourself a disservice to not seriously consider their gear first. Build quality is very high, materials are excellent and comfortable, and there is a ton of highly reflective material. Even in the black and grey model I have, the jacket is supremely visible. The removable inner jacket is actually fairly stylish and is reminiscent of a North Face jacket. It has a ton of waterproof pockets, leaving me plenty of room to just leave my SPOT in there, as well as my garage remote, spare keys and my cell. Speaking of cell, the cellular pocket is awesome with a little ripcord allowing you quick gloved access to your phone. (NOTE: it is too narrow for an iPhone.) In warm weather the combination of the venting and removable liner made the jacket comfortable to wear. It was warmer than some of the lighter weight jackets I've used, however I gladly trade a little heat for the safety of a stronger product. In cold weather, the storm flap in the front and the collar did well to keep me warm and did a great job of preventing cold air from getting in anywhere. This is my first 3/4 length jacket and it will not be my last, as this also really helped prevent drafts from coming up and in. In extremely cold and raining weather, it kept me bone dry. I wear a size L which fits comfortably as it is, though I always also wear a spine protector and when the temps dipped into the low 20's and the pouring rain I was riding in had snow added to the mix, I was still able to stuff a flannel hoody underneath it all, and rode home both bone dry and relatively warm. The collar is not perfect, though even with my thick 18" neck it closes up fine. The edge of it is slightly uncomfortable, but it is hardly a deal breaker and is not that bad, I suspect with time it will soften up. This is by far the best jacket I have ever had and I would buy it again in a heartbeat. Ordering from NewEnough was also a no brainer for me as I have in the past; they ship extremely fast, customer service is great and when I needed to do a size change there was no hangup whatsoever and the turnaround was blazing. I'm an extremely satisfied customer and have, and will return again.
I didn't want to write anything until I had a chance to truly use the product, and now after using the jacket for a month and a half of my daily commuting, local weekend rides and one long 1200mi journey that put me through just about every riding condition imaginable, I can with authority give my opinion. Overall construction: The jacket is top notch and if this represents First Gear products at all, you would do yourself a disservice to not seriously consider their gear first. Build quality is very high, materials are excellent and comfortable, and there is a ton of highly reflective material. Even in the black and grey model I have, the jacket is supremely visible. The removable inner jacket is actually fairly stylish and is reminiscent of a North Face jacket. It has a ton of waterproof pockets, leaving me plenty of room to just leave my SPOT in there, as well as my garage remote, spare keys and my cell. Speaking of cell, the cellular pocket is awesome with a little ripcord allowing you quick gloved access to your phone. (NOTE: it is too narrow for an iPhone.) In warm weather the combination of the venting and removable liner made the jacket comfortable to wear. It was warmer than some of the lighter weight jackets I've used, however I gladly trade a little heat for the safety of a stronger product. In cold weather, the storm flap in the front and the collar did well to keep me warm and did a great job of preventing cold air from getting in anywhere. This is my first 3/4 length jacket and it will not be my last, as this also really helped prevent drafts from coming up and in. In extremely cold and raining weather, it kept me bone dry. I wear a size L which fits comfortably as it is, though I always also wear a spine protector and when the temps dipped into the low 20's and the pouring rain I was riding in had snow added to the mix, I was still able to stuff a flannel hoody underneath it all, and rode home both bone dry and relatively warm. The collar is not perfect, though even with my thick 18" neck it closes up fine. The edge of it is slightly uncomfortable, but it is hardly a deal breaker and is not that bad, I suspect with time it will soften up. This is by far the best jacket I have ever had and I would buy it again in a heartbeat. Ordering from NewEnough was also a no brainer for me as I have in the past; they ship extremely fast, customer service is great and when I needed to do a size change there was no hangup whatsoever and the turnaround was blazing. I'm an extremely satisfied customer and have, and will return again.
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