Good... no GREAT waterproof shell

[rob]

This may have been a post already but there are so many threads I can't look through them all. I am looking for the perfect jacket. Here are my desired features. Waterproof and breathable, inulation is not needed since i will be layering, pit zips, hood that stowes away, jacket should fold up into its own pocket, and the storm flap over the zipper should have buttons or velcro so i dont always have to zip to close the jacket up. This may be a lot to ask and i imagine if spend enough I will find it. But I would like to spen under $200. Anybody have any jackets they love? I am leaning toward a Marmot Mainline Precip Plus. Does Pear Izumi make anything, cant find it where i live. Buying off the web is fine but I really like to try it on first.
Anyone?

[eurotrash666]

http://www.collegesailing.com/cgi/fwg.cgi?page=/offshore_breathable/516.html&category=yes&code=&cart_id=865008.1464

this is the route i went... gill now has a cycling line, too. if you want to stay dry, this is it!

[slvoid]

Check out the arc'teryx climbing jackets, they pack away pretty small and light and their construction's the best in the industry.
Kind of like the litespeed of jackets.

[operator]

What the hell costs $285 to make? The price really doesn't make sense at all. Could anyone justify it to me?

[slvoid]

Oh snap, sorry I forgot to check the price. Arc'teryx is def out of the range.
Have you tried sierratradingpost.com?
They routinely have $400 jackets onsale for $200 or so.

[slvoid]

What the hell costs $285 to make? The price really doesn't make sense at all. Could anyone justify it to me?

I don't know. How can a stick of carbon cost $180? :p

Heh I know when they first came out, my arcteryx jacket had a lot of special fabric cuts and welding done to it, not to mention to the waterproof zippers and higher tolerance thin welded seams and the premium paid to gore industries for the goretex fabric, etc.

[Mtn Mike]

I have a Northface Mountain Light Goretex shell that I got on clearance for $125. I guess I like it. It seems to be well made, and is light enough to stow in a pack. It's definitely waterproof, but not nearly breathable enough for me when I do serious winter bike rides. I always end up sweating, even with just one layer on. To me, "waterproof and breathable" is an imposible combination for serious cycling. The worst is when it's right around freezing and it's raining because a waterproof shell is too hot, and a non-waterproof shell gets you wet. For below freezing temps in the snow, I just wear a non-waterproof shell, or breathable fleece. I'm much more comfortable with that than in the Gortex shell.