seeker333

I have hiking boots with eVent lining, and others with Goretex, and the eVent does seem to breathe better. However, my Goretex boots are completely waterpoof and my eVent boots are not.

The SP Elite jacket does appeal to me. I researched eVent years ago, and it did seem like the ideal material for a rain jacket with unsurpassed breathability for a waterproof fabric. I have since read reports of SP Elite jacket owners who claim their jacket lost waterproofness after some period of use. When I consider my leaky eVent boots, I must wonder if eVent waterproof claims are exaggerated.

The SP Touring jacket is made of waterproof non-breathable material. It relies completely on venting to keep you cool and dry, rather than expensive WP/B fabric. It breathes very well by being loose fitting, with a large back vent flap (like the Elite). The sleeves are loose fitting (Elite sleeve are tighter), and if you leave the cuff straps open you'll scoop air down your arms and pits and back as you ride. The pit zips are very long (45cm) on the Touring jacket, and the front zipper is a double slider type (like the Elite) so you can open the bottom and the top. The Touring jacket is a copy of the once popular Burley Rock Point jacket. Burley reorganized their business, discontinued apparel and recumbent bikes product lines, and SP stole the design, made minor modification and "created" the Touring jacket.

As the the Touring jacket's origin is in everyday commuting use, it is made heavier and more durable. When I ordered my jacket from the bicyclinghub.com, I was told that their employees wore the Touring jacket, and that it lasted longer than the racier-styled Elite jacket which I was also considering. With prices of $120 vs $210 at the time, it seemed to me that the Touring jacket would be a much better value, so I chose the Touring jacket over the Elite. Mine is still in good shape after four years and many rides. It is my only bike jacket and is worn whenever it's cold or might rain. The jacket is a little heavy and bulky to pack, but to my thinking this is a fair compromise for durability and good value. Also, I think the yellow Touring jacket is a little more conspicuous than the goldenrod Elite.

The only thing I can fault the SP Touring jacket for is fit. A Large is too big for me, a Medium too small, and the sleeves are too long on both sizes. So I have a big, loose fitting rain jacket, which is perhaps the best way for a rain jacket to fit, since it leaves room for evaporation and air movement. I have the sleeves rolled up 2" most of the time. The Touring jacket fits looser (it has to to work right) than the Elite, and I don't look as svelte in it as an Elite, but then again, to 99.9% of the observing population, I may as well be wearing a clown suit with big red nose and floppy shoes, since I'm a grown man riding a bicycle.

PS - The SP hood works pretty good, keeps you dry, universal model made to fit all SP jackets.

http://www.showerspass.com/catalog/m...touring-jacket

http://www.showerspass.com/catalog/a...ries/rain-hood