Originally Posted by jefnvk

They are thicker jackets with a soft fleece lining and an outer technical fabric shell, with the two layers bonded together. The outer shell will give you SOME wind/rain resistance while maintaining better breathability than a hard shell like Gore-Tex. I have one, but it doesn't get used until temps are well down into the mid 40s or lower.
As [MENTION=4588]Machka[/MENTION] says, when it comes to jackets, cycling specific is well worth it.