I just bought a ridiculously lightweight and compact soft shell jacket at the Patagonia sale last week.

I picked up a 6 ounce Patagonia Houdini full zip shell jacket, a windbreaker/softshell that packs up as small as a thin pair of socks. Long back tail, covered my jersey pockets in a tuck. Has a hood that folds under while riding. I paid less than 50 bucks for it, full price is 130 or so which seems high for a windbreaker. On sale it was worth the price.

Blocks the wind and light precipitation, worked great as a shell below freezing on a commute last week, then I wore it this weekend on an overnight bike tour.

It worked great this weekend, temps in the 40's, with light rain on and off. I brought my Burley rainjacket but didn't pull it out, even while cooking dinner at camp with a drizzle...the jacket is so thin, it doesn't seem like there's much there to get wet, but it will probably wet out eventually.


Anyway, initial testing is that the Patagonia Houdini jacket is a great, SUPER lightweight, ULTRA compact soft shell for wind and light rain, that will fit in a jersey pocket with room to spare.