No one claimed it would not work, a kids tricycle can be used for a tour across the country. Just that when someone claims it is the best, thats where an argument erupts (and the original post was how it was the greatest material ever)

ViperZ, if you already have a goretex jacket and are comfortable when riding with it, shelling out for eVent may not give enough of a upgrade to warrent the cost. If you sweated to death in it as we on the west coast would due to higher ambient temps, or were out looking for your first shell, then id recomend it. Actually i only recomend a hardshell like eVent during downpours or extended rain exposure.

There is one company making a softshell jacket with eVent, which would eliminate the potato chip bag feel which i also hate. Many times i think im getting wet, only to take off my jacket at work/home and find im almost completely dry other than pits, i think its phsychological from many years of getting wet in crappy shells. Unfortunatly I have not found any review of the softshell version yet

Capilen is made from polartech powerdry, my favorite base layer, good choice there

Edit : i use the mec whirlwind tights, which are windproof on the front and spandex on the back. Not sure how well they would work at -7 without a base though