ventile jackets anyone?

[ton]

just found my perfect jacket, a greenspot ventile jacket. made to measure too.
i know ventile is very good at shifting moisture, a pal in the forces told me that they used it for skining/yomping in canada and the arctic. it is pricy, but i despise cycling clothing, and it looks far more suitable for me.

anyone got any experience in using ventile clothing.?

[Joshvegas]

Wait until you really get it wet.

It goes rigid unbreathable and takes FOREVER to dry.

[benp1]

I have a single layer smock and a double layer jacket, but all used fo bushcraft type camping and not on the bike

The single layer smock would work ok, but it's a bit bulky if you're not wearing it

[ScotRoutes]

Cons: Heavy, not waterproof, bulky.

Pros; Robust and easily repairable.

The former are more important to me than the latter.

[welshwhit]

Ventile is great, I used it quite abit when I worked in the outdoors in the woods etc with a nice open fire, still got a very nice jacket made by a company called West Winds, great company if you go down that route.

The benefits are its breathable and very weatherproof, but effectively works but the fabric swelling as it absorbs water to keep more out. This makes it heavy and cardboard like in its flexibility. As has already been said, its not a garment that can be stuffed into a spare corner, you would have to have a location for it to go preplanned if it wasn't on.

Its not the sort of material to have as an on/off waterproof layer. If I was looking for something that was waterproof and very breathable i think I would look at a modern soft-shell jacket or smock and pair it up with an ultra light waterproof for when it gets really bad.

In colder conditions, I awoke one morning and had a fun game of defrost my jacket before I could put it on and not be in the position I'd left it in!

Great material, but I'm not convinced it would surpass the modern materials for multi-day use.

Drew

[ton]

thanks for the replies and advice fella's.

it was just a idea for something not to cycling specific. i have a pretty good north face soft shell (apex) which is good at keeping me warm and dry in rain, and a showers pass double century waterproof shell for over the top. will stick with em.

[polarcherry]

I've just got one of these as I've always wanted a ventile product since I was a kid but never wanted a thick double layer version

http://www.mountain-lite.co.uk/collecti ... ck#details

Lightweight (for ventile) used it for the first time yesterday on a very windy and wet heavy downpours ride on the muddy Peak. Perfect, super breathable (more so than any waterproof laminate I've ever used) planned to change into a full goretex when the rain properly started, but the rain just beaded off, and it was still dry an hour later when we got back to the car.

Best bit as they are made to order in Preston I dropped them an email when ordering and they made it 2 inches longer in the arms to make it perfect on the bike. No extra charge. Super company to deal with.

[Cheeky Monkey]

I've got a Howies' snowboarding jacket in Ventile. Whilst I like it, on the basis of my experience on some trips to the Alps I wouldn't touch it for use on a bike or anywhere else where I'd want to stay dry and/or warm e.g. in the hills.

Other folks have mentioned the con's of waer absorbency, weight, stiffness etc. I think I've mentioned them when you've asked about it before, either on here or STW.

However, if you keep wanting to buy one just do it. Maybe it'll work for you.

For me, no ta