Men's Summit PRO NeoShell® WxB Jacket

When a product lives up to its ad copy

I bought this jacket specifically for its high breathability knowing full well that its waterproof rating is on the low side. Don't let that deter you. It will keep riders who run hot from feeling like they are wearing a clammy, black plastic garbage bag of a jacket. It will also keep you dry in a rain storm. Probably not a day-long soaking while touring, but a good hour is not a challenge. I believe in good gear - paying more for a product that actually works versus saving a few bucks and then being miserable on a ride because a cheaper product isn't good enough. Time is money, but so is misery. (But it never hurts when things are on sale like this was!) I had the first opportunity to use the Summit PRO NeoShell when a spring rain/hail storm hit us mid-ride and it worked precisely as advertised: very breathable, but also waterproof. It rained for about 20-30 minutes, so not a monsoon, but still a good soaking. It is brand new, so I can't speak to durability - all I know is that I returned home warm, mostly because I was dry. A month ago I got caught out in a rainstorm with cheap rain gear and I got soaked which meant being cold. Hence this most recent purchase. Boy am I glad I did! I coupled the jacket with the Summit 3L waterproof pants and they also did a great job keeping me dry and warm.

pretty fancy

I got this because I wanted a more water resistant jacket for mountain bike riding. I have an older pro amfib jacket that is pretty good but more of a road fit. However, I still haven't brought this out riding with me. It's just a little much to shove into my hip pack where my other jackets fit pretty well. Has a little more of a relaxed fit and regular jacket look to it which does make it useful for wearing around off the bike but doing things like cutting the front a little shorter, having better wrist closures, and having pockets that are useful while riding would be nice. On the plus side, this thing is actually waterproof and light and breathable. It's been my go to rain jacket lately and I was out in a downpour at a race and stayed dry underneath. Will probably pick up the road version at some point so I have something slimmer fitting to replace my well worn amfib jacket.

Poor

Fabric feels good. Generous arm sleeves for the small size. Design and execution are poor. No ability to secure ends of sleeves to reduce wind Zipper slider arrived twisted Upon zipping up over one or two layers of close fitting tops the jacket forms a “bill” at center of chest , one area projects out as a hat’s bill must be result of poor design. No reflector tapes for night/rain riding. Probably worst fitting jacket I’ve tried on in the last 30 years . Rushing new item to market shows it’s marks.