[Closed] Jacket or Gilet?

a jacket with zip off arms achieves both goals

there are times when a Gilet is the answer and times when a jacket is the answer

OH DP with identical times!

Really, you'll be best off with both. HTH

i have both

a gilet to keep a chilly wind off the chest and put in the back pocket and a jacket for when it's raining

they're different bits of clothing for different uses

Or one of those short sleeve jackets - Gore do one I think.

a jacket with zip off arms achieves both goals

there are times when a Gilet is the answer and times when a jacket is the answer

Really, you'll be best off with both. HTH

i have both

a gilet to keep a chilly wind off the chest and put in the back pocket and a jacket for when it's raining

they're different bits of clothing for different uses

I guess that's what I am trying to achieve in one fell swoop to save the bank balance but you're right, both would be good.

I guess my refined question would be, what use do people get the most from? Their gilet or jacket?

I wear a gilet a lot. I wear a packable rain coat rarely and only when the rain is substantial - mainly because they're horrible to ride in at any pace.

I wear a gilet a lot and way more than a jacket - and if I'm not wearing it then I've usually got one on my pack.
However, wouldn't want to be out in the middle of winter without a proper jacket.

I wear my gilet a lot, or perhaps not as much I expected to given the relatively warm and dry autumn we have had (for Glasgow anyway).

As Brakes suggested above, if I have any doubts about the weather, I still pack a light waterproof. So even a decathlon or dhb waterproof over your gilet should keep you warm, dry and layered up.

Depths of winter, you may want to rethink things.

I wear a gilet a lot. I wear a packable rain coat rarely and only when the rain is substantial - mainly because they're horrible to ride in at any pace.

this

I wear a gilet a lot. I wear a packable rain coat rarely and only when the rain is substantial - mainly because they're horrible to ride in at any pace.

What he said.

I wear a gilet a lot. I wear a packable rain coat rarely and only when the rain is substantial - mainly because they're horrible to ride in at any pace.

One thing I've found to be more versatile on the bike than I thought is a synthetic insulated gilet. Only really when it's less than 5 degrees, say. Done up do the neck it's very warm, couple of inches further down is quite a lot less warm, further down and you may as well not have it on. stop outside for cake - up to the neck again and toasty.

Keeps rain off your core, keep your core warm enough that your arms being wet doesn't matter so much.

I'm not a serious club roadie, so some might scoff, but I do do some decent length rides here and there, probably just not as quickly!

I have a windproof gilet that serves me for 95% of my riding.

The spendy answer that i'm desperately trying to avoid is a Gabba and nanoflex arm warmers.

to be fair I have two types of gilet - a mesh back one and one with a microfleece.

when it's rainy and slightly nippy.

How rainy?

Personally I usually go for a softshell if nippy and drizzly, full waterproof if it's proper rain.

Gilet and LS jersey is OK in on/off drizzle but I wouldn't get one as a rain-specific garment, so to speak

wear gilet this time of year if not dark and some summers when you get up high and it will be windy
Wear a jacket in winter and at night - actually they are the same item as it has zip off arms.
I have a spring/autumn one and a winter one which is more substantial - never wear a gilet when its roper cold though but the rms do zip of my winter jacket

good gilet and a packable jacket in the jersey pocket for breakout in the worst cases

in the interests of full disclosure, I ride in the South East so don't have to worry about wide variations in conditions or extremes of cold/ rain.

I had a jacket with zippable arms, now have a cheapish dhb waterproof jacket and a windproof gilet.

The gilet will be useless when it's properly cold or raining, but the jacket will be too warm a lot of the time. You can layer up instead of using the gilet though, so if you're only buying one thing get the jacket.

Edit - meant to say the jacket with zippable arms was a total PITA if I wanted to put the arms on, as I had to remove the whole top, put arms on, and put it back on. Not ideal on windy, rainy days.

I guess that's what I am trying to achieve in one fell swoop to save the bank balance but you're right, both would be good

you could easily get both for under £90

If cash is tight then could you get yourself a jacket now (more useful for wintry riding) then save up for a gilet in the spring?

I wear a gilet a lot. I wear a packable rain coat rarely and only when the rain is substantial - mainly because they're horrible to ride in at any pace.
this

[url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pearl-Izumi-Mens-Convert-Jacket/dp/B00MYQXTQK ]pearl izumi convert[/url]

This any good to you? 20ish quid in medium yellow/black - thought it was worth a punt myself... couldn't find many reviews - will report back when it arrives

^ +1000 Wear or pack the gilet every ride during Autumn and Winter. If I know some rain is a definite I'll wear the Gabba jersey, and most likely still take the gilet too. Only if it will be belting down do I switch to a rain jacket

Thanks all. Some interesting points.

I commute through London every day also so this may be a factor in my choice.

I'd like to invest in a decent one of each hence me being apprehensive in buying cheap and buying twice if you know what I mean.

Gilet seems like the most useful choice for both commuting and club runs, then maybe I'll grab the jacket in December for when it gets nice and soggy during Jan/Feb.

+1 for Gilet spring, summer and autumn and a decent waterproof for wet and winter. Folks rave about the Gabba, which is very good and pretty costly. I have a Sportful Fiandre Norain, which is similar and was a chunk less money, although now much the same price as Gabba

Another thing to consider is that if you pronounce it "Jillit", there's less of a difference between them

I bought a convertable Gabba last winter - rarely if ever take my rain jacket out these days - it really had to be throwing it down to consider it - best bit of kit I have bought in a long time

I wear a gilet a lot. I wear a packable rain coat rarely and only when the rain is substantial - mainly because they're horrible to ride in at any pace.

This. Gilet allows the body to breathe. You can also buy jackets with windproof fronts. It has to be VERY cold before a full windproof jacket will be needed, and then you will get wet from the inside anyway.

For rain, real proper rain, a windproof shell is not going to work. Trust me, been there. So I'd say buy a gilet and a proper waterproof raincoat. You'll wear the gilet in the same way you wear overshoes, for warmth not dryness.

One needs a ridiculous amount of outfits for road riding in the uk.. then there's also the bike / shoe / helmet colour co-ordination to consider.

Current outfit is 3/4 morvelo bibs, morvelo ss jersey,morvelo gilet, arm warmers, full finger summer xc mtb gloves, overshoes, thin socks and montane packable lightweight jacket (about the size of an apple) for rain in my back pocket.