Pearl Izumi Zephrr 2

Price Paid:  $35.00

Summary:
Good fitting, light jacket. Quality materials and construction. No pockets (very small internal, not sure what you would use it for) and no vents. Zipper wind flap keeps the wind out. Micro fleece collar feels great on cold mornings. Nice long sleeves and drop hem in back. I pulled out 6" or so of under arm seam and hemmed the edges to provide some ventilation. Unnoticeable in the wet but helps a lot when you unzip a little. Still can't wear unless it is under 40* due to lack of venting, maybe higher on a very casual ride. Easy to overheat in.

Would rate a 3 overall due to lack of vents, but upped due to quality construction and other nice touches ... why didn't they put a simple rear vent in??

Strengths:
Very stuffable, long sleeves and drop hem in back. Micro Fleece collar and zipper wind flap.

Weaknesses:
VENTALATION ... don't think I will buy another jacket without rear vents. No usable pockets.

Price Paid:  $55.00 at LBS

Summary:
Good fit, doesn't flap around to much. Great at blocking wind and slight rain. Has a fleece neck guard to pervent rubbing of the zipper. Great compression, fits in jersey pocket.

Strengths:
Compressibility, light weight, PI quality

Weaknesses:
ventilation but what do you expect from a $55 shell. I think the newer version has a vent in the back which make this a jacket for all to have

Price Paid:  $0.00 at REI

Favorite Ride:
Tunitas Creek Road

Summary:
I found the Zephyr to be really lightweight, compressible and it blocks wind great without flapping around too much, even at very high speeds.

Strengths:
Lightweight, blocks winds well, good ventilation, solid construction

Weaknesses:
None

Price Paid:  $110.00

Bike Setup:
Dean ElDiente, Chorus 9sp, Spinergy wheels

Summary:
This is actually a review for the PI Vagabond jacket, which is just a Zephyr 2 with zip-off sleeves & more vents.

Contrary to the first review, I have found that the Zephyr fabric breathes pretty well for it's purpose, and MUCH better than the $20 "plastic" jackets.
The jacket has longer than average sleeves to keep your wrists covered, and people with long arms like me will really appreciate a jacket that FITS!
I haven't had it in a real downpour yet, but it works well to keep you dry when you need it. The back has one large vent flap across the shoulders, and the single chest pocket is mesh lined and does a surprisingly good job of venting front to back when open. There is also a large, single zippered rear pocket for stuffing things (like the sleeves).
Another nice feature is that the sleeves zip off to convert to a vest when all you need is light core protection. You can bring ONE shell with you instead of two, and we all know that knocking 100gm off your ride nearly doubles your speed! Also, the sleeves start in the armpits and both zip up the front. So if you want extra ventilation, you can unzip the sleeves partway to let the air in.

Strengths:
lightweight, excellent fit, good ventilation, EXTREMELY versatile!

Weaknesses:
Some of the stitching isn't as clean as I would expect for a jacket of this caliber and price. $110 is a bit much for a cycling jacket if you don't have a gift certificate, and it's also hard to swallow an additional $40 bump from the plain Zephyr jacket just for two zippers!

Similar Products Used:
"other" wind shells, plastic jackets, Performance vests, Gore-Tex jackets (HOT!)

Price Paid:  $60.00 at Online

Bike Setup:
2 wheels per bike

Summary:
Excellent wind blocking basic shell. The lack of vents causes it to puff up like a sail when opened slightly in front. Like most wind shells it dosent breathe well and I have problems with sweat building up around my lower arms even in freezing weather. It is constructed very well, PI gets top marks for quality of construction. I particularly like the ability to machine wash AND dry with nearly all of their clothes. My wife habitually throws my cycling gear in the dryer and its nice not to have to worry about $$$ eurogear getting ruined. I'm taking 1 point off of value for the moderately high price, and one point from overall for the lack of vents.

Strengths:
Blocks wind. Folds up well for stuffing in a jersey pocket when not needed.

Weaknesses:
Storage limited to tiny pocket inside, no vents.

Similar Products Used:
Zephyr 2 vest (also excellent).