{"id":22392,"date":"2017-03-31T14:58:18","date_gmt":"2017-03-31T21:58:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/?p=22392"},"modified":"2021-09-12T08:29:01","modified_gmt":"2021-09-12T15:29:01","slug":"3-different-kinds-of-cycling-jackets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/3-different-kinds-of-cycling-jackets\/","title":{"rendered":"The 3 Different Kinds of Cycling Jackets"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are basically 3 different kinds of cycling jackets – fleece, softshell and hardshell<\/strong>. This post explains the differences between these 3 kinds of cycling jackets, to help you choose the right jacket for your current needs.<\/p>\n

Related Post: 7 of the Best Women’s Cycling Jackets – Waterproof and Windproof<\/a><\/h3>\n

This chart shows the 3 different kinds of cycling jackets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
The 3 Different Kinds of Cycling Jackets<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
<\/td>
Fleece jackets<\/strong><\/td>
Softshell Jackets<\/strong><\/td>
Hardshell Jackets<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>
\"The<\/a>
The Arcteryx Arenite Jacket is a typical fleece jacket<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>
\"The<\/a>
The Gore Bike Wear Phantom 2.0 Windstopper is a typical softshell jacket<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>
\"The<\/a>
The Gore Bike Wear Power Gore-Tex Jacket is a typical, top quality hardshell jacket<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Waterproof?<\/td>Not at all<\/td>Usually water resistant, due to a DWR coating on the exterior. Not waterproof<\/td>Aims to be completely waterproof, using a hard shell - such as a woven fabric with a laminate coating, such as Gore-Tex<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Breathable?<\/td>Extremely breathable<\/td>Much more breathable than hardshell jackets, but less breathable than fleece jackets<\/td>Very limited breathability, because keeping out water has the obvious side effect of keeping water IN. Quality hardshell jackets strive to incorporate SOME breathability, by using the advanced micro pore technology developed by Gore-Tex to allow water vapor molecules to escape<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Windproof<\/td>No<\/td>These vary from a little bit windproof to completely windproof. Some have a woven face to increase windproofness. And Gore uses WINDSTOPPER, a laminate that is sandwiched together with other textile layers to create a single fabric that is windproof but breathable<\/td>Yes, they are especially designed with laminate and sealed seams to exclude wind completely<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Do they make a noise?<\/td>No<\/td>These are usually quieter than hardshells, as they are softer<\/td>These jackets can make a noise as you move, due to the hard materials <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Texture<\/td>These are the softest jackets<\/td>These are the second softest jackets<\/td>These are the least soft. Nothing soft and cozy about these jackets, as they strive to exclude the elements<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Packable<\/td>Quite thick, not designed to pack away in a pannier<\/td>Not as thin as hardshell jackets, as they include a fleecy layer. Harder to pack than hardshells<\/td>The thinnest, as they have no fleecy layers, so they pack well into a pannier<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

What is a Fleece Jacket?<\/h3>\n
\"The