Pearl Izumi MTB WRX Jacket - Review
Pearl Izumi is making a concerted effort to stake their claim in the world of mountain bike apparel, launching an updated line of shorts, jerseys, and outerwear for 2015. The MTB WRX jacket is part of this new collection, a lightweight layer meant to offer a high degree of wind and water resistance. It uses a 2.5 layer construction, which means an outer polyester fabric is bonded to a waterproof membrane before being printed with an ever-so-slightly raised pattern for abrasion resistance. Devoid of any pockets or zippers save for the main front zipper, simplicity is the WRX's strong suit. A vent under each arm is designed to help keep air circulating, and there's also another vent on the back of the hood. The non-detachable hood is large enough to easily fit over a helmet, and has an elasticized cuff around the perimeter to keep it in place. Sizes: S-XXL. Weight: 272 grams (medium). Colors: Black, Citronelle. MSRP: $175 USD. www.pearlizumi.com
The WRX relies on simple underarm vents for airflow.
The cut of the jacket provides plenty of coverage even when hunched over the handlebars.
Pinkbike’s Take:
 | Living in a region where the annual rainfall is measured in feet rather than inches means that I'm usually either wearing or carrying some type of weatherproof layer on a ride, a fact that gave me plenty of chances to put the WRX to the test. After a solid round of soggy and sloppy outings, I came away impressed with the jacket's blend of comfort and performance. It's not technically waterproof, since the seams aren't fully sealed, but even during steady rains my base layer remained nearly completely dry. The softness of the fabric and the relaxed fit are what really won me over - donning the WRX feels more like putting on a favorite sweatshirt, a welcome change compared to some of the more rigid and stiff hard shell jackets out there. There's plenty of room to fit extra layers or pads underneath, but it's still form-fitting enough to avoid being excessively baggy when in the riding position. I even ended up using the over-the-helmet hood more than I had expected, typically on long fire road climbs, those slow speed, head down spin sessions when it's nice not to have water dribbling down the back of your neck. Measuring how well a jacket breathes can be tricky, but by my non-scientific measurements the WRX did well, and although it would occasionally feel saturated at the top of wet and humid climbs, as soon as the airflow increased the clammy feeling would disappear. As far as portability goes, the jacket packs down to about the size of a 6" sub sandwich, small enough to easily fit into a hydration pack. The only nitpick I have is that it'd be nice to see the addition of a zippered pocket of some sort. I'm a fan of simplicity, but there were a couple of times I found myself searching for a pocket only to remember that the WRX doesn't have any. Other than that tiny detail, the WRX is a comfortable, reliable layer that works well at keeping the elements at bay. - Mike Kazimer |
www.pearlizumi.com
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We wish for those in California.
Especially in commercial areas, and many hoa won't allow native landscaping.
But of course, all this has nothn to do with water politics in sac and the racket that is the bureaucratic contolled water game.
X gov Pete wilson had us in the right path. ..
news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/040215-746349-california-governor-jerry-brown-issues-water-use-restrictions.htm
Meanwhile, its hilarious to see prius owners pull up to their big houses and thirsty yards
I wonder if I keep my goretex or not, the only difference is one have hood, other not (so is lighter).