Assos Clima Jet

Price Paid:  $140.00 at BikeTiresDirect.com

Favorite Ride:
Cat Rock Road, Greenwich, CT

Bike Setup:
Trek Madone 5.2SL's

Summary:
The Assos ClimaJet vest works best when riding in the rain in temps over 65 degrees.

The primary benefit of the vest is that it keeps your core warm when you want warmth most during and right after a pop-up rain shower. When a rain shower hits, the temps drop and wind often picks up. You will want to keep your core warm during this period.

Don't even think about wearing this Assos Vest prior to the rain shower because the vest is too hot and you will sweat for no reason. If you are riding at temps above 65 degrees you will already be perspiring. When you put on the vest, you will continue to sweat inside of the vest, but the vest will also retain your body heat during and right after the shower. That is what you want - heat retention until the shower passes.

Take the vest off when the shower passes. It works great for me in pop-up/passing shower situations. The vest is highly packable, lightweight, waterproof, and plastic. Substantially more waterproof than the Pearlizumi Optic Jacket or Vest.

Strengths:
Keeps body core warm pre/during/post a passing shower
Lightweight
Easily packable in jersey pocket
Easy to put on and take off

Weaknesses:
A higher collar and short sleeves would help retain more body heat and keep more of your jersey from getting soaked with rain.

Similar Products Used:
Showers Pass Century Jacket
Pearlizumi Optic Jacket
Pearlizumi Optic Vest
Performance Bike Yellow rain jacket

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Here is a letter I just received from Assos explaining the product's extreme limitations -- not made clear to the buying public, and not provided by distributors.


MISTER
STEVE KATZ


San Pietro di Stabio, 27/03/2008



CLIMAJACKET

Dear Mr. Steve Katz,
Firstly, we sincerely thank you for choosing an ASSOS product!

We are hereby following up on your e-mail made to Ochsner Intl. and the problem you recently brought to our attention. In fact, it is our wish to respond in a direct and open manner to the question you submitted to us.
This Jacket is very technical clothing, designed for the cycling requirements. That means good protection against the rain, wind and 100% waterproof. It is extremely lightweight, compact and a small volume item.
Together with the above technical advantage, we have also a little drawback; it is not exactly a Shell but a Rain/wind breaker.

It helps to protect you if raining, but it is not developed to be dressed for long rides by bad weather conditions neither for cold temperatures. This because choosing the material, our Engineers had to take the decision of choosing a textile which allowed protecting you firstly from the rain and secondly from the wind.
Therefore the breathability was not the main concern.
Further, this material is very special material which has a strong water resistance (resistant column water till 8,0 mt.). So the compromise was, having less breathability but 100% protection from the rain. We have incorporated lateral air-vents in order to minimize the “human cloud” effect but it’s strongly dependent from the way of use.

So the point should be to understand and accept the vision of this kind of product, which is not made to dress for a long time, not with high heart frequencies during special trainings or races as not for cold protection.

I hope I could explain you better this product and remain at your disposal for any further question you might have.


Kindly best regards,











Sabrina Emmasi

ASSOS of Switzerland SA
Customer services & Product training

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Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
It's a sweat box, it may be the most breathable peice of plastic on the planet bit it's still plastic. It needs full length zippers on the sleeves for when you get too hot. Are you listening Assos?