Showers Pass

I bought this jacket to take on a cycling trip to New Zealand's south island last month. Was traveling fairly light so I intended to use this a general purpose jacket off the bike as well. It worked great on the bike, kept me dry and warm. When it got a little warm, the pit zips provided enough air to cool things down. At 5'10" & 165#, I ordered a size L to allow a little layering. Good thing I did, it fit a little tighter than I expected but fit well while wearing a jersey with base layer underneath and had enough room for a light fleece when I was off the bike, although it was a little short to cover the waste in front. While wearing it off the bike, I kept searching for a place to put my hands when it got a little cool but no hand pockets. I know, it's a cycling jacket but my older REI Novara jacket, that I ahem outgrew, had them. The quality of the material and construction is top notch. I also got the optional hood which worked OK but it would separate from the velcro attaching points easier than I liked when I wasn't using it. The chest pocket is big enough to hold my phone and the rear pouch stored held my route maps and brochures easily and is big enough for a pair of full finger gloves.

This is my second pair Showers Pass Crosspoint waterproof wool crew socks (my first pair lasted 4 years - not bad at all). I use these socks for cold and wet rides, and they perfectly fit the role. The waterproofness is due to a plastic (I assume) layer. In practice, these socks keep me warm and dry on cold/wet days. If you do winter riding, consider buying a pair. I also wear these socks off the bike with boots and running shoes in the winter. Lastly, the socks are thicker than most, so keep that in mind.

I am a life-long cyclist, but I always had a car to drive when the weather turned foul; a common practice for many cyclists in suburban North America. Last year, however, I sold my car, and I now bike everywhere I need to go in my region. So, when the weather here in the Raleigh, North Carolina (U.S.) area turns cold, rainy, or both, I need good gear to maintain an adequate level of comfort. These gloves protect my hands against the rain; I have ridden 45-50 minutes in steady rain in 38-45 degree (F) temperatures (3-7 celsius), with these gloves plus a fleece liner glove - my hands remained dry and warm. Primarily, I commute within 5 miles (8K) of my home for work, shopping, or volunteering. But, I do have Raynaud's Syndrome, so my hands are quite prone to becoming cold and losing blood circulation. These Showers Pass gloves protect my hands significantly better than a few types of Gore brand gloves I have tried (even T5), and are on par with Columbia ski gloves I have used in very cold weather. These Crosspoint gloves, though, provide more dexterity for shifting and braking, so they are far better suited for cycling. I do, also, have heated glove liners for use when temperatures dip below freezing temps. The Crosspoint gloves pair perfectly with these to protect my hands when temperatures have gone down to 20 degrees (F)/(-6 celsius).

The fit of these gloves is very good, and I like the closure strap; overall, they are very comfortable to wear for long periods on the bike, even though they have just a thin layer of palm padding. Consider this, when using these Crosspoint gloves, glove liners will likely be necessary, too, and will provide additional padding. And, I look more to high quality grips for overall hand comfort. So, even without glove liners, the Crosspoints have been very comfortable to wear alone while pedaling for an hour or more. I have not done long distance touring yet with these gloves, but I predict they will be comfortable and very protective over many hours of riding, based on my current experience with them.

The people at Showers Pass have designed and constructed an excellent pair of cycling gloves here - thank you! So, I am very confident in recommending these gloves to people who are important to me (spouse; good friends; my boss), and I hope this translates well to recommending the Crosspoints to any of you who have read my review.

These gloves are great. This is my third pair over several years. There are not many products I do this. Found them cheaper here than Showers Pass own site. These gloves are good down to about 40deg, after that I'd consider other options. They are easy to get on and off even when your hands get a bit damp. They repel water and breathe well.

Be careful washing them, I tossed my first pair in the washer and the plastic inner layer became twisted and would then cut off circulation on that finger. There was no way to fit it, so now I hand wash them in warm soapy water.