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rapha explore lightweight jacket

rapha explore lightweight jacket

the world of advertising is based on creativity and, more often than not, being economical with the truth. the creativity revolves predominantly around ensuring that any particular advertising campaign is seen by those at whom it is targeted, even if that means being criticised for the ludicrousness of their offerings. for instance, many a car manufacturer provides numbers relating to the average number of miles travelled on a gallon of petrol. what they rarely admit to, is the fact that those figures were achieved on a totally flat test circuit while the vehicle was being driven at a steady speed by a professional driver. the likelihood of such conditions being found in daily traffic are minimal to put it mildly.

rapha explore lightweight jacket

likewise, and perhaps a tad closer to home, the advertising of islay single malts has a tendency to imply that they are matured in oak, bourbon or sherry casks in a warehouse, mere inches from the atlantic ocean. the reality is that many have been tankered off the island to spend their ten, twelve or eighteen years in a facility nearer to glasgow or edinburgh. in the latter case, many whisky aficionados are well aware of such matters, yet suspend their disbelief to participate in the dream.

and though hardly the preserve of the advertising industry, only recently, i watched a short video proclaiming that the black hole reputedly at the centre of the milky way, might not be a black hole after all. observation of undefined orbiting planetary gas clouds, would indicate that they experience gravitational drag as they pas close to the so-called black hole. apparently, this is not the behaviour expected under such conditions, leading to the possibility that this may turn out to be a clump of dark matter. so once again, at least for those less terrestrially inclined, what we thought we knew, could have been (albeit unknowingly) mis-sold. the proof of the pudding etc.

rapha explore lightweight jacket

such are the vicissitudes of modern life, perpetuated through many strains of daily existence, including those velocipedinally related. aero wheels, for instance, do work precisely as advertised, but often at speeds you and i would struggle to achieve even with a tailwind on a descent. and i daresay that aero frames work admirably in the wind tunnel, but in real life, the actuality of ploughing into wind conditions arriving seemingly from all directions at once. those i've tried often fared no better than the round tubes of my steel ritchey logic. i have no doubt bernal, sagan and evenepoel would prove me wrong, but amongst the sunday morning peloton, they are in the minority. we're right, they're wrong.

rapha explore lightweight jacket

and then rapha send in their medium-size, lightweight explore jacket for review, hewn from a diaphanous, almost non-existent nylon fabric, yet one that purports to not only block the wind, but offer a decent level of water resistance in the process. and all this from a garment that weights 85g. i held little disbelief concerning the windproofing, for i have come across several lightly constituted jackets in the past to believe that such a feature is eminently possible. however, even with a dwr coating, that the lightweight explore jacket could fend of anything other than morning mist, was surely tempting fate?

rapha explore lightweight jacket

as it transpires, nothing could have been further from the truth. according to xc weather, the local online forecasting bible, rain was not expected until late saturday afternoon, yet precipitation had already begun as i left the croft, and persisted for over one hour, steadily increasing from heavy drizzle to out and out rain. though the object of the exercise was to review the jacket, i was kicking myself for not having packed a proper waterproof (my lightweight shadow jacket). yet, when time came to stop for froth-supping and a double-egg roll, the brevet jersey 'neath terracotta chiffon was impressively dry. and the wind that had driven such rain into the face of the jacket had been turned back at source.

yes, this is supposed to be british summer time and it was the first week in june, but the garmin showed eleven degrees, not including windchill. for the first time in many weeks, i wore long-fingered roubaix gloves all day.

rapha explore lightweight jacket

and then there's the matter of its packability. on the lower left at the rear of the jacket, is a small zipped pocket, which, claimed rapha, the jacket could be unceremoniously stuffed, offering a small loop to allow attachment to bike or backpack. it really doesn't look as if the jacket could possibly fit the pocket, but, once again, the proof was in the stuffing. there are also two drawcords at the hem for a closer 'fit'. sizewise, the jacket (medium-size reviewed) offers a generous amount of inner space, creating a smidgeon of flappage around the shoulders when riding near the atlantic coast (where whisky is matured). but i daresay, when exploring, any excess drag is unlikely to be of major concern.

the jacket forms a part of rapha's explore/brevet range, handy for bike packing. it proved comfortably wearable over the less waterproof explore down jacket, thanks to the generous fit. it's also available in navy and is partnered by a gilet, cast from the same fairy wings. the majority of advertising might err on the wrong side of total honesty, but with the lightweight explore jacket, it appears to do possibly more than what it says on the (metaphorical) tin.

rapha lightweight explore jacket

monday 7 june 2021

twmp ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................