PEARL iZUMi Versa Softshell Hoodie - Men's for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

I agree with the other review this isn't a $175 jacket, but on sale it is a nice choice. This is meant to be a 'lifestyle' jacket, according to PI, for riding and chilling. It is a loose cut with a big hood, so not what I would pick up for a fast ride, It does have a cycling fit to it, though. It looks totally normal standing around, but when you get into riding position you can feel the proverbial 'click fit' as the arms/shoulders are in their natural stance. I use this for both running and bike commuting, and it is comfy for the latter down to the 30s with a light layer underneath (I tend to run hot). Breathability is decent. I have washed it several times now, and it still sheds rain for at least 30 mins before you start to get some saturation points - usually in the elbows and other flex areas. So I would say it does what it claims to do.

This is a great piece of kit, except for the price tag. The construction is good, the seams are well built, the zipper is hefty and the hood itself provides a lot of warmth. It's not a trim fit at all, so race fit junkies out there, this isn't for you. I was looking at using this for my winter commute. I'm sure it's serviceable for that job, and the softshell outer probably does a decent/good job deflecting the wind and other elements. But, and it's kind of a big one, when some pretty sweet technical jackets are in the same price category, it's tough to swallow a nearly $200 price tag, even with the coupon. So, it's going back to CC. If it show up in the spring on sale, I'll be back to grab it. Until then, I'm shopping for jackets.