Pearl Izumi Men's Elt Thermal Barrier Jacket Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I just took 3, 40 mile rides this past week wearing the Pearl Isumi Elite Thermal Barrier Jacket. Temperatures ranged from 37 to 61F. It performed very nicely. The front of the jacket has a fairly wind proof material with a fleece like backing. The back is fleece backed spandex like material. The sides and backs of the arms are also fleece backed spandex. It breaths very nice, yet does a decent job keeping the cold wind from chilling your core. With the right base layer, you might be able to go lower than 37 degrees, but this jacket might be a bit too ventilated for 20 degree weather. I thought this jacket was a bit over priced. The quality is ok, but lacks a hem cord and sleeve adjustments.

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I had spent a long time reviewing jackets that were both wind and water proof and this ended up being my choice. It is a tighter fit but loose enough to fit some base layers under it. It felt quite thin when I had received it but don't let that deceive you. The jacket has kept me rather warm with a thin baselayer under it in sub freezing weather. Highly recommended. And buy a size bigger than you normally would, I usually wear a small but a medium is what I ended up with for this jacket.

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I generally like all of Pearl Izumi's products. Overall, this is a nice jacket, but I have a few complaints.

The inner arm material (the black stripe) is not wind proof. The wind rips right through it and leaves the inner half of each arm chilled. I'm sure its a great vent in the spring/fall, but this is a big problem for winter riding.

Arm Motion jacket is designed for a forward reaching / riding position. It fits nicely when I'm on the hoods or in the drops. However, it constricts any backward reaching motion. I feel like I'm going to rip the jacket whenever I try to reach behind me and put something in the back pockets.

I would give it 4/5 stars if it was called "crisp fall weather jacket" (I felt a mislead by the "thermal barrier" name).

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This is a great jacket for cool weather bicycling. I use it in 50-70F weather with just a wicking T-shirt underneath; down to freezing with a thermal base layer. The front of the jacket body and front of the sleeves have a windproof shell to minimize your windchill (works better than a wind vest that only covers the front of your torso). The back of the body and sleeves are are highly breathable to keep you from overheating on the climbs. The entire jacket is lined with a light fleece. The jacket has 2 zippered pockets in back to hold your valuables and some food.

I'm not a fan of layering when bicycling since multiple layers reduce breathability and limit your temperature comfort range. This jacket with a base layer have a noticeably wider comfort range than the base layer + jersey + wind shell that I used to wear. Because of the breathable back, this jacket is not as rain resistant as a wind shell, though.

Fit is on the relaxed side, like all the rest of Pearl Izumi's "elite" product line. If you're a little overweight, this jacket should fit you fine. If you're in race shape, try Pearl Izumi's "pro" product line instead for a form fit.

The front windblocker fabric does not stretch like the softshell fabrics used in more expensive bicycling jackets, so sizing is less forgiving. Try it on before you buy to make sure you get the right size.

I bought the neon green color because it was cheapest (half price). The color is bright enough to catch the attention of car drivers, especially in urban areas where nothing is green.

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I'm amazed at how warm this jacket is, yet it's so light and flexible. However, I often found myself wishing that it was vented. When riding in 35° 45° this jacket is almost too warm once my core temperature came up. The wind-blocking properties of this jacket simply don't allow it to breath.

Don't let the lack of venting sway you away from this jacket, there are plenty of other things to like:

Construction and finish are top-notch

Rugged, easy to grip (with gloves) zippers

Zippered pockets

Fits perfectly