Hincapie Sportswear

Caravel Jacket

Riding in a fill-jacket is, well, non-traditional to say the least. Then again, Hincapie Sportswear couldn't be further from a cookie-cutter apparel maker. However, regardless of the back story, the Caravel Jacket works. We wouldn't recommend riding a century in it, but a quick ride to the cafe for a coffee date is certainly on the agenda for the Caravel.

To achieve this balance between lifestyle and sport, Hincapie had to rethink the basic principles of 'down jacket' technology. Accordingly, it realized that not only was traditional down non-applicable for the task of riding, but so were most synthetics. This led Hincapie to the door step of two overlooked materials -- Gossamer E5 Micro Ripstop and Eco2sy. The E5 fabric is what comprises the exterior of the Caravel, and if your nautical history is up to snuff, the material and jacket name begin to correlate. E5 Micro features a water- and wind-resistant coating that, if you were on one of the 15th century Portuguese Caravel vessels, would have been a godsend. Fun fact, the Caravel also plays to Big George's Portuguese lineage. However, back on track, this material was developed to stave off light rains and heavy winds. It's also highly breathable, and with its key attribute of resistance to ripping and puncturing, you won't have to worry about being that sloppy guy on the train car with his winter jacket duct taped together.

This leads us to the next material, Eco2sy. Hincapie used this for the jacket's fill in order to maximize its insulation properties. However, unlike many natural and synthetic fills, Eco2sy features a feathery light weight and malleable composition. In fact, this material is a key contributor to the Caravel's ultra-low 47 gram construction, and its ability to be packed into a jersey pocket. Even better, Eco2sy is a recycled material -- providing the warm fuzzies that are most likely absent from your wardrobe.

As for the hardware of the jacket, the front pockets feature internal shock cords for a simplified adjustment process. And on the subject of pockets, the Caravel has two zippered hand pockets and an internal zippered pocket for all of your storage.

The Hincapie Sportswear Caravel Jacket is available in five sizes from Small to XX-Large and in the color Gunmetal.