GIORDANA MEN'S JACKETS/VESTS


Giordana Forma Red Zero Jacket

  • Item: GIO0196
  • $499.95
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Color:  Black/Red

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When you were a kid, how often did you visualize yourself riding through a snow storm? Maybe sometimes after you watched Hinault winning his one and only Paris-Roubaix. Maybe. Probably most of us were most often imagining ourselves on super hot, super sunny days hammering it up Alp d' Huez. But cycling is not a fair-weather sport alone, and we all grew to realize and accept that to excel in the sport, we have to be willing to go out on our bikes in all sorts of weather. The Giordana FormaRed Zero Jacket is designed to make your winter training not only more comfortable, but more possible even during the coldest days.

The FormaRed Zero jacket has been made to provide ultimate warmth without the typical bulk of multiple layers, and even borrows from aerospace technology to redefine the possibilities of insulation in cycling clothing. Just in case you are wondering, the "zero" in the product name of the FR-Zero was chosen to communicate that this jacket -- and every product within the FormaRed Zero collection - is among the warmest Giordana makes. In general Giordana stays away from applying temperature ranges for their items simply because they have found it to be very much a question of individual comfort. So instead of providing ranges, they have chosen to designate a warm-warmer-warmest scale. Having said that, the FR-Zero jacket will certainly keep the wearer warm in temperatures well below zero degrees Fahrenheit -- and they do mean Fahrenheit.

The FR-Zero Jacket has both a shell and a removable insulating vest that zips in. You'll notice immediately both how lightweight and incredibly warm both pieces are. The inner removable vest is made from a Sympatex Relfexion fabric which has a thin aluminum layer bonded to its membrane that is claimed to reflect back 75% of body heat. The inherent heat-reflecting properties result in up to 3.6 degrees Celsius less heat loss through the jacket. Instead of ventilating by punching little holes in the material, Giordana has developed a lightweight non-porous polyester membrane to work in tandem with the Reflexion fabric to ventilate while insulating. The membrane is wind and water resistant, highly breathable, and laminated between the lining and the outer surface. This unique solution allows excess moisture to escape, keeping you dry without sacrificing any of the insulating strengths of the fabric. The vest can be worn layered under the shell for those coldest days, or on its own as high-tech protection against the wind and cold, while still remaining super compact and stowable.

The protective outer shell is made from an innovative three-layer material called HD44. The coded name stands for High Density material with a 44 thread per square centimeter count. It is a smooth, aerodynamic surface with a super compact weave that increases the speed of moisture wicking. In addition to that, the surface is treated to repel water. The middle-layer of the shell is made from an ultra-fine and elastic WindTex membrane which externally blocks the elements, but allows excess vapors to escape from within. The innermost layer is a soft, breathable polypropylene pile that traps body heat while maintaining a constant body temperature. This unusually thin layer conducts moisture rapidly away from the body to the intermediate layers for evaporation.

You might be thinking, yada-yada, these days every company has some sort of wonder-jacket with futuristic fabrics to protect in the cold weather. What will amaze you about the Giordana FR-Zero incarnation is just how un-jackety it feels. Its compact, lightweight design hardly feels heavier than something intended for the late spring. Contoured paneling creates a fit that mirrors every muscle movement during exercise.

The reversed CamLock full front zipper is reflective on the outside and protected by an inner flap of Aerofix AV that rolls over at the neck to prevent any snags. The CamLock zipper allows for easy adjustment on the bike. It locks when the zipper pull is in the down position. By flipping the pull up, the zipper can be opened easily with one hand by pulling on either side of the garment. The locking mechanism prevents the zipper from inadvertently coming open at the neck, exposing the rider to the elements. The Aerofix AV flap on the inside of the zipper keeps cold air from entering at this vulnerable spot. Aerofix AV has an internal wind-blocking membrane, so the flap blocks any air that might seep past the zipper teeth. Further sealing out the elements is a fully-lined extended collar at the back of the neck, a jacquard elastic gripper at the hem, and soft Super Roubaix cuffs at the wrists. Three rear pockets with a fourth zippered compartment provide loads of cargo space. There are two vertical side vents for easy temperature regulation on the bike. A detached hood made of Reflexion just like the inner vest, has also been included and features comfortable Super Roubaix ear flaps, durable four needle flat stitching and a Velcro closure at the chin.

The Giordana FormaRed Zero Jacket has rear reflective elements to help Increase your visibility when the sun starts to go down. It comes in Black/Red and is available in sizes Small through XXX-Large.