The Caliber Jacket features fully waterproof construction thanks to a 100 percent nylon shell, fully sealed seams and YKK Vislon Zippers. A helmet compatible hood and an all-mountain/ trail cut keep the jacket’s fit tailored for riding and active performance. The cut on our size large jacket certainly felt close, but appropriate for the size and intended application.
Throughout an entire day in the Rain and wind, the jacket kept our torsos dry and warm even though everything else got soaked. While the shell kept the rain out, it also breathed well during the hiking and digging, living up to
Dakine’s claims that the shell is as breathable as it is waterproof.
With the jacket covered in slop, we hand washed the garment then hung it to dry. The jacket shed the mud easily, and after a simple bucket rinse, there was no sign of muck, and the jacket cleaned up just like the day we took it out of the box.
Following our rain test, we wore the jacket on our 30-minute commute to and from work. With temperatures in the high 40’s the jacket kept us warm over a t-shirt, but we never felt overheated, thanks to the pit zips and breathable nature of the Fabric. As far as pack-ability, the Caliber bunches up tight and fits easily in the bottom of our standard trail bag. With some stuffing, it even slid into the back of a jersey pocket though it definitely added a bit of a bulge out the back.
Overall
Dakine delivers a solid, waterproof shell with the Caliber Jacket that is equally capable trail building or riding. The garment breathes well and also washes easily, which is good if normal riding and building leave you looking like Pig Pen. Though $180, the performance of the shell backs up the price for this waterproof jacket.
(c) Decline Magazine
