Summer is evaporating around here!  We’ve had an early dose of cool fall rain and I’m starting to think about cycling jackets, long pants, and big bowls of chili.

Here’s another winner from Pearl.  This jacket is completely waterproof with taped seams and a waterproof zipper.  It’s made with Pearl’s Optik-WxB fabric which will breathe somewhat as well as keep a downpour out, but the most amazing thing about the fabric is that it stretches in four directions.  The Octane is very form-fitting and the stretch keeps it comfortable as you move around on the bike.  There isn’t any of that “stiff plastic bag” feeling that some rainwear has.  

We all know there isn’t really any rainwear that can breathe well enough to keep you from getting steamy when the air is full of rain, but the Octane does an admirable job, particularly in lower temps, if you’ve got wicking layers underneath it.

My favorite feature is the snap-on hood that comes with the jacket.  The hood was big enough to pull up over the top of my helmet when I was riding home on a drippy, dark night.  If you’ve done any riding in the rain (and you Northwest girls almost certainly have!) you know that water eventually finds its way in, but this hood really does help keep the rain off the back of your neck. It’s nice not to have a separate helmet cover to struggle with. 

The Octane comes in four colors for fall 2008, bright blue, hi-viz yellow, black and black/limestone, although it’s hard to see the difference between the to varieties of black.  I’d probably go for the yellow just because it makes you a bit more visible when its gloomy.  The Octane has reflective stripes curving around each arm as well as reflective material that curves up the back.  That curving is important because it helps give you a human shape rather than being a nondescript circle or triangle shape when the light is low.   Motorists will instinctively recognize you as something other than a signpost. 

The Octane is an investment, but a very, very worthwhile one for those of us who ride in any weather.  I’ve managed to roll mine up small enough to stuff into a jersey pocket or large seat bag, and I’ve been mighty glad I had it in this cool wet weather.

Pearl Izumi Octane Jacket, MSRP: $179 www.pearlizumi.com

It’s still windy, wet, and chilly out there - a thermal jacket may be too much but it’s definitely still jacket weather. Sugoi’s new Helium Jacket is just about perfect for spring outings. Weighing in at a minuscule 3 ounces, you’ll hardly know you have it on.

The Helium totally blocks those cold breezes and keeps light rain out, thanks to water resistant fabric and doubled seams. There are small perforations under the arms to help keep you ventilated as you warm up and a longer hem on the back to protect you from spray if you’re cycling. The sleeves are a generous length, but have an elastic band to keep them from falling too low on shorter arms. Reflective strips on the zipper and across the back will make you visible if the run or ride has you out in low-light situations.

Best feature? A little zippered pocket on the right side for gels, MP3 players, keys, whatever you need to reach in a hurry. The Helium is a rose color called “Flamingo” - very fun!

Sugoi Women’s Helium Jacket: $85 msrp. Available at your local bike shop or through Team Estrogen online.

We know disposable plastic water bottles are clogging our landfills, costing lots of oil, and might be putting some pretty nasty chemicals into the water we’re drinking. That’s got us switching to refillable bottles and they’re great! But, if you’re not a fan of aluminum drinking bottles, and you worry about what leaches into your water from a conventional plastic bottle, check out this new offering from Camelbak. They’ve changed the plastic formula on their very popular “Better Bottle” to a material that’s totally free of BPA and Phthalates. It’s still the familiar hard clear plastic bottle in lots of cheery colors but without the nasty stuff.

Camelbak Better Bottle: with classic cap or bite valve (available May 2008). msrp $8, www.camelbak.com

The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga by Sage Rountree (VeloPress; $21.95) www.velopress.com

Over-tight muscles can cause injury and pain during your sports activities and that can keep you from playing. Not good! Yoga is the perfect counterbalance to your regular sport, whatever it may be. Whether you’re a yogini or you’ve never heard of a downward facing dog, you’ll come away with something useful from “The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga.” Yoga brings strength, flexibility, and balance to your body as well as your mind. Author Sage Roundtree makes yoga an essential tool for anyone who is active in sports with her clear explanations and large photos of each pose. The sections on mediation as mental training and sports-specific yoga for your training routines are particularly helpful. There’s a short DVD included with 15-minute warmup and cooldown routines and a longer DVD with three routines is available as well.

Karina and I are working on an article about winter mountain biking and we’ve had an opportunity to test out several winter tights over the past few weeks. Tights are one of those items that are hard to buy online - you can’t be sure how thick and airtight they are just looking at a photo of a solid black shape. They come in a wild variety of weights, some perfect for that early spring day when you’re going to build up heat fast, some made to withstand serious winter winds.

I’m lifting the lid on our test results early for the Terry Coldweather tights we tried because they are so perfect for lots of different winter activities. They come in padded (chamois for cycling) and unpadded versions and I got to try out the unpadded pair. These tights are heavyweight fleece-backed soft-shell type fabric (officially called “Polartec® Windpro® Hardface”), perfect for warmth with breathability.

The entire tight is made of the same weight fabric, not just the front panels like some tights. Finally, someone figured out that our backsides get cold, too! They aren’t like the neoprene style tights that keep absolutely everything out but they’re perfect for that zone just above and below the freezing mark. I can see running, x-skiing, cycling, building snowmen, taking dog walks, watching winter cardinals, or practically anything else with a pair of these either under a wind/waterproof shell or just by themselves. I cycled in them with a pair of thermal padded shorts underneath on a very chilly day and stayed really comfy. Most of you will find these tights long enough (mediums measured 29″ in the inseam for us).

We’ve still got weeks of cold before the ice starts to melt around here and I’m mighty glad to have one pair of serious tights for my early training rides instead of the usual five layers of regular tights I’ve got on! Heck, I usually can’t even bend my knees! So, I’ve got no excuses for not getting out there and building up some base miles for spring.

Terry Coldweather Tight: padded or unpadded, msrp $90-95, available through the Terry website or at our favorite girly cyclewear spot, Team Estrogen.