Cloudveil produces some of the finest outerwear on the market today and the versatile BPM Jacket keeps that heritage going. Slip this on and you’ll be treated to one of the comfiest lightweight shells on the market. The nylon weave fabric yields a 4-way stretch that never feels restrictive.
Let me clarify something out the chute… Cloudveil lists the BPM as having an athletic fit, but I’d beg to differ. I opted for the size Large on the test jacket, but should have gone with a Medium, but this jacket features as straight of a cut as any standard-fit jacket. Most “athletic” cut garments I’ve worn are tapered and fitted (hence the “athletic” moniker). Just keep that in mind when selecting your size.
I used the BPM for springtime trail running in cool, windy and rainy weather. As stated above, I love the feel of this jacket… it just feels soft next to the skin. The material does a great job at expelling moisture, but it could stand to use some mesh vents in the armpits or in back to act as a relief valve. After a 30 minute trail run, it would be damp to the touch on the inside back, but would dissipate within 15 minutes or so afterward.
The minimalistic design has a single chest pocket and a rear stash pocket, so get used to fishing for non-existent handwarmer pockets. As ubiquitous as the iPod is, most manufacturers are slapping MP3 ports and such on all their jackets. Thankfully, Cloudveil didn’t do that with this jacket because in my opinion those gimmicks aren’t intended to serve the core users, but only to appease to the trendy masses.
I dig the asymmetrical cuffs because they keep your wrist covered much better than straight designs–especially on a mountain bike. But, the only negative comes when trying to see your watch because it’s well-covered. You have to slide the sleeve down with the opposite hand to see the watch face.
The Good
- Breathes well
- Stretchy fabric is comfortable
- Laminated lining feels soft to touch
- Angled sleeve cuffs keep wrists covered
- Very lightweight
- One-pull drawcord
The Bad
- Stretchy fabric does grab on things
- Angled cuffs make it hard to see your watch
- Could use handwarmer pockets (tough to do and keep weight down)
- Fit is not athletic as stated
- Expensive, but high-quality
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