To say that the Allclimate collapsible, windproof shell is thin is an understatement – EDZ claim to have made it just over half the thickness of a human hair! As a result it’s pretty breathable but as with all these sort of shells, the lack of venting means you can get a boil-in-the-bag effect during harder riding.
The Allclimate stashes down into a handy stuff-sack so it’ll take up very little room in your riding pack – the downside of which is it does come out looking rather crumpled. Should you wear it as an outer layer, water repulsion is good – it won’t keep you bone dry in a torrential downpour, but it comes into its own warding off summer showers.
Our main problem however with the EDZ was the sizing. Both arms and the length were spot-on – we even grew into the offset zip neck – but the near-deafening billowing was a nightmare. It’s far too baggy and as a result of the extra material you look and sound a bit like Batman on his way home after realising that he’s left the gas on.
Couple this with the £50 pricetag, and the cheapo collapsible offerings that are widely available on the high street for under a tenner look like a more sensible bet, especially considering the short period of time for which you’re likely to wear this sort of layer.