Dainese Atmo-Lite 3L Jacket 2016
Reviews / Jackets
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At A Glance
Dainese are an Italian company based around quality and the progression of usable technology. They have been creating innovative and ground breaking technology in the motorbike world since 1972 and more recently have turned their hand to the human powered bike world. You may have seen people flying down your local downhill track in Dainese knee and shin pads as their motorbike protection made the crossover sometime before. The Atmo-Lite-3 Layer jacket is made from D-DRY® membrane laminate shell. Fully waterproof, highly breathable with a bike specific design and featuring fully taped seams and waterproof zips. Lightweight and thin as you'd want from an active layer, it has a soft-shell feel to it with a special nylon yarn exterior, finishing off the solid yet minimalist feel of the jacket.
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On The Trail
Reflective tabs on the back and a micro sized hood designed to be worn under the helmet don't seem to have as much relevance in the mountain bike world in my opinion, but I that's entirely down to personal preference, and obviously they are beneficial features if you want to use the jacket on your daily commute too. The extra vents, in addition to the pit zips add to the jackets breathability and make it a very comfortable outer layer to be in, even when you’re working hard on climbs. The touchscreen compatible window on the sleeve is in theory a great idea if you’re tracking rides, or maybe just keeping an eye on the clock so you make it back in time for last orders. While it is indeed touchscreen compatible and I had no issues using devices through it, it did have a slight habit of steaming up during use. If nothing else, giving you an insight into how much you are actually sweating on that climb! I have been wearing a size large, yet usually take a medium in outerwear. The large is a snug but adequate fit around my shoulders and the length of the sleeves is great, even at full stretch on the bike they comfortably reach my wrists. That said, the sizing in the top half of the jacket doesn’t seem to match the bottom half, which is in comparison, a lot bigger. The length feels right, but there seemed to be a slight bunch up of material around your chest and stomach as soon as you get in a more forward position to ride. I am however, totally willing to accept the possibility that I have a strange shaped body and this is not the normal fit for everyone!
Overall
Fit aside (for me in any case), the finish and features on this jacket are great quality. I gave it a good run for its money, and a couple of big days out in pretty torrential rain and it kept me dry from the inside and, more importantly, the outside. A couple of tumbles haven't taken any toll on it’s integrity and it has come back as good as new and still waterproof after a few washes. The zips have also survived which is impressive given the amount of mud and grit I manage to force into them. I genuinely am a fan of the jacket for the most part, it performed well and far exceeded expectations when put through some fairly gruelling paces.
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By Ben Gerrish
Ben Gerrish is a passionate photographer and videographer with a profound love of all things two wheeled. Whether it is riding a BMX around town or rallying an enduro bike down a steep chute in the Lake District he'll always have a smile on his face!
