7mesh Airmap S2S Vest and Cache Anorak

If you could be anyone, real, imaginary, living or deceased, who would it be? Some great athlete, scholar, philanthropist, or person of incredible wealth? Perhaps someone with a specific talent or expertise.

While you should definitely say who you'd pick and why down in the comments, I'll go first.

No, not Val Kilmer*, Kurt Russell, or Joanna Pacula; I'd be the Tombstone version of Doc Holliday played by Kilmer. And because imaginary is fine, I'm opting out of TB. In addition to untouchable marksmanship, a sharp tongue, intense loyalty to his few friends, and a penchant for the dramatic and too much whiskey, Doc displays a fantastic vest collection throughout the movie. And I love a good gilet.

*Val does have starring roles in three of my top five favorite movies. Sam Elliott and his moustache also feature twice.

I'm not out there hacking the sleeves of perfectly good jackets, but on a large percentage of rides I'll have a vest on - barring hot weather or absolute freezing monsoon, I find only a vest manages to strike an appropriate, and very adjustable balance, between warmth and ventilation for very high output sports like mountain biking. It's a delicate dance between retaining body heat and venting body moisture, and keeping inclement weather out.

During our winters in the Pacific Northwest it's not usually that cold here with daily temperatures usually between 6-10 degrees Celsius even during the coldest months. It's usually humid here, so fully waterproof Gore-Tex often struggles. I end up overheating and/or turning into a bit of a mobile steam room in a jacket.

But some merino and a vest? Hell yeah. Unzipping on the climb provides a lot more ventilation than unzipping a jacket, and there's plenty of core protection and warmth on descents or if temps drop at elevation to stay comfortable.

Airmap

Squamish based 7mesh's new Airmap line uses clever engineering, new fabrics, strategic placement of up to three layers of these fabrics to - in theory - keep you warm and dry and ventilated. Cam covered some more details on the new PFC and PFAS-free material recently while looking at the new Grit pants.

S2S Vest

I'd been looking to augment my Mission Workshop Interval (an ultralight gilet that I've gotten every single penny out of and is still going strong) for a while with something warmer, and to cut right to the chase, this piece from 7mesh may just supplant it entirely in all scenarios. It's fantastic.

It seems to accomplish everything the Airmap literature suggests; warm, breathable, and waterproof enough for its use case. The fit is what I'm looking for; snug, but you can still fit some layers underneath. There's some thoughtful details, like silicone grip strips around the back hem, as well as reflective bits and a zipper you can open from the top or bottom.

My only real qualm is with the "StashSystem," 7mesh for how pieces pack into themselves, and can be strapped to your bike, a backpack, toddler, or whatever else is nearby. Toggles from previous generations have been replaced with tiny little interlocking buckles that I find incredibly fiddly and nearly impossible in gloves. Fortunately, it's not a system I use often, it's a vest; just unzip it and it's basically non-existent. I'd also put the sole pocket on the right side of the vest to make it less Ned Flanders-esque, but it's not a deal breaker.

Overall, the S2S Vest clears a high bar for me; I'd expect you'll see it in many photos of me going forward. Its fit, finish, and details are what I demand from a premium-priced product; given expected long service life and aftercare and support 7mesh is known for, I'd say its worth 270 CAD. Find it here, or at your local bike shop.

Cache Anorak or, A Tale of Two Cities

Also from the Airmap line and in the same colors; the Cache Anorak Jacket. The jacket and I haven't had the same stellar relationship as the Airmap vest, but its possible - even likely - that this isn't the jacket's fault. It's mine, or more accurately a function of where I live.

Fit and finish wise, the Cache is also built differently than the S2S. It's significantly baggier, and has a 1/2 instead, of full, zip. Both of these are negatives for me. It's also cursed with the same fiddly buckles for the StashSystem. But if you're a Kangaroo pocket kind of person, and are blessed with cool-and-not-raining rides, the Cache does have the same high quality and thoughtful details as the vest, just not in a form-factor that works for me.

As a general rule around here, when it's cold it's wet. The Cache Anorak is water resistant and when it's jacket weather around here, that just doesn't cut it. If I'm reaching for a jacket to ride in, odds are any hope of managing body moisture has already gone out the proverbial window; the atmosphere is more air than water, rendering Airmap irrelevant. Nearly every time I've worn the Cache while it's raining, I'd rather be in 7mesh's excellent CoPilot, a fully "waterproof" jacket. No, it doesn't exhaust heat and moisture as well, but when you need it, there's no substitute. Considering it's a twenty dollar bill less than the 470 CAD, 7mesh asks for the Cache, that'd be my recommendation.

7mesh Airmap S2S Vest and Cache Jacket