Product Review: RaceFace Agent Jacket
This Fall I headed out to Oregon for the second annual Trans Cascadia 4 day back country enduro, a grueling 4 days of camping and blind racing in some beautiful country. This part of the country is known for unpredictable weather, especially in the Fall, so I needed to prepare with the right riding gear!
Knowing that I would need a couple of jackets to cover my needs for the trip, I got myself the RaceFace Chute jacket for the cold and rainy days and the Agent shell for the lighter days. For this review, I’m going to focus on the Agent jacket. The Agent jacket is a new waterproof jacket that is light and breathable enough for an all day pedal but durable enough for shuttle laps!
On the first day of racing in the Trans Cascadia, the temps were low at base camp so I wore the Agent jacket for the climb up in the morning. Half-way up this first climb I was starting to get warm so I unzipped the vents on the front to keep things cool.
Zippered vents reveal a mesh fabric.
I love the lightness of the material used in the Agent jacket. Often jackets are made to address a problem but don’t fully take into account rider movement. The Agent jacket is flexible and comfortable during riding while providing rain and wind protection.
The hood easily fits over your helmet.
During that first day at the Trans Cascadia it wasn’t until I neared the top of the mountain that I needed to remove the jacket completely. I was happy to be able to easily roll the Agent jacket up and fit it in my pack.
I especially like the wrist closures on the Agent jacket. RaceFace used a rubber gripped closure which is easy to grab with gloves on. These closures are flexible so you can wrap your wrist as tight as you wish while keeping those cool Fall breezes out. Below the vents, located over the chest, are two pockets deep enough to carry extra snacks or an extra pair of gloves.
This is my favorite jacket and will certainly handle the east coast Fall weather. It’s great when a product does its job and you hardly notice it.
Specs
2.5 Ply fabric with 10K/10K Membrane rating
Fully Seam Sealed
Adjustable hood
Flow through ventilation with two zipper chest and back vents
Waterproof sealed zips
Large grab-tab cuff closures
Colours – Black, Navy or Red
MSRP – $169.99 USD
http://www.raceface.com/products/details/agent-jacket
Photo Credit: Susan Allen | @soozi3q
