I've been testing out the brighter-than-bright Venture Jacket by
The North Face for a few months now, reserving it to cycling and the more monsoon-type days.
I've definitely got a thing for outdoor and performance clothing - mainly due to their built-for-purpose nature, and therefore (hopefully) should be able to withstand more than a puff of wind or a splattering of rain every now and again.For this past year or so I've been using my
Marmot Precip jacket for cycling, jogging and
general travelling - and seeing that I gave it a glowing review (note, it wasn't the most expensive but ticked all the boxes), everything after this has a lot to live up to. The North Face Venture Jacket is basically the equivalent to Marmot's offering;
a lightweight, waterproof, breathable jacket, which is design for hiking, cycling, communting and the general outdoors lifestyle. For waterpoof jackets with style in mind
check these out.
Is It Any Good? Personally I wasn't the biggest fan of this jacket. It comes in this cool shade of nautical blue, and from wearing it while cycling/jogging I can say it's definitely waterproof, but I didn't really find the material very breathable.
I ended up getting a hellutha sweat on a one point, and couldn't wait to unzip it. I also found that the collar (when zipped) was at a odd height, constantly jostling for posting with my chin.
Maybe it's just not that suitable for my 6'1" frame, but for me it was probably 2" too short in the body - I felt like I was contently pulling it down. Cycling-wise, the length isn't an issue, but I think it would benefit from a longer back.
It's not all bad though, aesthetically it does the job, the fabric feels solid and the under arm zips are a nice addition, but I would expect a little more from a jacket which has been designed for performance in mind.
Overall, for a lightweight, waterproof jacket money would be on the Marmot Precip (both being around £80). It's not all about looks hey? 
