Basque brand Etxeondo has been making high-quality cycling clothing for more than 40 years. The family-run company from Irura, just south of San Sebastian, stands for delivering quality. The list of winners who wore a suit from Etxeondo is no mean feat either. Indeed: did you know that 'our' Tom Dumoulin wore a suit from Etxeondo during his Giro victory? No he didn't. Just like Miguel Indurain got his tour victories in Basque clothing. We got a Arri Jack ter review, these are our findings.
Bubbles
If you are not familiar with the Etxeondo brand, the first time you will be shocked by the collection. Bright colours, by no means conservative and with eccentric patterns. The Arri winter jacket is one of those. The jacket has very distinctive 'bubbles' on the body. These bubbles are made of Primaloft. This fabric insulates the front and back, combines heat and water resistance and is also super light! It also does have an instant warmth to it. Like getting one of those down ski jackets. Das quite nice. The jacket has nice long sleeves, has a chest pocket and three pockets on the back. The collar is soft and comes relatively high, but is not uncomfortable. A black stripe on the sleeve provides extra contrast.
Don
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The jacket is a joy to put on. It has to be said: this is a jacket from the Endurance line (in addition to the Pro and Essentials). So it is meant for long days on the bike. As the advertising text says: it feels light. The sleeves are at ideal length for me. The black cuffs make for nice warm wrists and are elasticated. I like that. The zip has an extra piece of fabric behind it, so you won't be surprised by a cold wind. All in all, very nice. The length is perfect. I wear size 'L' and I am 1.93 with an average height in terms of upper body. It fits well
To the test
The jacket is according to the site of Etxeondo Suitable for temperatures from 6 to 18 degrees. I'd dare to differ, because recently I have worn the jacket in all kinds of temperatures below 6 degrees and it was totally fine. It is well windproof, it is wonderfully warm on the body and it stays on really well. After a few washes it does get a little tighter, but the fabric is flexible and you can have it back in your own fold after just 5 minutes. I wore the jacket with a warm thermo underneath. But that makes sense. At lower temperatures, say around freezing, a buff is not a luxury either. If it gets below zero, then I recommend you possibly put a jacket over it, or go for another item.
The chest pocket is handy, you can put your phone in there or anything else you want to have at hand right away. The pockets on the back are easily accessible and at the right height. There is no other zipped pocket on the back, so the chest pocket is the right one then.
Final verdict
I wear this jacket almost every ride when I can. It fits like a glove, offers perfect protection from the elements and you can wear it everywhere. I have it in red and maroon, but I would easily buy the whole colour palette. With a price of €239, you will spend some money, but you can really have a lot of fun with it. In addition, there is also a body warmer version of this Arri, one you should definitely get your hands on too! (If you want a discount code, just send a message to our info address and we'll help you on your way).
A disclaimer: this jacket is NOT waterproof. The primaloft fabric will soak up the water at first, but once you are soaked, you will want to go home ASAP. So it's better to wear another item then, or opt for a rain jacket over it.
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