Los Angeles has become a different city in the last few weeks. Gone are the mild temperatures the city is known for, replaced by lows reaching freezing. On one such morning, I decided to do my regular 26 mile loop through Hollywood, up to Mulholland, over to the Observatory, and back home. The Garmin computer read 38 degrees when I started, but dropped quickly to 33.2 as I started the climb up Nichols Canyon. Thankfully, I was wearing the Assos iJ.haBu5 Jacket. The jacket is made from Stratagone windproof material and Roubaix Q fabric. The Stratagone is the material used for the front, arms, and shoulders of the jacket. It is a windproof material, thereby making it suitable for cold temperatures. The rest is made from the Roubaix Q fabric, a soft and warm material that is also very light. The jacket is designed to be used in temperatures ranging from 43 to 54 degrees, but the highest temperature I saw on this ride was 40.5. As a true test of its performance, I wore the jacket over a thin summer jersey, so I could gauge how well the jacket insulated me from the cold. The result of my testing was astounding, as the haBu5 kept me perfectly warm, even in temperatures well below its own stated range. Right from the start of the ride I was comfortable. Even more importantly, when my body temperature started to rise on the climb and I started sweating, the jacket wicked away the moisture, keeping me dry, and ready for the cold descent. I find it amazing that a garment so thin and light, is so perfectly suited for such extreme temperatures. It is compact enough to be stuffed into a jersey pocket if the weather warms up, making this an all around perfect piece. The jacket is tailored to fit the body in a cycling position, and its slim fit makes it fit like a glove. It has convenient features such as an iPhone pocket on the sleeve, as well as three pockets on the back, two of which are zippered. I placed my cycling tool pouch in the rear center pocket, and food, identification, and cash slipped into the two rear side pockets. The Assos iJ.haBu5 Jacket is a perfectly crafted garment, one in which the materials work in unison to provide a perfect experience. I no longer dread the colder temperatures Los Angeles is throwing our way.
