You can't always tell what a product will look like online. You read all the product details and even go to the manufacturers’ site to read the marketing babble and try and make a decision.

When I received this vest and broke it out of the box the first thing I said was "you got to be kidding me" this isn't gonna be warm. This thing is thin and like they said in other reviews you can roll this thing up and pack it and not even notice it, so I was skeptical to say the least.

I put it on and wore it around the house for a about a minute and could feel the warmth starting to set in, and then I said "no shit" it works. I have only used it in the mid to low 50s so far and it does the job nicely. This thing is just right for taking the chill out of a morning hike without getting too warm once you get going. Impressive insulating abilities of the recycled fibers for this weight. Just right for layering, but seems to work best with the vest closest to the body and other fleece or sweaters on top. Warmth without sweat, that's a good thing...

There are cycling shoes out there, but there is nothing that connects you to your ride like a great pair of shoes. There are many quality components that you can compromise and not really feel the difference, but shoes are not one of those components. This is my second pair of Sidis, I made a mistake in thinking that I could find a comparable product to the any of the Sidi's only to find out that I was wrong.

This affordable Sidi is not the best of what Sidi offers, but it is the best that any serious cyclist should not do without. The ratcheted top strap is essential and easy to adjust on the fly allowing you to loosen the strap in increments. Fantastic fit and feel for the road unlike anything I have tried before. Lorica upper supports and protects the foot well and is the best alternative to leather, helping to save the environment from the chemicals necessary for tanning leather. Damn good looking shoe with all the necessary features that make the feet feel good well into the 60 mile mark.

I have been in these things for about a little over a month and I still can't believe how good they are compared to my (now) commuter kicks. For me there is now only one cycling shoe company on this planet and it is Sidi.