7mesh Women’s Revelation and Re:Gen Jackets
Reviewer: 5’2” 125 lbs
Size Tested: Small
Test Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Test Duration: 20 rides
Intro
7mesh was created by former long-time employees of Arc’teryx who saw a lack of high-quality technical clothing in the bike industry. They launched their first outerwear in 2014 from their base in Squamish, BC.
I’ve been spending time in the 7mesh women’s Revelation and Re:Gen jackets, their two hardshell waterproof jackets. The Revelation is in their 7day collection, and is meant to be a versatile piece that can be used in many different conditions. The Re:Gen is in their 7hour collection, and is geared towards shorter rides that prioritize efficiency.
I do a mix of pack-less, two-hour rides during the week, as well as longer five to seven hour adventure rides on weekends where I’ll carry tools, food, and sometimes a medkit. Since I’m based out of Colorado Springs, I often ride throughout the winter given the accessibility of trails (and the inaccessibility of skiing), so I was interested in comparing the pros and cons of these two jackets.
7mesh Women’s Revelation Jacket
Material: GORE-TEX 3L Pro – 40d Nylon Plain Weave / RGR Backer
Stated Weight: 260 grams (size Large)
Stated Features:
- Watertight #3 Vislon Front Zip
- DR-Snap Removable Under Helmet Hood
- Watertight Zippered Hand Pockets
- Watertight Zippered Side Vents/Jersey Access
- Watertight Zippered Forearm Intake Vents
- SmoothLock Hem & Hood Adjustment
- Adjustable Velcro Cuffs
- Soft Brushed Collar and Chin Guard
- 8mm Seam Tape
- Reflective Details
MSRP: $450
The Revelation jacket is aimed at riders who need significant protection from the elements and is made with Gore Pro, which is more commonly found on high-end technical ski and mountaineering jackets. (You can check out Cy Whitling’s review of the men’s 7mesh Revelation jacket.)
Fit
The size Small Revelation I tested has a slim fit, with enough room for minimal layering on my 5’2” 125 lbs frame. I would say the sizing and fit of the Small is almost identical to Arc’teryx’s light shells, and similar to jackets from other brands. I can easily wear a long sleeve jersey and thermal layer underneath the Revelation. A lightweight synthetic puffy fits, but is constricting and unnecessary unless I’m riding at temperatures below 30° F.
The Revelation was clearly designed with riding functionality in mind. There is extra room in the shoulders which allows for forward arm movements. The jacket is longer in back than in the front, and it doesn’t get bunched up while riding.
This jacket works well as a lightweight raincoat, and I see myself using it all the time for activities other than biking. It is too tight to wear skiing often, but it may come out on some spring ski tours with me.
Features
7mesh nailed the venting and airflow of the Revelation. The side vents are placed lower than most pit zips, making them easier to reach and allowing them to double as access points to jersey pockets.
This location actually seems to work better for venting while biking, especially while wearing a pack. Pack straps go right over the middle of most pit zip openings, keeping most of the vent from doing its job. However, only the uppermost and lowermost parts of the Revelation’s side vents are covered by the shoulder straps and hipbelt on most packs, leaving the main portion open for venting.
The forearm intake vents also work well while riding, allowing air to enter at the arms (with the wrist straps tight so they stay in place), flow through the jacket, and exit the side vents. The adjustable wrist straps are simple and keep the sleeves in place.
The under-the-helmet hood design is also a great feature. I hate losing my peripheral vision and full range of motion when I wear a hood over my helmet. Usually I will opt to get soaked instead of wearing a hood. Putting the Revelation’s hood under my helmet still isn’t extremely comfortable and looks a little weird, but I find it to be more functional than over-the-helmet hoods, and I can deal with it during a cold rainstorm.
An added advantage of this style of hood is that it is smaller than those designed to go over helmets. So far it has never billowed out while riding, and it doesn’t get in the way of my pack. The hood is attached with three low profile snaps. It will come off if you yank on it really hard, but for me this isn’t really a problem and is worth the discrete attachment. It stays on while riding, and has a solid interface with the jacket.
There are only two zippered hand pockets on the Revelation jacket. I avoid using these for bulky things while riding because they get in the way while pedaling. I wouldn’t want any back pockets on this jacket because they wouldn’t work well with a pack, but it would be nice to have a small zippered chest pocket to fit a phone or keys.
Construction, Durability and Breathability
The Revelation Jacket is made with 3-layer 40-denier Gore Pro. (Denier refers to the weight / thickness of the fabric.) One of the requirements to be licensed to use Gore Pro is that a piece’s fabric must be at least 40-denier. This means that the Revelation is on the thinnest end of the Gore Pro jacket spectrum. (It is noticeably lighter than most Gore Pro ski jackets I’ve used, since they generally use higher denier fabrics). Yet I’ve still found the Revelation to be very durable, and it has held up well through the couple of times I’ve crashed on rocks while wearing it.
Gore Pro is designed to be completely waterproof (it is rated at 28k) during even extended periods of extreme conditions. I haven’t tested the Revelation during intense rainstorms, but it has kept me completely dry in a hailstorm, while descending in light rain, and after crashes in snow.
For being a waterproof jacket, the Revelation is very breathable: Gore Pro material has a RET (Resistance to Evaporative Heat Transfer) rating of ≤ 6. (Lower values mean the material is more breathable.) RET values of 0-6 are considered very breathable at high activity levels, and a RET of 30 is considered not breathable.
I still need to open the vents while climbing in the Revelation because it can get swampy if I’m working hard for over 45 minutes, but it does breathe very well for a shell.
NEXT: Re:Gen Jacket