Shak Vest

Comments about Ibex Shak Vest:

I have many Shak jackets - I love the snug fit (148lbs, 5'11", I wear a size S). The Shak vest is perfect over a t-shirt or dress shirt on the bike commute in. The side zipped pocket is perfectly positioned and holds a Blackberry very snugly. Please IBEX, make these in more colors!

Comments about Ibex Shak Vest:

This vest is perfect for running in cool weather when a jacket is too much. It also works well under a softshel on cold windy days.

Comments about Ibex Shak Vest:

I think I get it. The pocket on the side, the range-of-use. After a well thought out mis-start, I also think Ibex got it, too.

I was one of no doubt many who fell in love with the versatility, the durability, the outright comfort of the Shak Jersey, and lobbied Ibex to make a vest version. Their first attempt—the Kilometer—was not well received. I liked mine as a mid-layer for hiking/backpacking where the no-collar design meant the vest wouldn't join the crowd of materials at the neck, but I wanted a cycling piece with that perfect Shak collar going above and beyond the bike jersey collar.

Now we have it, and before I had enough dinero put aside last year to buy one, it sold out. Again this year, once I saw I had some cash to indulge my cycling/hiking needs, I bought the only color left, Triathalon Red, thinking I was settling for a lesser shade. And yet, it's a subdued vibrancy that's very pleasing and I have to say I love it. (Ibex: Bittersweet and Ocean Blue, killer shades, and that Putty is a keeper, too.)

And there's that collar: it snugs perfectly, and higher than my old Shak (six years old), to provide a soft and warm capsule around my neck. True to my furnace body heat, the zipper works smoothly with one hand to slide open for those longer uphills and shut when the road/trail turns downward.

And the length is just right to keep your plumber's crack covered and warm on the bike. And I have to say Ibex proves that Made in America is a very good thing.

Here's the part I think I really get: the side pocket. I'm surprised by the passion some people express against the Shak Vest pocket.

But here's my take: a true cycling back pocket isn't always best for quick access even on a bike. And if you wear a vest with a backpack, rear pockets are not only impossible to get to without removing the pack, they're not feasible with a full-size pack because they would be under the hipbelt. A front pocket has the same issue if placed as hand warmer pockets, plus they're in the way if you want to use the vest on a bike, putting whatever's in the pocket to catch between abs and legs.

The puny Kilometer side pocket is gone, and the Shak Vest pocket is generous without inviting too much stuff. With a pack or on the bike, a smartphone or gps can not only easily slide into the pocket, but be retrieved just as easily when needed. As a chest pocket, an unzipped vest would have your phone swinging around as an annoyance, where lower down it stays snugged against the body so long as any part of the zipper is joined.

I tend to buy one of each type of outerwear garment, since I don't need 2 or 3 same weight jackets or sweaters or vests in different colors. Different weights of jacket or vest or sweater, sure, but my limited funds go to closing gaps in my wardrobe, not so much duplicating things. Next year, though, I might try to pick up a Shak Vest in one of the colors mentioned above, because it's the perfect weight for around town, too.

Comments about Ibex Shak Vest:

For dress or casual, goes with everything!

Comments about Ibex Shak Vest:

After a few winters of sweating it out beneath even the thinnest of nylon/poly wind layers I decided to hunt for a lightweight, dense-knit wool vest to replace the windproof layer. After a couple of commutes in 20-25F temps I am happy to say the Shak Vest is everything I was looking for in an outer layer to cover a base and one-two LS jerseys. The fit is perfectly snug, the collar is high enough for warmth and wind protection and the fabric cuts wind without sacrificing breathability. Only one small complaint: I'm a pocket freak and the side stash is easily accessed but small. A small chest pocket would be the perfect complement. Otherwise this is a great high-output top layer in moderately windy and cold conditions. I also anticipate it will be a wonderful mid layer for sub-zero riding.