I have used a full weight Vapour-Rise pull-on in the past for various winter outings from Mountain Biking to Winter Climbing in the Lakes and Wales, so I was quite excited to see how the VR Lite jacket performed in warmer conditions. Vapour-Rise lite aims to give a highly breathable, wind resistant garment that can be used next to skin or over a base layer in cooler conditions.
My normal layering system is a base layer and wind shirt combination; this seems to work pretty well for me as I run quite warm. I have been using the Rab Alpine jacket wind shirt which is made from the same Pertex Equilibrium as the outer fabric on the VR Lite jacket; I find this fabric extremely breathable with our sacrificing too much wind resistance.
The first thing I noticed about the VR Lite jacket was that it was really comfortable to wear, both next to skin and over a base layer. The collar and cuffs give a really nice seal to stop any unpleasant drafts, and the draw cord on the hem keeps it snug around the waits. I have worn the jacket on a couple of local runs and have found it to be a little too warm, the VR Lite Pull-On would be a better choice for running as the design lends its self better to higher output activities. Although the jacket was amazingly comfortable next to skin I did find the tricot liner to be a little catchy against my bare arms.
The VR Lite jacket really excelled for me when mountain biking and walking, I combined the jacket with a Rab Meco 120 base layer. The Pertex Equilibrium kept a lot of the wind out and was breathable enough to keep me at a comfortable temperature. I am unsure as to how it would stand up to being attacked by thorn bush at speed on a bike though. The other great bit about the jacket was that it does not have a hood, hoods can be a bit of a nuisance when on a bike.
Over all I really like the VR Lite jacket, it balances warmth and breath ability really well.