Giordana's AcquaVento (AV) line of winter clothing offers some impressive barriers against the elements that help provide much-needed motivation when pedaling during winter's worst. This windproof and water-resistant gear offers maximum protection against harsh conditions, and when faced with absolutely horrendous weather and when the show must go on, there's few jackets we'd choose over its AV Extreme Winter Women's Jacket. Compared to the rest of its AV line, the Extreme Winter Jacket has additional weather resistance and improved breathability in the form of the upgraded DValpine membrane, which is further bolstered by its cozy Polartec's Alpha 60 insulation, a low-loft thermal layer that complements the breathable membrane by preserving more warmth during the coldest, character-building rides. Though Giordana's fit and construction expertise are what will make you fall in love with the jacket, the AV Winter Extreme's eVent DValpine membrane remains the jacket's key piece of technology. Like with much of its top summer-weight kit, Giordana looked externally for material solutions to the typical cycling issues we all encounter. This search led it to eVent, a relatively young company that, since 1999, has been carving out space for itself in the breathable membrane market on the strength of its Direct Venting technology. Unlike the dominant strains of membranes currently flooding the market, eVent's Direct Venting models are what the brand calls a "dry system"--that is, they don't need to get wet before they begin to breathe. While traditional PU membranes require a slight accumulation of internal moisture before they begin to expel it, Direct Venting membranes like DValpine breathe immediately. This is ideal for cycling situations, where the work/rest cycles of intervals, climbs, or just pedaling between stop lights can make for a microclimate that constantly fluctuates from humid and hot to cold as exertion levels rise and fall. By maintaining a constant st...