Tested Dirt Bike Products - MSR Hydroshel - Experts on Dirtbikes at Dirt Rider Magazine

MSR has a new take on the wind- and waterproof, light outer-shell theme personified by its Pak Jak: the Hydroshel. The Hydroshel is constructed of a breathable fabric called Gelanots. As a simple pullover, the Hydroshel is much less complex than the easily vented Pak Jak and what MSR calls "the simplest and lightest packable jacket ever." It is a full 50 percent lighter and packs into a bundle half the size of the Pak Jak. The only vent on the Hydroshel is in the upper back area, and that zippered opening doubles as the mouth of the compact stuff-sack into which the shell folds. That pouch has belt loops, so you simply slide the belt of your fanny pack through the loops; you hardly know it is there—until you need it.The entire shell is seam-sealed, and the garment has a drawstring to close out truly ugly weather. When you first take the Hydroshel out of the package, its lightness is shocking. But once you put it on and stay dry without the wind penetrating, it feels more substantial. We used the Hydroshel in light rain and a variety of temperatures without any problems. We carried it on fanny packs and stuffed in with a drink-system bladder. Once we rode in very cold (for us!) weather with just a T-shirt underneath. The Gelanots transferred some cold, but our discomfort would have been extreme without it. We do miss being able to open up the sides and neck as we do with the Pak Jak to control body temperature, but we find ourselves leaving the Pak Jak and taking the Hydroshel more often than not.The Hydroshel is available in black, blue or red, though each is basically two-tone. It is sized M through XXL (blue and red, L through XXL) and is cut to wear over a chest protector. MSR claims you should order your normal size, not a size larger. Our XL fit underneath 6-foot-1-inch Karel Kramer's chest protector comfortably, yet it kept 5-foot-3-inch Wendy Carswell warm after a mud-puddle mishap near Randsburg, California. That is an impressive range. None of these new breathable miracle fabrics is cheap. Gelanots is no exception. The Hydroshel retails for $119.95, but it stays in the gear bag year-round.DR Tested: 9.5MSR: 909/340-3301; www.msracing.com