Giordana's new Acqua+Vento (AV) line is replete with windproof, water-resistant gear tailored to every imaginable condition we can imagine encountering on two wheels. This ranges from the mild to the extreme, and no item is more absolutely suited for the absolute worst weather we'd brave on a bicycle than the brand's AV Extreme Winter Women's Jacket. Compared to the rest of the AV line, the Extreme Winter Jacket has additional weather resistance and breathability in the form of the upgraded DValpine membrane, which it further supports with the added protection of Polartec's Alpha 60 insulation, a low-loft thermal layer that complements the breathable membrane by preserving more warmth in winter's worst. 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 state of breathability, DValpine ensures that you don't pay for those periods of increased effort w...