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We're all pretty familiar with the benefits of layering in cold conditions. Adding more layers creates additional pockets to trap body heat and warm air to keep us from freezing in well, freezing conditions. The Men's AV Extreme Winter Jacket from Giordana takes this layering idea and places it in one jacket when the weather is "extreme" so you won't have to bundle up quite as much and reduce a fair deal of bulk. It's still layer-friendly depending on the conditions and your tolerance, and offers a race-fit, and receives cozy insulation in the form of a Polartec Alpha 60 mid-layer instead of the lighter AV 300 jacket's brushed fleece lining. This insulating layer is sandwiched between a weather-resistant membrane and a winter mesh lining, so the AV Extreme Winter Jacket's temperature range reaches lower than any other jacket in Giordana's lineup. The Alpha 60 insulation is the biggest difference between the AV Extreme and AV 300 models, but the rest of the jacket's protective measures see similar tweaks in order to boost its overall deep-winter utility. Instead of the AV 300's DVstretch membrane, the AV Extreme features a DValpine membrane. 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...