Gore Bike Wear Power 20 Windstopper Softshell Jacket Review
Cycling in the rain isn't generally a pleasant action but, unless you live in a desert, information technology's an unavoidable fact of life for most riders.
That's specially the case when it comes to winter cycling, when cold and moisture conditions tin combine to brand riding an unpleasant experience without the right kit.
Luckily for you lot, we're happy to put in the hard miles to notice the best waterproof jackets for route cycling and commuting.
Old communication might have been to toughen up – a amorphous, 'boil in the bag' rain cape would soak you lot through with sweat anyway – but waterproof fabrics have evolved massively over the by few years, and the holy grail of constructive waterproofing and breathability isn't the impossible combination it once was.
With that in mind, nosotros've compiled a comprehensive list of the all-time waterproof jackets for cycling, as tested by the BikeRadar squad.
Our skillful testers have ridden in all conditions to bring you great options for both route cycling and commuting. If you ride off-road, we've got a dissever article on the all-time mount biking jackets.
Otherwise, yous'll notice BikeRadar's top-rated waterproof cycling jackets beneath – or skip to the end for our buyer's guide on choosing the right jacket for your needs.
For more advice on kitting yourself out for bad weather, we've got guides to the best winter cycling shoes and best overshoes to continue your feet warm and dry, plus a round-up of the best winter cycling gloves.
Best waterproof cycling jackets in 2022
- Castelli Idro Pro 2:£340 / $400 / €350
- Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket Ii: £165 / $225 / €200
- Gore C5 Shakedry 1985 Viz: £250 / $300 / AU$360
- Assos Equipe RS Schlosshund: £290 / $369 / €209
- Castelli Idro 2: £300 / $300 / €270
- Gore-Tex Paclite: £170
- Lusso Aqua Pro Extreme: £165 / $215 / €197 / AU$325
- Madison Noon Waterproof Storm Jacket: £135
- R apha Pro Team Lightweight Gore-Tex Shakedry: £220 / $295 / €260
- Santini Baby-sit Nimbus: £149
- Van Rysel RCR Ultralight Packable Showerproof: £45 / €25
- Albion Pelting Jacket ii.0: £175
- Altura Firestorm Waterproof: £80 / €100
- Ashmei Waterproof Jacket: £238 / $200 / AU$258 / €172
- Decathlon Triban RC500 Rainproof: £40 / €50
- dhb Aeron Rain Defense force Polartec: £130 / $180 / €160
- Madison Peloton: £xc
- Métier Beacon: £250
- Q36.5 R.Shell: £300 / €249
- Rapha Driver: £100 / $135 / AU$175
- Santini Vega Multi Jacket: £220 / $322 / €240
All RRPs refer to the price when the jacket was originally tested by BikeRadar.
Castelli Idro Pro 2
David Caudery / Firsthand Media
- £340 / $400 / €350 as tested
- Rear pockets
- Mix of Gore fabrics for skin-tight fit
- Weighs 185g
Hitting v stars in a confront-off of x waterproof trounce cycling jackets, the Idro Pro ii has a racer's cut and is fabricated of Gore Shakedry fabric tempered past panels of equally waterproof Gore Topo to add stretch at the sides, shoulders, elbows and wrists, for a skin-tight fit.
Unlike many waterproof cycling jackets, the Idro Pro has a decent run of pockets, complete with drainage holes. Along with its fit, keen waterproofing and other quality features this all made it the winner of our group test.
Castelli now sells the Idro 3 Pro, with updates to fit and cuffs and added reflective elements.
- Read our total Castelli Idro 2 review
Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II
David Caudery / Firsthand Media
- £165 /$225 / €200 as tested
- Highly breathable
- Bully fit and value
- Weighs 175g
Endura's rain trounce is highly breathable and very waterproof, leading to a comfortable ride in the rain. Fit is first-class, with an constructive driblet tail that stays put and an extra tempest flap at the collar to go along out the rain.
Although at that place are no rear pockets, a zipped flap gives access to your jersey beneath and there'due south a side pocket to stash a couple of gels. Information technology's great value for a feature-packed waterproof cycling jacket.
- Read our total Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II review
Gore C5 Shakedry 1985 Viz
Firsthand Media
- £250 / $300 / AU$360 as tested
- Fixes many of the issues with the original jacket
- Ludicrously light and breathable
- Weighs 134g
Made from Gore's now-legendary Shakedry material, the C5 Shakedry 1985 Viz jacket is an update to the original model of this waterproof cycling jacket. It addresses many of the issues nosotros had with that jacket.
The new model is available in a range of high-vis colours, is ridiculously calorie-free, has unrivalled breathability and it'southward better than the former one – what's not to dear?
- Read our full review of the Gore C5 Shakedry 1985 Viz
Assos Equipe RS Schlosshund
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £290 as tested
- Breathable and very waterproof
- Jersey pocket admission flaps double upward as vents
- Weighs 155g
Some other one for the racers, the Assos Equipe RS Schlosshund is a waterproof cycling jacket with a shut fit from its stretchy material and panel lay-up. The good length keeps your arms and body dry. The silicone gripper at the hem helps keep the tail in place well, which stops most route spray.
There's a high breathability rating paired with quality iii-layer waterproofing, taped seams and a waterproof zip to continue the atmospheric condition out, even on the wettest days. There are flaps to access your bailiwick of jersey, rather than pockets in the jacket itself, which double as vents to help go on you comfortable.
- Read our full Assos Equipe RS Schlosshund jacket review
Castelli Idro 2
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £300 / $300 / €270 as tested
- Amazingly waterproof and breathable
- Race cut
- Weighs 105g
As with other Shakedry jackets, the combination of depression weight, packability, total waterproofing and fantabulous breathability never fails to print.
Castelli'southward version of this waterproof cycling jacket distinguishes itself with its fantabulous race cut and smart features, such as the pull-tag extension added to the zip. This aids use while wearing winter gloves. The simply drawback is the price, merely racers who demand the all-time won't be disappointed.
The latest Idro 3 has been updated with a stretch panel on the rear to make for an even closer fit, new cuffs and actress reflectives.
- Read our total Castelli Idro 2 review
Gore-Tex Paclite
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £170 as tested
- Robust build with plenty of room and adjustment
- Great breathability
- Weighs 210g
The Paclite jacket is cut a flake larger than many waterproof cycling jackets, then it's not just for the racer. Its waterproofing is great, with taped seams and information technology'll fit in a jersey pocket. Hem and cuff adjusters mean there's the adaptability to ensure a adept fit.
The jacket feels more than robust than many and we rated the Paclite's breathability. With its combination of reflectives and bright colour options, the jacket should ensure you're seen on a wet day out.
- Read our total review of the Gore-Tex Paclite jacket
Lusso Aqua Pro Extreme
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £165 / $215 / €197 / AU$325 every bit tested
- Versatile design
- Designed for tough UK conditions
- Weighs 405g
The Aqua Pro Farthermost is a different type of waterproof cycling jacket from well-nigh on this list; rather than focusing on being absolutely waterproof and packable, Lusso has prioritised protection from foul weather of all kinds.
There are compromises, such as increased bulk and reduced waterproof protection in accented terms, but information technology makes massive gains in versatility.
It's possible this jacket could handle almost everything the weather throws at you from fall through to spring.
- Read our full Lusso Aqua Pro Extreme review
Madison Noon Waterproof Tempest Jacket
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £135 as tested
- Ideal for truly horrible days
- True to size
- Weighs 445g
Madison's Noon Waterproof Storm Jacket is a heavyweight waterproof cycling jacket designed to be worn in the worst conditions. Its waterproof rating of 20,000mm is impressive for the price and breathability is solid too.
Information technology's not a packable jacket, but that also means it can stand up up to a lot more abuse, so there'south less need to worry about wearing a backpack or taking it off-route.
- Read our full Madison Apex Waterproof Tempest Jacket review
Rapha Pro Team Lightweight Gore-Tex Shakedry jacket
- Purchase the Rapha Pro Squad Light Gore-Tex Shakedry jacket from Rapha
Jack Luke / Immediate Media
- £220 / $295 / €260 as tested
- Proven Gore-Tex Shakedry performance
- Good fit and competitively priced
- Weighs 125g (medium)
Surprisingly, Rapha's Shakedry jacket is actually cheaper than many waterproof cycling jackets, which is a boon when you consider how impressive this package is.
Equally with other Gore-Tex Shakedry jackets, Rapha's is lightweight, completely waterproof and impressively breathable.
The cut is too very good, and Rapha'south understated styling looks great too (as long equally you're happy with blackness).
- Read our full Rapha Pro Team Lightweight Gore-Tex Shakedry jacket review
Santini Guard Nimbus
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £149 equally tested
- Lightweight material and good packability
- Stretchy fit and expert coverage
- Weighs 120g
Santini takes a different approach with the Baby-sit Nimbus, which looks and feels more than like a windproof jacket than a waterproof cycling jacket, with plenty of stretch and a matt jersey outer face. Despite this, it functions well in light rain, although it didn't stay dry in a downpour.
Overnice features include plenty of reflectives, an piece of cake-to-use zip and a pocket-size pocket. There's adequate length to the sleeves and tail for comfortable riding and protection from wheelspray, while the Baby-sit Nimbus packs down small-scale besides.
- Read our full Santini Nimbus jacket review
Van Rysel RCR Ultralight Packable Showerproof
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £45 / €25 as tested
- Skilful breathability and adequate rainproofing
- Enough stretch for a comfortable fit
- Weighs 125g
Decathlon is renowned for the excellent pricing of its technical kit and its Van Rysel branded waterproof cycling jacket doesn't disappoint. It weighs just 125g and has good packability, while the stretchy textile and shut-ish cut brand for a comfy fit without windflap.
There'due south enough waterproofing from the congenital-in membrane for a few hours of riding in showers, although it's not a jacket intended for use in a downpour. The textile's breathability is good likewise, and there are rear and pit vents to help go along you comfortable.
- Read our full Van Rysel RCR Ultralight Packable Showerproof jacket review
Albion Rain Jacket 2.0
Paige O'Sullivan / Immediate Media
- £175 every bit tested
- Close fit, although with some stretch
- Rather tight cuffs make getting on and off hard
- Weight 160g
Made from a slightly stretchy, Bluesign-approved iii-layer laminate, the Albion Rain Jacket received a number of upgrades in the 2.0 version of this waterproof cycling jacket, which has subsequently been superseded by the Albion iii.0. Improvements in the two.0 included revised cuffs, although we institute these too much of a tight fit.
At 160g, it's not besides heavy and it'southward very waterproof and breathable, with the ii-way zip helping with heat and moisture regulation, although you don't get many vents or pockets. Equally well equally the hi-vis orange reviewed, at that place's a slate grey option.
- Read our full Albion Pelting Jacket two.0 review
- Buy the Albion Rain Jacket three.0
Altura Firestorm Waterproof
David Caudery / Firsthand Media
- £80 / €100 as tested
- Clever reflective impress
- Excellent value
- Weighs 110g
Altura's Firestorm Waterproof jacket doesn't take the highest spec of some waterproof cycling jackets, merely at under £100 its 15,000mm waterproof rating is competitive and breathability is adept plenty for all except the hardest of efforts.
Its standout feature is the clever cogitating print that covers the whole of the jacket. Information technology goes almost unnoticed during the day, just makes the jacket glow like a beacon when light hits it at nighttime.
- Read our total Altura Firestorm Waterproof jacket review
Ashmei Waterproof Jacket
Dave Caudrey / Firsthand Media
- £238 / $258 as tested
- Super-stretchy fabric
- Well made
- Weighs 240g
Ashmei might exist a relatively new name to the cycling world, simply this super-stretchy waterproof cycling jacket did not disappoint during testing.
The jacket is fabricated from an extremely thin (seven microns!) textile that is stretchier than most – a good matter given the cut of the jacket is relatively racy.
The jacket too features iii jersey-way pockets on the dorsum. These take drain holes, and then shouldn't cause any issues in wet weather.
- Read our full Ashmei Waterproof review
- Buy the Ashmei Waterproof
Decathlon Triban RC500 Rainproof
David Caudery / Firsthand Media
- £40 / €50 as tested
- Low price
- Solid performance
- Weighs 280g
Decathlon has really outdone itself with the Triban RC500 Rainproof jacket. Out of the box, it looks and feels like a waterproof cycling jacket costing much more.
It simply has a waterproof rating of 8,000mm, then it isn't the best pick for truly horrendous weather condition, but for shorter rides and commutes it's perfectly adequate, and nosotros've got no complaints at this price.
- Read our full Decathlon Triban RC500 Rainproof jacket review
dhb Aeron Rain Defence Polartec
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £130 / $180 / €160 every bit tested
- Warm and breathable
- Good price
- Weighs 255g
The dhb Aeron Pelting Defence force Polartec jacket is a lighter-weight waterproof cycling jacket fabricated from a triple-layer softshell textile that offers decent water and wind resistance and exceptional breathability.
Information technology won't keep you bone dry out in a concerted downpour, but on those drizzly, cold days that we seem to go so many of here in the UK, it volition ensure yous're warm, dry and comfortable. Equally usual for dhb, it's reasonably priced too.
- Read our full dhb Aeron Rain Defence Polartec review
Madison Peloton
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £90 as tested
- Robust feel
- Relaxed fit
- Weighs 235g
Mid-weight and with a more relaxed cut, the Peloton waterproof cycling jacket caters well for less slim riders and for layering up in the common cold. It feels hard wearing likewise. There can be a little windflap and pooling of h2o in folds, just they're not intrusive.
The Peloton jacket folds pocket-sized enough to go into a jersey pocket when not in utilise. It's a solid performer at a reasonable price, although breathability isn't quite as good as some, despite the mesh rear vent.
- Read our total review of the Madison Peloton jacket
Métier Buoy
Immediate Media
- £250 as tested
- In-congenital lights genuinely boost visibility
- Soft-affect lining feels bang-up
- Weighs 404g
Métier's four-product line-up is focused solely on jackets and gilets fitted with its signature integrated lighting technology. The Buoy is its all-round beat out jacket.
The waterproof cycling jacket is easy to alive with and comes with a dedicated wash bag and cleaner, alongside all-encompassing intendance instructions.
Sizing is snug, and so pay attention if yous can tummy the £250 price tag.
- Read our full Métier Buoy review
Q36.5 R.Shell
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £300 / €249 every bit tested
- Very breathable and waterproof
- Jersey access flaps instead of pockets
- Weighs 160g
Q36.5's shell jacket has lots of quality features, such every bit a reduced number of seams, which are tape sealed, and V-shaped wrist openings to upward their coverage. There are two stretchy side panels for a close fit and the tail offers plenty of coverage.
Breathability and waterproofing are top notch for great performance, no affair how bad the weather condition gets. It's everything yous'd expect from a money-no-object waterproof cycling jacket.
- Read our Q36.5 R.Shell jacket review
Rapha Commuter
Firsthand Media
- £100 / $135 / AU$175 every bit tested
- Characteristic-packed jacket with smart details
- Range of bright colour choices (and black)
- Weighs 280g
Coming in at a surprisingly reasonable (for Rapha) price, the Commuter jacket is nevertheless a fully featured waterproof cycling jacket.
Designed, every bit the proper name suggests, for commuting, it'due south bachelor in a selection of assuming colours – though black is notwithstanding offered.
Features such equally zipped front end pockets, a relaxed fit and a hood that can exist worn under a helmet help it stand out from standard road cycling jackets.
The jacket breathes reasonably well cheers to its two.5-layer fabric and shoulder-width vent, simply this isn't a piece for fast route riding. The dropped tail also offers some protection from route spray and is covered with a reflective print for increased visibility.
- Read our total Rapha Driver review
Santini Vega Multi Jacket
David Caudery / Immediate Media
- £220 / $322 / €240 every bit tested
- Waterproof softshell
- Warm and cosy
- Weighs 325g
The Vega Multi Jacket is a do-information technology-all softshell jacket with a waterproof rating of 5,000mm.
This is at the lower end of the scale for waterproof ratings, only information technology'southward more than of a multi-purpose cycling jacket designed to help you deal with the common cold and wind too, rather than a dedicated waterproof cycling jacket.
Think of information technology as a classic winter jersey with added waterproofing and information technology starts to brand a lot of sense. Every bit long as information technology's non pouring for hours on terminate, the Vega Multi Jacket can go on you warm and comfortable on those long winter rides.
- Read our total Santini Vega Multi Jacket review
What to wait for in a waterproof jacket for road cycling and commuting
A waterproof jacket used to mean a hard-beat garment made from a fabric that felt more than like plastic. However, we're at present seeing the rise of the 'jerket' or pelting bailiwick of jersey.
These are softshell tops that feel like a jersey but use a waterproof membrane or DWR (durable water repellent) treatment to repel atmospheric precipitation.
Things would be easier if it were simply a matter of keeping the rain out, but pedalling makes you hot and sweaty, and the heat and wet you generate need an escape route.
The trouble is, the properties that allow a waterproof jacket to keep the pelting off besides make it difficult to deal with the damp building up on the inside.
The ideal solution, therefore, is a cycling jacket that combines being waterproof with breathability, which is difficult, but past no means impossible. Some garments manage it by using advanced materials, others solve the trouble by incorporating vents into their designs.
Aside from being waterproof and breathable, it'due south worth seeking out a jacket that packs down into a tiny package that's easy to stow. Improve still, if the rain stops, yous can have it off and put it abroad rather than keep wearing information technology long later on it'south done its chore.
How waterproof fabrics piece of work
GoreTex
Waterproof fabrics are either multi-layer laminate fabrics or regular woven fabrics that get a DWR treatment designed to continue h2o out. While both achieve the same goal, they piece of work slightly differently.
DWR
Durable h2o repellent, or DWR, is your wet weather gear's first line of defence force. Information technology's not a laminate or blanket but a treatment applied to the fabric's outer surface.
All waterproof garments, except those where the membrane is the outermost surface, receive a DWR end.
The treatment does not inhibit breathability because information technology doesn't fill the gaps between the fibres. Instead, it bonds the individual fibres to assistance the garment shed water and prevent saturation.
DWR treatments shed water because they increase the contact angle of moisture on a textile past forcing a water droplet to maintain its surface tension; so when yous come across water beading on a fabric, the DWR is hard at work.
When the DWR is applied to a cloth, it creates micropegs or microspikes that beetle from the fibres and prevent water from spreading out, forcing it to class chaplet that slide off the fabric without seeping in.
However, DWR treatments wearable off over time, accelerated past abrasions and some detergents. When this happens, the textile no longer causes h2o to bead and will get saturated and heavy.
Not to fear, though, refreshing and retreating a garment is simple and there are plenty of spray-on or wash-in options bachelor. Check out our guide on how to rejuvenate your waterproof cycling gear.
Laminate fabrics
Almost waterproof breathable fabrics are made from laminate materials, which usually consist of an inner cloth optimised for wicking moisture, a waterproof membrane and an outer-face cloth with a DWR treatment.
Gore-Tex, Thinsulate, Polartec and eVent are all internal membranes that are sandwiched betwixt 2 other materials – ordinarily something abrasion-resistant on the exterior, with a soft liner on the inside. Even the Castelli Gabba Jersey is fabricated using a Windstopper laminate material.
The reason these lamination techniques let for water-repellent characteristics is that the inner membranes are total of holes. This may seem counterintuitive, but a Gore-Tex membrane boasts nine billion pores, each 1µm – a millionth of a metre – wide per square inch. The holes are large plenty to allow water vapour created by sweat evaporation to escape, only are too modest for water aerosol to sneak through.
These internal membranes are quite frail, which is why there'southward an abrasion-resistant layer on the outside of the garment. This outer layer receives DWR treatment and, as we mentioned before, the problem with DWR treatments is they somewhen wash away, causing a jacket to 'wet-out', meaning the wet escaping from inside and landing on the outside saturates the outer material, clogging the pores of the membrane and eliminating breathability.
When a jacket stops breathing, the moisture your body creates gets trapped inside, creating that unpleasant, steaming-hot sensation.
Most outerwear today is based on this 2 and a one-half- or iii-layer lamination, merely the fabrics and membranes are continuing to evolve and we're now seeing jackets eliminating the outer cloth.
Pioneered by Columbia with its OutDry fabric, brands take figured out how to toughen up these membranes and eliminated the DWR-treated outer textile.
This structure is becoming the get-to for high-cease, cycling-specific jackets, with several large-name brands using versions from GoreTex – the One Active and Shakedry fabrics allow the membrane to be used as an outer 'beading surface'.
The advantages of these fabrics are that they can't wet out considering at that place is no face fabric to saturate, they counterbalance next to nothing and breathe better too.
What to look for when buying a waterproof cycling jacket
Waterproofing
To exist officially waterproof, a garment has to withstand the pressure of 1,000mm of water without leaking. This test concentrates on jackets that continue moisture managed and then you stay warm however foul the forecast.
Usually, this is achieved through an internal membrane like those from Gore-Tex and eVent.
Waterproofness is mostly measured in terms of how much water, in mm, can be placed on top of a material in a column until it seeps through (though some companies dispute whether this testing method accurately represents existent-world conditions). In elementary terms, bigger numbers ought to mean the garment'due south fabric can withstand more h2o before whatsoever leakage occurs.
However, as with annihilation, the raw numbers don't always tell the full story. How a jacket is constructed plays a big role too, considering water tin also arrive through poorly sealed seams or zips, or via the neckband or sleeves if they don't fit correctly.
Breathability
Information technology's no good keeping rain out if you get soaked by sweat from within. Different fabrics accept different water vapour transfer rates simply cut, lining, membranes and vents all brand a significant difference to how dry out yous stay.
Taping
Taping is used to seal the seams in a waterproof jacket on the within. Information technology does add bulk and reduce a jacket's breathability, and then some of the jackets in this list trade a flake of seam leakage for better overall operation.
Care
The worst enemy of your wet-weather gear is your washing automobile. Detergents (biological ones particularly) strip off waterproof coatings and conditioners clog the pores and fibres that assist fabric wick and breathe.
Still, it's important to proceed waterproof fabrics make clean because dirt and oil can clog membranes (limiting the material's ability to breathe) and degrade DWR treatments, too. Always read washing instructions carefully.
Often overlooked is the outer DWR treatment. If your jacket is wetting out every bit described above, there are means to revive the treatment on your jacket.
Some manufacturers say to throw the garment in the tumble dryer for a few minutes on depression to medium oestrus, others recommend 'bear on ups' with an atomic number 26 on the warm setting. Again, refer to the manufacturer's instructions.
Finally, if the existing DWR treatment tin't be saved you can re-treat it. At that place are quite a few spray-on and wash-in products available from brands such equally Grangers and Nikwax. Once again, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Features
Pockets, hoods and zippered vents might seem like a adept idea on a hanger, merely not if they make a jacket too bulky to shove in your dorsum pocket. Extra features all add to the cost likewise.
That said, features such as a dropped tail can protect your rear from road spray if yous don't have mudguards, and reflective details can help keep you visible in low light, so consider which features you lot really need for the type of riding you lot do.
Visibility
In that location's currently no requirement (in the UK at least) for cyclists to vesture high-visibility clothing at any time of day or dark (front and rear lights are a legal requirement in the UK at nighttime, though), merely for some information technology's an important consideration.
Whatever your stance on the subject, it's e'er proficient to have pick and hi-vis doesn't have to mean fluorescent yellow anymore. Though it was once the case that the bulk of waterproof cycling jackets were either articulate, blackness or designed to look like building site safety equipment, many brands at present offer waterproof jackets in a variety of bright, cartel we say fifty-fifty stylish, colours.
Source: https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-waterproof-jackets-for-cyclists/
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