Despite the Shakedry membrane having little in the way of stretching qualities, Rapha has achieved a comfortable race fit. Naturally, with the omission of stretch panels, it does have a little extra material at the shoulders.
This helps immensely when it comes to getting it on and off whilst riding, but it can catch the wind and flap a little on faster descents. The half elasticated cuffs are designed to play well with all of the best winter cycling gloves and a raised collar features a sweat-wicking lining. A two-way waterproof AquaGuard zip has a reinforced zip guard to protect your bib shorts. Inside is a small mesh pocket that the jacket can be stuffed into for storage.
Endura has constructed the Pro SL Shell II using multi-panelling with strategically positioned stretch panels to create a pre-shaped close fit. There is a small external gel pocket and a right-hand vertical zip that gives full access to items stored to jersey pockets. Detailing includes a raised collar to add extra neck protection and reflective panels to keep you visible.
It comes with a generous cut and a design with an eye towards modularity: pair it with the Endura Pro SL Primaloft II gilet, or any mid-layer you have, and you'll be impressed by the range of temperatures and weather conditions you can cover. The Idro was the first to take the Shakedry material and pair it with stretchy Gore panels on the wrists, elbows, shoulders and side panels to not only make it easy to get on and off, but also to retain the race-ready aerodynamic cut.
As you'll have seen above, the Idro Pro 2 has since been superseded by the Idro Pro 3, and with pricing the same, we'd pick the newer option. But as is the way these things tend to work, the Pro 2 is likely to be subject to the Black Friday cycling clothing sales, and it's still easily among the best waterproof cycling jackets available.
While the stretch panels add a small amount of bulk over a pure Shakedry jacket, it can still very easily be packed into a pocket, meaning it can be carried on every ride, just in case. For more, check out our Castelli Idro Pro 2 Jacket review. The dhb Aeron Tempo punches above its price point by boasting an impressive 30,mm waterproof rating. This is balanced with a good level of breathability which is bolstered by underarm vents that help reduce heat and moisture build-up while riding.
The jacket offers a nice amount of stretch and has an unrestrictive performance fit with a generous drop tail to protect from wheel-spray.
Waist and cuffs are elasticated plus the collar is fleece-lined, stopping any unpleasant drafts. A large rear pocket with a storm flap gives some storage and features reflective detailing.
If you are wondering why , well that's a tribute to when Gore released the first revolutionary Gore-Tex jacket and a reminder they have been at the top of the outdoor jacket game for a long time. Shakedry uses a single layer of Gore-Tex technical membrane which forces water to bead and roll off whilst allowing any humidity on the inside to escape. Constructed from a single layer of Shakedry membrane paired with a thin liner, the resulting jacket is very light and packs away easily.
Gore has specced the C5 Shakedry with a reinforced two-way zipper and an ergonomically shaped collar with adjustable velcro for a perfect fit. The back features reflective detailing and a small rear zipped pocket that doubles as a storage sack for the jacket to fold away into. For more, check out our Gore cycling clothing range overview.
While other brands are jumping on the Shakedry train, Assos has chosen to develop its own materials to use for the premium Equipe RS jacket. Schloss Tex is a 3-layer construction made up of a DWR durable water repellent layer that protects the inner hydrophobic membrane. Leveraging that little of bit of stretch Assos used body mapping technology to create a closer fitting jacket. Aerodynamics are improved without restricting movement. Even with the race fit, taking the Equipe RS on and off, or accessing pockets, is easy thanks to the elasticated cuffs and good-sized 2-way waterproof zipper.
Altura has thought about the conditions that are frequently experienced during winter training rides and commuting. By adding all-over reflective detailing, the Firestorm should give superb degree visibility to keep you safe and visible when the light fades and the weather turns gloomy.
The Firestorm is waterproof with taped seams and features a semi-fitted design that finishes low on the front of the hips.
Shaped cuffs are a nice touch as is the rear pocket which the jacket can pack into when not in use. It's named after one of the most iconic mountain passes in the world and for good reason, the Stelvio is one of the best waterproof cycling jackets when the weather takes a turn for the worse but the racing continues. This jacket was designed in conjunction with the Tinkoff team in all manner of bad weather, and it's still the jacket that Peter Sagan reaches for today. This isn't quite as high as some of the competition, but if you want a great waterproof cycling jacket that'll keep you cool during hard efforts in downpour conditions, then look no further.
While all of the best waterproof cycling jackets share the same purpose of keeping the rain off your back on your two wheeled adventure, it's near impossible to quantify a single product as the best. Each has varying features that make it suited to different people and their different needs.
For example, a commuting cyclist who wears a backpack will have vastly different needs to a competitive road cyclist putting in their winter base training. Likewise, a rider in Canada will have different needs to someone in the United Kingdom. In the list above, we've highlighted our top picks of waterproof cycling jackets, clarified the stand-out features of each and quantified where each product excels, but to help you decide exactly which is the right option for you, here's what to look out for when making a purchase.
The jacket's level of waterproofing capability, its breathability, its visibility, the tightness of fit, the durability of the material, its packability and whether or not it has pockets will all affect your decision and each will have varying levels of importance depending on where, when, why, and for how long you ride your bike. Most of the best waterproof cycling jackets are constructed from a multi-layer laminate, featuring taped seams and waterproof zips to stop water ingress.
The multiple layers usually consist of a Durable Water Resistant DWR coated face fabric which protects a hydrophobic membrane underneath and is finished with a liner for comfort. Many jackets will feature Gore-tex or similar. While both achieve the same goal, they work slightly differently. All waterproof garments, except those where the membrane is the outermost surface, receive a DWR finish.
DWR treatments shed water because they increase the contact angle of moisture on a fabric by forcing a water droplet to maintain its surface tension; so when you see water beading on a fabric, the DWR is hard at work. When the DWR is applied to a fabric it creates micropegs or microspikes that protrude from the fibres and prevent water from spreading out, forcing it to form beads that slide off the fabric without seeping in.
However, DWR treatments wear off over time, accelerated by abrasions and some detergents. When this happens, the fabric no longer causes water to bead and will become 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 available. Check out our guide on how to rejuvenate your waterproof cycling gear. Most waterproof breathable fabrics are made from laminate materials, which usually consist of an inner fabric optimised for wicking moisture, a waterproof membrane and an outer face fabric with a DWR treatment.
Gore-Tex, Thinsulate, Polartec and eVent are all internal membranes that are sandwiched between two other materials — usually something abrasion-resistant on the outside, with a soft liner on the inside.
Even the Castelli Gabba Jersey is made using a Windstopper laminate fabric. The reason these lamination techniques allow for water repellent characteristics is that the inner membranes are full of holes. The holes are big enough to allow water vapour created by sweat evaporation to escape, but are too small for water droplets to sneak through.
When a jacket stops breathing, the moisture your body creates gets trapped inside, creating that unpleasant, steaming-hot sensation. Pioneered by Columbia with its OutDry fabric, brands have figured out how to toughen up these membranes and eliminated the DWR-treated outer fabric.
To be officially waterproof, a garment has to withstand the pressure of 1,mm of water without leaking. This test concentrates on jackets that keep moisture managed so you stay warm however foul the forecast. Waterproofness is generally measured in terms of how much water, in mm, can be placed on top of a fabric in a column until it seeps through though some companies dispute whether this testing method accurately represents real world conditions.
Different fabrics have different water vapour transfer rates but cut, lining, membranes and vents all make a significant difference to how dry you stay. Taping is used to seal the seams in a waterproof jacket on the inside. The worst enemy of your wet-weather gear is your washing machine. Detergents biological ones especially strip off waterproof coatings and conditioners clog the pores and fibres that help fabric wick and breathe.
Always read washing instructions carefully. Often overlooked is the outer DWR treatment. If your jacket is wetting-out as described above, there are ways to revive the treatment on your jacket. Pockets, hoods and zippered vents might seem like a good idea on a hanger, but not if they make a jacket too bulky to shove in your back pocket.
Extra features all add to the cost too. Though it was once the case that the majority of waterproof cycling jackets were either clear, black or designed to look like building site safety equipment, many brands now offer waterproof jackets in a variety of bright, dare we say even fashionable, colours. Simon Bromley is a senior technical writer for BikeRadar.
Simon joined BikeRadar in , but has been riding bikes all his life, and racing road and time trial bikes for over a decade. As a person of little physical talent, he has a keen interest in any tech which can help him ride faster and is obsessed with the tiniest details.
To help you pick the right autumn and winter cycling jacket, we put a range of options through their paces. We tested these jackets in a variety of conditions around the north of England and Scotland, where they were faced with everything from torrential rain over the north Pennines to icy winds on the Northumberland coast.
We love how visible this jacket is on dark winter roads too, with its high-vis colour and reflective details, and found the chest pockets to be useful, not just for storage ideal size for a smartphone , but also for ventilation when the pace picks up. Clean, simple and stylish, with two solid colour options to pick from: hi-vis orange or black. Out on the road, we found this jacket to be comfortable, easily packable and great at deflecting rain and wind. We were glad of the two-way zipper too, which makes it nice and easy to access jersey pockets and is also handy for ventilation.
Australian brand Maap makes premium cycling kit that looks the business. In fact, the ascend pro rain jacket performs brilliantly out on the road, sealing the rain out, deflecting the wind and keeping us warm on even the longest days in the saddle. However, unlike Gore-Tex, SympaTex is not porous.
Instead, vapour escapes from within via absorption and evaporation. The fit is great and the cut is perfect for a natural position on the bike. One thing to note, though, is that we found the fit quite large. Even with a jersey and a base layer, we found the shoulders to be slightly too big on our medium test jacket.
This is mainly down to its combined wind-blocking performance and packability. You can roll this thing up and stuff it in a jersey pocket, but it really does take the edge off chilly, windy days when you unfurl it and pop it on. If, however, what you need is a lightweight, packable jacket that can fend off wind and light rain in style then this is one of the best options out there. We first donned our POC pro thermal test jacket for an early morning ride in cold coastal weather and were blown away by just how warm it is for its weight.
To touch, it feels light and thin, but the cleverly placed towelling insulation does a great job of trapping body heat while the windproof face fabric takes the sting out of that cold, winter air. As a result, the pro thermal jacket is very packable and will happily roll up into a jersey pocket if it needs to. The pocket arrangement is really neat too. The reflective details are great too, although the black colourway we tested might not provide enough visibility for some.
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