Rainproof jacket for a long, hot ride

[400bhp]

IMO, given the time of year you are riding, you wil be far too hot having a combination (sounds like up to 3-4) of layers, including a partially waterproof top.
IMO, base layer + cotton t-shirt + cycle jersey (perhaps long sleeve) + a gilet like Colin suggests (in case of HEAVY rain) is all you will need.

 

[Jezston]

Just bumping this as I have procrastinated too long and as I'm going on my 200+ coast to coast ride next weekend, and early weather indications have suggested some rain I need to get something!


Almost certainly looking like I'm going to order one of these:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=11427

BUT - and this is incredibly annoying - Evans had them in stock at my local store - then one day they had gone apparently. Fit is a major concern - the fitting details say I am a small-medium when it comes to chest size but a large when it comes to length. Ugh. May have to order a large and hope for the best as I won't have time to send it back!

Anyone want to jump in and try to dissuade me from this and order something else before I go for it?

Again, while I'm happy to get a little damp on my commute - I'm going on a long charity ride next weekend where I'll be doing 70+ miles a day so getting wet AND hot will be inevitable.

 

[Norm]

If you aren't sure about sizing, Jez, and you've left it too late to sort it out properly, you can always use the Distance Selling Regs and order two or three different sizes. As long as you tell them you are returning the unwanted ones within 7 days, they have to accept them.

You'll lose out on the cost of the return postage but it will allow you to just get on with ordering the things rather than seeking sizing assistance from peeps who haven't met you.

 

[Jezston]

If you aren't sure about sizing, Jez, and you've left it too late to sort it out properly, you can always use the Distance Selling Regs and order two or three different sizes. As long as you tell them you are returning the unwanted ones within 7 days, they have to accept them.

Good idea!

Turned out that Evans were asked to send all the Montane jackets back to head office a couple of weeks ago, and no one knows why, which sounds ominous.

Also, a member of staff told me he thought they wouldn't be much cop for a long ride as their benefit is more their quick drying than their water resistance.

He advised the expensive Gore jackets - interestingly made out of the same stuff as my gore trousers which are excellently waterproof and breathable. But also £140. But they fit very well. But I'll look like some kind of soldier in the Gore Army if I were to wear their jacket and trousers.

Oh procrastination will be the death of me.

My mum has offered to lend me a rather expensive walking jacket she bought in the states some years ago which is too big for her and appears to be made of similar material to the gore tops. I may just go with that for my trip and try to sort my head out in the process.

 

[Norm]

Yes, I didn't look at your choice before but those Montane tops are very lightweight, great for taking with to protect from showers on a day out but I don't think they'd be great in persistent rain. As it says...

Ultra-lightweight, weather resistant cycling jacket

The Featherlite Vélo has been engineered to be the world’s lightest and most packable cycle specific shell jacket.

Designed for the cyclist who rides fast and light and demands high breathability in a pack size smaller and lighter than the average inner tube, the Featherlite Vélo is an essential part of the cyclist’s kit that will never be left at home.

Montane make good gear, I'd go for the Velocity DT if you can afford the £75 and want about as good as possible, or the Velo H2O if you just want a pretty good, lightweight outer shell.

 

[Dayvo]

If wet and warm, go with gilet and s/s shirt (use arm warmers if desired) and a cheap poncho http://www.amazon.co.uk/Showerproof-poncho-hiking-camping-cycling/dp/B0027DI9WE

 

[tbtb]

I once did a day ride in a flouro tabard / bib thing. You know, it was great for blocking wind and rain. Supercheap, breathes loads around the sides. Wrong demographic maybe.

Cheap option: I picked up a £20 flouro cycling cut raincoat from Sainsbury a week back - went through till as £10. It's 130 grams, "active cut", taped seams. No breathability but one option as part of a "portfolio solution".

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

I am pretty impressed with the showerproof jacket that I recently got from Aldi for £9.99. It is really light and packs into a tiny pouch, it is also fairly breathable and kept me dry in decent rain showers on Monday. Much better than my Decathlon one that I paid the same cash for, I sweat like a pig in that.

 

[400bhp]

I am pretty impressed with the showerproof jacket that I recently got from Aldi for £9.99. It is really light and packs into a tiny pouch, it is also fairly breathable and kept me dry in decent rain showers on Monday. Much better than my Decathlon one that I paid the same cash for, I sweat like a pig in that.

Feck me, are you stalking me I have an Aldi one and a Decathlon one too!. My Decathlon one lives at work for those days when it is raining on the commute home.

I would wholeheartedly agree with what you say.

Jezston-see Davyo's reply and similar replies. Don't waste your money.

 

[lejogger]

Hi Jez

I have the Endura Rebound. About £35 and keeps me dry through anything that isn't torrential. I use it all summer in rain and all winter over a thicker jersey. Folds up small to fit in jersey pocket.

I'd highly recommend it for the price.

Phil

 

[zacklaws]

I use a Montane featherlite and found it only of use in light showers, anything more and it leaks like a sieve, but it does keep the warmth in.

But my perception of it changed last year during "Season of the Mists" where as Colin will testify it heaved it down for hours. I was soaked to the skin before I set off, but at some point, things changed, I became aware that I had dried out and water was beading off the jacket and it itself was bone dry.

All I can think of was that I gave it a good waterproofing with Granger waterproofer and cleaner about a week or two before, but as I do not have a tumble dryer, I could not do the treatment correctly as the jacket needs to be heated up in a dryer to finish the treatment off after applying the waterproofer. But whilst riding, SOTM, my body heat once I got going may have activated the waterproofer properly and it started working. Its only a theory, as one minute you have a jacket that leaks like a sieve, and about a couple of hours later, waters beading off it for some unknown reason. After 5 hours of torrential rain before it stopped, the top part of my body was bone dry, bottom half was soaked though.

As a rule though if its warm, I just wear a cheap short sleeved replica jersey from Hong Kong preferably made from polyester, and not an expensive coolmax material such as Endura as I find that polyester (even though it may be labelled coolmax) keeps the heat in better, in good quality coolmax, it can get a bit cold in the rain, and I never wear a waterproof unless the conditions are very bad. Usually within about 15 minutes of it stopping raining, I'm dry again.

 

[ColinJ]

But my perception of it changed last year during "Season of the Mists" where as Colin will testify it heaved it down for hours. I was soaked to the skin before I set off, but at some point, things changed, I became aware that I had dried out and water was beading off the jacket and it itself was bone dry.

I'll testify to that!

The rain was so bad that ...

• I abandoned the event early on, together with Alun and a mate

• The road we took our shortcut home on flooded shortly after we rode down it

• We watched the river behind event HQ rise about 6 ft in 30 minutes

• Whole trees were floating by, a wooded river bank having been washed away in Todmorden!

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

Feck me, are you stalking me

Sh1t I've been rumbled Seriously though I wish I had bought 2 of the Aldi jackets, they also dry out very, very quickly. I am sure I would of paid 4 x as much or more if this had a well known brand name on it.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Just thinking the same as above, buy two of the aldi ones, then you have a dry one spare. They are pretty wind resistant as demonstrated by mine this weekend.

 

[HLaB]

Usually I use a Montane Fetherlite. It won't keep you dry in heavy rain but the pertex is far more breathable than any waterproof I have and also it has the benefit of scruncing up to the size of an apple.

+1 when its really wet though I wear a Gilet on top, toasty