Even for the most hardened cyclist, good clothing can make rides more enjoyable. But with an average year in the UK seeing around 150 days with recorded rain, even fair weather riders will likely get caught out sooner or later. A good quality rain jacket therefore is an essential garment for any cyclist’s wardrobe, but choosing them isn’t always easy.
Last year, GoreTex announced the retirement of the staple to many of the top brand’s rain jackets, its ShakeDry fabric, due to its lack of environmental credentials. Other products have since filled the void such as Airmap, Pertex, and others – but how well do they really work?
Well, I have had the thrilling job of putting these jackets to the test, so you don’t have to. As well as the finest December precipitation that Britain has to offer, I also tested these jackets indoors, isolating both the seams and zips on all of the rain capes.
This was done by placing a water column over the shoulder junction of each jacket and letting them sit for 10 minutes on top of a piece of kitchen roll. This allowed me to gain a visual representation of how much water penetrated the jackets relative to each other. The same for the zips – I tested each of the jackets in the shower, on top of a
