The best cycling jacket will keep the nasty heavy rain out, will keep you feeling warm on your commute into work and allow your skin to breathe so you won’t be dripping with sweat. But how do you know which one to buy? What should you look for? Is there any difference between a £50 and a £150 cycling jacket? All these questions will be answered here.
What to look for in a cycling jacket
A lot of people just think “why don’t I just pickup any old waterproof jacket?” There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, it’s perfectly fine and will no doubt work out cheaper. However, if you do cycle often then you are better off with a jacket designed for cycling. The instant difference you will notice with cycling jackets is that they are cut with a longer back to accommodate for forward leaning. Also they feel more comfortable and allow a full range of movement. Here some of the things you should look for when buying a waterproof cycling jacket.
- Light vs. heavy – In my personal experience it is better to have a lighter waterproof cycling jacket rather than a heavier one. The reason being that you soon warm up from the exercise and it is better to have the option to add layers than be stuck with a heavy jacket that makes you sweat. Also it is easier to fold away.
- Neck – a high neck is better to protect from wind and rain
- Waterproof zip – one of the main places water gets in, so look for a jacket that has a flap to keep it out
- Sleeves – these should go right down to your wrists when you’re in cycling position
- Reflective material – anything that helps you be seen by others is useful so pick a jacket that has at least some reflective material
- Hood – when cycling in London or any city cycling a hood can create dangerous blind spots. However if out and about on a trail then it can be useful for keeping you dry.
- Breathability and water resistant – often people buy cycling jackets expecting miracles, like no sweat what so ever. The truth is, if on naked skin there is sweat then there will also be sweat with a cycling jacket. Usually the more water resistant a jacket is the less breathable it is. It’s not a perfect world and you can’t have both!
- Storage – some jackets are better at folding into compact spaces to save space
- Fabrics – every cyclist you ask swears by a certain fabric. Gore-tex is an often mentioned name and this is one of the higher end materials. In all honesty I think you are better off not worrying so much about the fabric and instead looking for a jacket where the seams such as zips and vents are well protected as this is where water is likely to sneak in.
As a general rule the more you spend the less you have to trade off between the above features. Having said that if your just starting out then even the budget jackets are perfectly good.
(Note: Looking for something a little lighter? Checkout our windproof cycling jacket recommendations)
Popular waterproof cycling jackets
All of these jackets come highly recommended in reviews and are popular choices.
DHB Signal Cycling Jacket
I own this affordable £53.09 DHB jacket and love two things about it: It’s completely waterproof and it stuffs down nicely into a small enough size to store in my bag ready for the rain.
The jacket keeps me a little warmer than perhaps I would like but opening the under arm vents helps. It largely negates the need for a middle layer which sometimes isn’t such a bad thing. The well-sized waterproof back pocket is excellent for quick access to items and there’s also a couple of side pockets.
It is available exclusively from Wiggle in both male and female versions.
Altura Night Vision Evo Jacket
If you are looking for something a little more reflective and much warmer then the Altura Night Vision Evo Cycling Jacket comes well reviewed. The waterproof jacket is highly reflective, great quality and keeps you very warm. This is definitely one for winter cycling. One of the favourite features is the soft material inside the collar making it extra comfortable. Additionally the jacket is well designed on all fronts. Right down to the zips, which are designed to be opened even if wearing gloves. With ample pocket space there is not much more to ask for. It is available for £84.99 from Evans Cycles.
Gore Bike Wear Path Waterproof Cycling Jacket
At the higher end of the scale (Though believe me you can go much higher) is the Gore Bike Wear Path II. The high price is justified by having excellent waterproofing, warmth and at the same time packing down into a small size to fit into your bag. Additionally the Gore Tex material means that the jacket remains highly breathable to prevent you from sweating. It is available from Wiggle for £125.99.
See also:
- Windproof cycling jackets
- Gloves for cycling in the winter that keep water and cold out
- How to choose a bicycle helmet
- How to choose cycling shorts
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I’ve had my Altura jacket for 3 years now, the bright yellow is fading and alot of the relfective stickers have peeled away but it still keeps me dry. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a jacket to use all through the year as it’s not that thick. They also do larger sizes than most cycle companies, so good for the *ahem* fuller figured cyclist.
Large sizes are good. I wish my Altura was just a little more breathable though, when the temperatures go above the mid 50s I find it’s just too warm for my comfort.
Great for winter riding, I just need a slightly thermal layer underneath it and it keeps out the wind and the rain. And in almost luminous yellow there’s no chance of anyone not seeing it.
John….oh yes there is….
PR.
I’ve had an Altura jacket that’s now going into its third winter. A bit grubby from tyre splash, but otherwise still keeps the wet out and (being yellow with reflective bits) keeps the cars off, too. One thing I would say, however, is that there are no reflective patches on the cuffs or arms. If you are a cyclist on the road who signals, then this would be a useful addition.
I recently bought the Altura Nightvision Evo jacket. Totally waterproof and you can’t miss me in that lurid hi-viz green! Lots of reflective strips on it – you can’t go wrong. Well worth the money.
Looks like I’m the only one with a negative experience of Altura cycling jackets!
> Looks like I’m the only one with a negative experience of Altura cycling jackets!
What didn’t you like about the Altura jackets?
I found that the reflective material faded out really fast making the jacket look tacky. Also I found it was very sweat inducing considering I’m not the type of person to sweat much. Also the pocket on it ripped within maybe 4 months of buying it. All in all was not impressed. But perhaps I had a bad experience and it seems that a lot of other people like them.
I also have had a bad experience with the Altura Evo. The chest pocket seam split (on the inside) after a couple of months, and now after only 9 months of use, the waterproofing is negligible. Won’t be getting another…
Hi Andreas, great article… My only Altura experience was unfortunately negative too. I bought an Altura Crossmax a few weeks ago, & the first time I wore it in heavy rain it leaked at the zip & through the shoulders as well. The website I bought it from said that the seam taping on the shoulders was probably defective, but that the zip was only meant to be ‘water-resistant’ – though fortunately after some cajoling they were good enough to offer me a refund. So now I’m on the lookout for a replacement, will definitely take a look at that DHB one.
Thanks Robin, glad you enjoyed
At least you managed to get your money back. It is weird how so many people have mixed experiences of Altura jackets. Maybe they don’t have good production quality checks so the quality varies. Hope you like the DHB one
used endura stealth jacket since they came out.reasonable water resistance,but not for downpours and the cuff stitching failed on both wrists
Just thought i’d add to this…. Today it is monsoon weather outside: Wet, Windy, FREEZING….
So my cycle jacket got put to the test (yes, i did cycle in. Once you’re out and commited, there’s no turning back).
I have an Altura Night Vision Evo Waterproof Cycling Jacket, and I can categorically state, it is totally waterproof, and windproof. And visible from space. What more can a girl want
Awesome, thanks for coming back and reporting on the jacket you bought! It’s much appreciated
Zip on my Altura Night Vision jacket lasted about six months before catastrophic failure. Not impressed by that.
Brushed my lightweight, waterproof jacket on a bramble as I cycled along. Any suggestions how I can repair a gaping hole?
Pam
I have tried most and have not been pleased until I recently purchased a Showers Pass Elite jacket. Nothing compares and it is well worth the price. Most impressive waterproof jacket I have eve owned.
I’d swear on any Gore-Tex Paclite product, I Know it’s expensive, but it has never failed me. I’ve been in torrential rain and everything under my Paclite was dry (except for the sweaty bits). Packs up small, well tailored, fantastic
not sweaty in my showers pass elite. it is the most breathable waterproof jacket I have found, and has multiple features including ventilating cuffs and waterproof zippered pit zips.
Just bought a polaris quantum in black for £85 and am very happy with it. Very waterproof this evening, back pocket can hold compact camera, 2 lights and gloves at a push. Little pocket on front for map etc, nice velcro cuffs. Being black was bit apprehensive but the reflective bits seem to work. Personally I would have designed it with stripes, but hey. Most importantly the zips don’t run out in 3 months like altura. I would definitely recommend. Has a hood too.
Another thing to consider when buying a jacket is the number and size of pockets it has. Can be very useful if you are carrying, keys, mobile, inner tubes, mini pumps etc.
In ProBikekit – Polaris Neutron PBK Exclusive Waterproof Jacket was given 9/10 and a Best Buy award by CyclingPlus Magazine – Dec 2009 – It was on offer for around £50 a month or so a go. so worth watching as may reduce price sometime again.
The colour did not really appeal to me as want to be seen as much as possible.
I’ve got a set of OMM Kamleika Smock and trousers. Very light weight, stretchy and comfortable. The smock has thumb holes in the sleeves so that the sleeves protect the top of the hands too. It also has a deep zip at the front so that you can pull the jacket off over your head without removing your helmet, and provides good ventilation too.
Having gone through 2 Altura Nightvision jackets in recent years, I have to reluctantly agree with Andreas- while well designed, they lost their waterproofing to the degree where I would be soaked in a 10 minute downpour. This was within 1- 1.5 years of commuting, mostly wearing it just in the autumn- spring. With the most recent one, I thought to extend its life a bit by washing it with Nikwax proofing as per the instructions, and over half the membrane washed completely off leaving white bits all over the place.
I’ve ordered an Endura Gridlock jacket this time and will see if that is any better. I would have ordered a DHB jacket but for some inexplicable reason they seem to only produce them in Invisible Black now, the last thing I want to be wearing on a dark winter night in the city.
I see it is now almost a year and a half since my last post when I bought my Endura Gridlock jacket, used for commuting almost every day, and I have to say I am very happy with it. Nothing has broken, the zips are fine, and as far as I can can tell it is still waterproof. It is also still nice and bright yellow, unlike my Alturas which had faded badly by this age. Thumbs up from me and under £60!
Thanks for reporting back on it! Pleased to hear its been treating you well.
For me what it works best is a rain cape. About a month ago I bought one in Decathlon in Surrey Quays and it works perfectly fine. It has a heavy and sturdy rubber feel to it and offers excellent rain protection, keeping you well ventilated from underneath. Surprinsingly at the end of the journey the only wet parts are my toes, making me a happy under-the-rain biker.
I haven’t got the mudguards intalled yet so I can’t really ride too fast. I guess that as for a fast commuter a cycling jacket works better.
I thought I’d say that I saw a guy wearing one of these new Proviz jackets the other night – I thought it would be brilliant for commuting this winter. I’ve been thinking of buying a new jacket for this winter and seeing this made my mind up. The glow is amazing – really made him stick out! They’re a new company according to their website http://www.proviz.co.uk they do some cool stuff.
I agree, i saw a cyclist with a PROVIZ Helmet too, it had lights on the front and back integrated into the helmet and it was hi vis yellow, such a great idea. He was wearing a PROVIZ jacket too. Definitely going to get both of these as it sure is getting darker.
Hey Sam
Our Proviz going to do helmets in Orange too? and are they going to put them through SNELL tests? http://www.smf.org/
It seems Specialized the only big make that does?
C
Hi Chewy – I’m afraid I do no know the answer to that one. Sorry mate….Be cool if they did though.
S
I won’t be buying altura again
waterproof jacket losing stickers and where they come off the water seeps in and it’s less than a year old
shorts stitching coming undone after a few months
Can you contact them? No! They hide behind their retailers.
i paid £32 for a Muddyfox jacket in Sports Direct that was supposed to be waterproof and wasn’t. bizarrely the body was but the sleeves got sodden. so, doesn’t do what it says in the tin but looks cool…in a soggy kinda way.
I am completely skint (always!) so I went from ‘no jacket’ to a £15 Primark one. It has mostly kept me dry for over a year and is still bright and reflective after daily use, Taped seals and rain flap on the front. The zip is getting a little temperamental now but at that price it has done it’s job well! NB also used it on building sites and at the tip where you need a hi-viz work jacket so it has had quite a hard life and I would not use a more expensive one for those jobs.
Has anyone tried the Cycling Jacket from Mountain Warehouse for £34.99. Looks ok, jsut wondered if anyone has an opinion on it?
thanks.
http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/mens/clothing/bikewear/adrenaline-high-visibility-mens-jacket-p2785.aspx
Winter cycling jackets from Aldi. Believe me it’ll be the best £25 you’ll ever spend!!
Aldi wasn’t good for me….spent £20 on a waterproof jacket in their September 2011 cycle promo and was very happy with it…..unfortuntely the zip was broken by 2012. At first they were a bit reluctant to refund but I gently pushed and they agreed. Shame Aldi’s jacket didn’t last….cos £20 doesn’t go very far towards a replacement
I’ve had the Altura and took it back within a couple of months as the useful pockets had ripped with just carrying my phone. The zip had broken and had not lived up to the 5 years of my Gore before it. I found the Altura quite breathable. The high viz was good and a nice design.
The Gore Path II is one Ive recently bought and like my Gore its not as good as everyone makes it out to be on the breathability front. It is pretty waterproof and the manufacturing is a leap above Altura but for the price it should be.
The best fabric I’ve found is the eVent fabric in my trusty Montane cycling coat which is fantastic. I wish I’d bought the bright yellow one as safety is, at the moment on my routes, more important.
Just my ten kenneth..
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I cycle with what I have learned is the absolute best waterproof jacket nd it is made by Showers Pass. The company is based in the states. Portland,Oregon where they get similar wet weather as the UK.