Any recommendations for breathable,waterproof jackets please
- Thread starter Devon hills
- Start date
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It's an odd one...I have two proper waterproof cycling jackets.
One Endura Luminite, was bought for around £90 when I first started cycling...if that isn't boil in the bag then I don't know what is! It's extremely hot.
My other is a Gore one with a hood - was reduced for £50 in Evans so picked it up - it's better than the Endura, but still not exactly breathable.
So, I'm wondering if such a thing (breathable waterproof) actually exists
One Endura Luminite, was bought for around £90 when I first started cycling...if that isn't boil in the bag then I don't know what is! It's extremely hot.
My other is a Gore one with a hood - was reduced for £50 in Evans so picked it up - it's better than the Endura, but still not exactly breathable.
So, I'm wondering if such a thing (breathable waterproof) actually exists
OP
OP
Devon hills
Regular
Thanks all for your recommends and suggestions. I think it comes down to how fat my wallet is, I guess you get what you pay for.
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
@J1888
Yes, there are fabrics that 'breathe'.
AFAIK (I'm no expert but am a heavy user of the breathable jackets during my mountain forays) they work on the basis of humidity differential on either side of the fabric.
Moisture moves from the side with higher humidity to the side with lower humidity.
Normally the sweaty body side has the higher humidity and moisture moves to the outside of the jacket.
Unfortunately it can work the other way around! This is most noticeable when the outside of the fabric is waterlogged and humidity there is effectively 100%. This is why any DWR coating should always be maintained.
The reality is that all the jackets I have ever owned (must be in excess of 20 or so by now) have never lived up to the hype - under a heavy workload they just cannot shift moisture fast enough to keep the user dry.
The best jackets I have ever owned have had pit zips, through pocket venting and one even had forearm zips. Obviously big holes in the jacket can shift moisture PDQ!
I have not found any significant difference between any of the Gore products in their various iterations over the years or all the other alternatives that I have tried.
Breathability is not the biggest determinant of a jacket's effectiveness for me - more important is their ability to keep water out and wind out (especially in combination) to avoid hypothermia.
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DCLane
Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
- Location
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
I used a Galbier one for LEL - very, very impressive. Despite lots of rain it never failed and was under £60
Hi Devon Hills,
Good luck with your search because it's certainly not something I've found the perfect answer to yet. Thus far I've also found that anything that keeps the water out absolutely bakes me from the inside and I end up covered in sweat from the boil in the bag treatment.
I guess it depends on what sort of riding you have in mind with this jacket. If for example it's primary use is commuting over a relatively short distance then for me I'd prioritise breathability over complete waterproof. However if you're riding all day then I understand that keeping the water out at all cows can be the priority so as not to get freezing cold.
I'm sure there are solutions out there (a few have been mentioned already) but it just depends on how much you're able to spend and for me so far my budget hasn't stretched to one of the options that might do it all.
One option I'm thinking about buying is one of the Stolen Goat jerseys which say that they are designed to work in any conditions:-
https://stolengoat.com/product/stolen-goat-orkaan-everyday-ls-jersey-mens-blue/
Good luck finding the right option for you and getting the holy grail of keeping the water out without being boiled to death at the same time.
John
Good luck with your search because it's certainly not something I've found the perfect answer to yet. Thus far I've also found that anything that keeps the water out absolutely bakes me from the inside and I end up covered in sweat from the boil in the bag treatment.
I guess it depends on what sort of riding you have in mind with this jacket. If for example it's primary use is commuting over a relatively short distance then for me I'd prioritise breathability over complete waterproof. However if you're riding all day then I understand that keeping the water out at all cows can be the priority so as not to get freezing cold.
I'm sure there are solutions out there (a few have been mentioned already) but it just depends on how much you're able to spend and for me so far my budget hasn't stretched to one of the options that might do it all.
One option I'm thinking about buying is one of the Stolen Goat jerseys which say that they are designed to work in any conditions:-
https://stolengoat.com/product/stolen-goat-orkaan-everyday-ls-jersey-mens-blue/
Good luck finding the right option for you and getting the holy grail of keeping the water out without being boiled to death at the same time.
John
andrew_s
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gloucester
The best jacket I've got is a Giro Neoshell that I got for about £35 from a Bike Nashbar end of line sale (British shops would never reduce something from £285 to £35). It's not as breatheable as a light unproofed windshell, but it's not all that far off - I will wear it as windproofing on a cold dry day, and generally only get damp down the lower sleeves. Similar jackets include the Sportful Fiandre Extreme, or you might find a Sugoi RSE Neoshell.
If it rains too long though, it's got the same problem as all other waterproof jackets - the surface wets out and the jacket stops breathing (DWR fend this off for a while, but even new jackets will wet out if it rains for long enough).
An option that you might consider to avoid wet out are jackets made from Gore's new "shakedry" material, in which the material itself is water repellent rather than relying on a coating. These are very light weight, black, and probably fairly delicate (i.e. hitting the road would likely rip the jacket).
Gore One shakedry, Gore One 1985 shakedry, Castelli Idro, 7Mesh Oro, and maybe others by now.
If it rains too long though, it's got the same problem as all other waterproof jackets - the surface wets out and the jacket stops breathing (DWR fend this off for a while, but even new jackets will wet out if it rains for long enough).
An option that you might consider to avoid wet out are jackets made from Gore's new "shakedry" material, in which the material itself is water repellent rather than relying on a coating. These are very light weight, black, and probably fairly delicate (i.e. hitting the road would likely rip the jacket).
Gore One shakedry, Gore One 1985 shakedry, Castelli Idro, 7Mesh Oro, and maybe others by now.
swansonj
Guru
Each to their own.
I have found that, for longer rides in bad weather, wearing a hill-walking jacket works better. It is looser, and slightly more stiff fabric, and I find that having a bit of an air gap between me and the jacket, so that it doesn't cling and provides a bit of a buffer layer, works for me. But then, I prioritise comfort over performance.
Profpointy
Legendary Member
For cycling I favour windproof fleeces rather than waterpoofs. I have a very nice Assos 851 winter jacket, substantially reduced last years colours though still not cheap, and also a much cheaper but still good altura windproof fleece jacket. Providing you are cycling along your body heat seems to keep you dry on the inside even in pissing rain. Never really got on with the various goretex jackets (hillwalking) but am very impressed with paramo, so if I was wanting a waterproof for actual cycling Paramo do do one, but it might be too warm. If wanting a cycling waterproof to wear over a suit or whatever, then I'd probably wear my long paramo hillwalkiing anorak
Absolutely agree!
My point isn’t about how people choose to dress. It’s about picking the brands that suit the way that we each like to dress.
You wouldn't buy a Ferrari and expect to drive off road. Similarly you wouldn’t buy a copy of Procycling Magazine and expect to read all about your local Amateur races.
You also wouldn’t complain to the brands because the product doesn’t do a job that it wasn’t designed for.
I've been used to cheapish jackets, and generally didn't wear them unless it was raining heavily. I also sweat a lot. I eventually caved and bought a Gore oxygen 2 jacket, reduced to half-price. I can't believe how good it is. Sizing is small, designed to be snug but very waterproof and less sweaty than anything else I have tried. Not quite as packable as some, but fits in my jersey pocket. I just wish I had dug in my wallet a bit sooner!
Im going with@nebulous here. I bought one these
https://www.evanscycles.com/gore-bike-wear-power-gore-tex-active-jacket-EV196266
Last month prior to a coast to coast ride. Brilliant jacket. On a five hour day with non stop rain, to arrive dry at our B and B was worth every penny to me. Having retailed Gore-Tex jackets (non cycling) over many years I feel people have an unrealistic expectation of "breathable". Whilst exercising mildly without a jacket some people sweat quite a bit and their shirt/top will be fairy damp. How they expect this damp to magically disappear when they put a jacket over the top beats me!!
