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review

Galibier 7k/4k Tourmalet Rain Jacket

7
£52.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Decent windproof, shower-proof packable jacket, but could be more breathable
Weight: 
190g
Contact: 

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The Galibier 7k/4k Tourmalet is a lightweight and scrunchable-into-a-pocket jacket that can see off light rain, that's only let down by limited arm ventilation.

The 7k/4k name refers to the waterproof rating of the Hydrastop fabric used in its construction - 7k supposedly good for resisting a hydrostatic head (Read: long tube of water) 7000mm tall, before leaking. The 4k refers to the fabric's breathability, in that it can let 4 litres of moisture through 1 square metre every 24 hours. Just how you'd compare/contrast these in the real world without running into all sorts of H&S faff is questionable, so I just went for some rides.

The Tourmalet is a looker. The fabric is soft, and also silent, even at high speed. The minimalist racing-stripe styling and shoulder/chest junction reflective trim are nicely balanced, and as it's cut reasonably high at the front it doesn't bunch up when you get onto the hoods or drops. The collar is high enough to make a difference, cut to sit at the chin/neck junction when on the bike looking up, and snug enough to keep water mostly at bay while allowing a shouldercheck without feeling like you're getting all in a twist.

The overall fit of the Large is snug on a 73kg 6ft tall person, but the arms will come up a bit short if you are longer-limbed than is considered seemly. When stretched out the whole package comes together nicely, shoulders feeling good and arms not pulled tight. The only reflective elements to speak of are the piping front & back, so don't rely on the Tourmalet for night riding safety.

Around the back there's a 25cm-wide mesh-covered vent across the shoulderblades, plus an oblique zip over the left kidney area for access to a jersey pocket. In reality this is pretty unuseable with any sort of full-finger gloves on, and depending on your body length and height of jersey pocket could be a downright liability. In several 'reach tests' my hand got trapped and I needed to use the other hand to rescue it; not at all to be recommended at speed on the road. A nice idea, just not realised as well as it could be.

Overall construction is first-class. Every seam is taped, and the zip is a hefty, sealed affair with a backing flap. The hem is very slightly elasticated, the back drop being okay but not as long as on some jackets. The zip sometimes required two hands, and the absence of a substantial pull tag made temperature adjustment a bit hit-and-miss.

The cuffs are the Tourmalet's Marmite Moment. They are a snug fit, with a 2in-long inner protruding out from underneath the main arm fabric. This can be tucked under or over a glove to make a windproof seal. What this means is there is no chance of any arm ventilation, which is quite noticeable when working at anything more than a moderate pace. On return from several dry, fast (85% of max HR) rides in 1-5 °C temps wearing a long-sleeved merino jersey & baselayer underneath, the inside of the arm was damp and would drip if touched, implying that the breathability of the fabric wasn't up to the job for the conditions at the time.

What the Tourmalet is not is a heavy rain contender, if absolute dryness is your aim. In prolonged (2hr +) showers at 85% effort a longsleeved Merino jersey underneath picked up to a whole cup full of water. This is either sweat that couldn't evaporate or rain soaking through the fabric - of course it's impossible to tell which, but either way there was wet. It should be noted that even in low just-above-zero temps, the windproof nature of the Tourmalet meant that even my arms didn't feel overly-chilled, just that there was moisture there. As temperatures increased the amount of water left on the jersey increased too, implying that there are limits to breathability. Lowering the zip gives airflow over the shoulders thanks to the generous rear vent, but the arms remain un-aired.

As a windproof the Tourmalet excels. With a long-sleeved Merino jersey plus a pair of armwarmers, putting the Tourmalet over the top made a just-above-freezing ride quite comfy for one who runs cold. With options to adjust temperature as things warmed up such as removing the warmers, removing the jacket or both, plus to have rain protection to hand if needed, the package works. The Tourmalet dries out very quickly after a shower.

Weighing in at 233g for a Large, the Tourmalet can be scrunched/rolled into a jersey-pocketable package easily enough. At £52 MSRP it's pretty decent price-wise as a windproof, shower-proof packable jacket, but if you run particularly warm the lack of arm ventilation might be a showstopper.

Verdict

Decent windproof, shower-proof packable jacket, but could be more breathable

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Galibier Tourmalet Rain Jacket

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

It's for keeping passing showers at bay, riding fast, keeping wind off, and having the option to put into a pocket if not needed.

They say: "We have sourced the best materials, factory and expertise to make our 2015 rain jacket. In the 6 month long search for a partner garment to survive the worst weather...Our 3rd sample jacket survived racing in a 3 hour rain storm and we were delighted. DELIGHTED .

The structure of the jacket is the material. Nearly 3 square meters of HydraStop membrane is used in each jacket. 7k/4k*.

So we got the fabric. We designed a stunning stylish cut and added visibility. Smooth, sleek and will keep you warm in the worst conditions"

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Fully tape-sealed 7000mm hydrostatic head fabric, 4000ml/24hr breathable moisture vapour per meter. Reflective shoulder trim, rear access zip, full-length front zip.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very well-put-together. Can't really fault it.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Arms. It's all about the arms, and lack of ventilation thereof. Otherwise it works well.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

The collar fabric has pilled a bit from contact with chinstrap / velcro from chinstrap pad. Otherwise after 3 months of use it looks great.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10

Very light.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

Arms. Again, it's all about the arms. The overall fit is excellent, albeit with short (read: 'normal') arms.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

At £52 it's a very good buy, just don't expect miracles.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Overall, I'd say I was 'happy' but not 'overjoyed'.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The fabric look/feel is very nice, and the fit.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Arms. Ventilation. Arms, arms, arms.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes. Well... OK Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, but not if I knew they were a sweating mass of humanity who needed to vent.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Great-looking well-fitted garment, only really let down by cuff design. Possibly oversold by manufacturer as it's not suited for heavy rain protection.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 183cm  Weight: 73KG

I usually ride: Charge Juicer  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: club rides, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, MTB, singlespeed and Dutch bike pootling

 

Living in the Highlands, Mike is constantly finding innovative and usually cold/wet ways to accelerate the degradation of cycling kit. At his happiest in a warm workshop holding an anodised tool of high repute, Mike's been taking bikes apart and (mostly) putting them back together for forty years. With a day job in global IT (he's not completely sure what that means either) and having run a boutique cycle service business on the side for a decade, bikes are his escape into the practical and life-changing for his customers.

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10 comments

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Nick0 | 9 years ago
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Just thought I'd add that I used my Tourmalet this morning at temperatures around 7 degrees C (according to BBC weather) with my heaviest weight base layer.
First couple of miles were cold and drizzle, next 8 or so were 'proper wet rain' (chucking it down) then the last two were light drizzle/dry.
As always, I was a bit moist inside cos I get very hot, but I was warm, and the jacket was not soaked through by the rain.
I have a few bits of Galibier kit; they are all excellent (their bibshorts have a pad that is better then shorts FOUR times the price) and their service is second to none. If you haven't tried Galibier then do so. I am in now way connected to them, but I would like to see them, along with Lusso and Carradice, getting better exposure cos they are small UK companies.

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willythepimp | 9 years ago
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I have had my tourmalet in driving rain, cold windy rides, warm mizzle pootling and KOM hunting in the hills of Kernow- and i have never felt like it has let me down. Dry, warm, and happy that I have paid less than half the price of most of the competition. Hard rides i wear a long sleve merino baselayer with a short sleve jersey for pockets. If im commuting/takin it easier I change to a longsleeve jersey. When it is really warm and wet I will wear just a baselayer and put my gubbins in a saddle pack. It really is the best bit of kit I have purchased- at a price that makes a lot of brands look laughable. The customer service from Galibier I have recieved has been impeccable and I cannot reccomend thier roubaix gloves highly enough. I have just bought a pair of thier shorts and the shamois makes my old and twice the price shorts' look like as much rolled up bogroll. Frankly I don't know how they keep up the pretence of some rrp's representing value. Good gear at a good price- I'm a fan.

The jersey access zip is a bit naff.

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Yorky-M | 9 years ago
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I LOVE my Tourmalet.

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The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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I am 5'3" 70kg and use a large, mainly as I have a bit of a 'rotund belly', the length is just about 2 inches too long for my torso at the rear.
It's not baggy as I wear a LS jersey/jacket beneath the Tourmalet.
I have no issues with it's breathability.
I also upcycled some zip pull tags from an old pair of Madison MTB shorts in order to allow an easier time with the zips (front and rear).
I also did this to their Colombiere defense jacket.
A simple and cheap (free) retro fit.

Avatar
Nick0 | 9 years ago
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I agree with the sizing; I'm 5'10" 40" chest and the large is one of the best fits I've got or have ever had.

As for breathability; all these statistic numbers seem to be gobbledigook imho - I had a 10K/20K Sportful No Rain jacket which when I actually used properly soaked through and I was sweated up like a plastic bag underneath! It was so bad that I went back to Evans and stamped my feet about it and got a refund!
I bought the Tourmalet as a replacement (less than half the price of the Sportful) and it is a massive improvement. I think the fabric is a cheeky non branded copy of Gore Paclite, I found that it breathes and keeps the rain off very well: Last time I used it was for the 14 mile commute home and when I got back there was a little bit of dampness inside, which I couldn't decide was perspiration or precipitation. Fact is that if you ride in the rain you will either get wet from the outside, or the inside, NO jacket will keep you dry (unless you're pootling along) the key is to stay warm!

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Freddy56 | 9 years ago
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I have race this jacket any breath ability hasn't been an issue to the point it is replacing my winter jacket. Would love to see some actual bulk tests on manufacturer claims of breath ability.

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amazon22 | 9 years ago
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4k breathability is terrible - I'm surprised they even admit to it. My Endura Photon is 10k and even that is a bit sweaty. eVent or Endura's PTFE equivalent are rated at 25k or more.

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Goyt | 9 years ago
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If something is packable, please can you show a photo of it packed up? Ta

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Freddy56 | 9 years ago
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The photos don't do the jacket justice. I'm 5.10" and the medium is a dream fit. Think the bloke in the pics could size down. I have the Tourmalet since Sept and love it. I reckon I have done 15 rides out from home in the rain this year and felt safe warm and importantly dry.

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KiwiMike replied to Freddy56 | 9 years ago
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Freddy56 wrote:

The photos don't do the jacket justice. I'm 5.10" and the medium is a dream fit. Think the bloke in the pics could size down. I have the Tourmalet since Sept and love it. I reckon I have done 15 rides out from home in the rain this year and felt safe warm and importantly dry.

I concur re sizing. It fits me much better than the photos show here (I'm not in the photos).

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