Sportful Women’s Hot Pack NoRain Jacket

I was really looking forward to testing the Sportful HotPack NoRain W jacket, having been very pleased with the windproof version I've used or carried around for the last four or five years. The NoRain version keeps water out really well and would certainly be my choice if rain was forecast, but it doesn't fit me as well as the older windproof option, and doesn't pack away as easily.

As far as the 'NoRain' bit goes, the HotPack does what its name suggests. All the seams are taped, and on a few wet rides I haven't noticed any rain getting in anywhere, although on one wet but warm day there was a bit of moisture build-up in the lower half of the sleeves. I gave it an extra check by wearing it in the shower, over a long-sleeve cotton top, and there wasn't a trace of water getting through.

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The info from Sportful is that it's made with Acqua Shield waterproof fabric on the main body, and Micro Shell Stretch panels 'where extra stretch is needed'. I could have done with extra stretch around the hem – more on that in a minute.

It also has stretchy Lycra cuffs with thumb-holes, and there's a curve to the cuff shape that really tucks the waterproof fabric right down and under all but the shortest mitts/gloves.

The moisture inside the sleeves that I experienced suggests it's not that breathable if you were having to wear it for long periods in wet weather, but I did use it as a windproof on a cold but mostly dry three-hour-plus ride and didn't feel at all clammy. There was the odd spit-spot of rain that encouraged me to keep it on when I might otherwise have removed it on a long climb, but I certainly didn't feel boil-in-the-bag or anywhere close to that.

The only disappointment – for me – is that the new NoRain jacket has been redesigned to have a slimmer, racier fit, which helps explain why I had to go from a medium to a large. (The photos are of me in the medium.) But even then the large is tight around the hips; there doesn't seem to be any particular shaping for a typical woman's curves, and I'm not particularly hippy (somewhere between size 10 and 12 trousers). Stretching the hems of both the old and new jackets as wide as they would go, the windproof – in medium – has nearly a couple of inches more than the large size NoRain.

The other issue is that it doesn't pack away as small as the older windproof version, and it takes more time/patience/technique getting it to fit into its own bag (in the rear pocket). I'm not criticising it for that – you're getting a lot more protection here, the windproof couldn't keep me dry in heavier, more persistent rain – it's just something to be aware of.

As far as value goes, £125 isn't cheap for such a tiny, ball-sized bit of kit you hope you won't have to use, but there aren't many that compare in terms of weight and protection. Lighter options (which we've tested men's versions of) include Gore's One jacket, which is only 103g but will cost you £220, or there's the 7Mesh Oro at 93g and £249. You could buy a windproof/showerproof for less, but then you'd be comparing it with the £80 HotPack.

> Buyer's Guide: The best windproof jackets

Overall, I'm very pleased with the jacket's performance, and it's certainly the one I'd choose to squeeze into my jersey pocket if the weather was looking at all iffy. But I'm less pleased with the fit; I do wish Sportful had given a bit more thought to a woman's hips.

Verdict

A very good lightweight waterproof, if not as packable as the windproof option or as forgiving of curves