waterproof jacket

The EQ2.5 Jacket from dhb is designed to keep you warm and dry when cycling in cold and wet weather - and it does just that, very well indeed.

Montane's bike-specific Featherlite Velo H2O Jacket gets that balance between waterproofness and breathability pretty much spot on. It's an unavoidable truth that any fully waterproof garment won't be totally breathable. And any fully breathable garment won't be totally waterproof. There always has to be a balance - especially when it comes to performance road cycling.

It's a pretty innovative idea, the Water off a Duck's Back Cycle Macintosh: a traditional style mac for wear on and off the bike. It won't feature on every woman's list of essential bike kit, but for those who like a more refined ride, take a stylish, unhurried approach, and above all want the ability to blend in when off the bike, it certainly has its niche.

It's an expensive choice but Pearl Izumi's Elite Barrier WxB waterproof is well made from high-quality fabrics - it really is an impressive piece of kit.

The Elite Barrier WxB is mostly made from a two-layer polyester/polyurethane fabric with the inside of the sleeves getting a third nylon layer. That makes a big difference if you have bare arms underneath the jacket; rather than feeling cold to the touch and slippery like the polyurethane, the nylon facing is warmer and much more pleasant on your skin.

HI, I'm looking to get a new jacket and I'm seeking a bit of help. I'll use it mainly for a short commute in wet weather. It doesn't need to be particularly warm: waterproof and to a certain extent breathable are more important. And I'd like to not feel like a complete tool if I was wearing it off the bike.
Under £100 preferably.
Can anybody suggest something suitable?
Thanks.
Rich

Known for bringing a little street chic into cycling, women’s specific brand Cyclodelic specialize in lovingly made, carefully designed pieces of fashion that are functional too. The Edwardian Waterproof Jacket is a good example. Conceived to be a winter conditions waterproof that looks as good off the bike as on, it’s anything but ‘just another waterproof’.

First things first: this jacket works. The first time we used it was on a 200-mile super-mountainous ride in the Pyrenees when it rained for hours on end, and it kept the water out without any trouble. A couple of months, several wet rides and a few spins through the washing machine later and it’s still doing the business.

A top-quality reversible shell, the Gore Cosmo Two Way – but it’ll cost you.