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review

Showers Pass Storm Jacket

6
£60.00

VERDICT:

6
10
Decent waterproof for slower riding in the rain, but breathability not best in class
Weight: 
260g

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This Showers Pass Storm jacket is certainly bright enough to get you noticed on the commute, and so long as you're not working too hard you'll stay dry. It's certainly not the most breathable though.

The Storm is made from a 2.5-layer waterproof fabric; that means that the inside of the jacket is the membrane, and it feels a bit clammy against the skin. It's one to wear with a long sleeve jersey or base layer. The seams are all taped and the collar is a good snug fit, and it packs down nice and small into the supplied stuff sack. You can get it into a jersey pocket if it looks like the weather might turn.

The fabric is a very bright fluorescent yellow and there are good reflective details on the dropped tail and the arms. The rear is vented, with a large flap across the shoulders letting the heat out. Cuffs are elasticated and the neck has a fleece lining. Fit is fairly generous; the Large size we tested certainly isn't race fit on me (1.90m, 94kg). It's the right shape though, with good length in the arms and a decent drop at the tail.

Showers Pass rate the waterproofing for anything short of a monsoon and it measures up very well. Water beads well on the fabric and even when the surface gets wet it doesn't allow any water to seep through.

Breathability is another matter though. To be fair to Showers Pass they don't make great claims for the Storm on that front. It scores two stars out of five on their own scale, which means it "provides some moisture vapor transfer, but if you're riding hard enough to sweat, especially in cold and rainy conditions, you will probably see some condensation on the inside of the garment."

That's an understatement: on wet rides where I was really working, I got pretty well soaked wearing the Storm. It doesn't take too much effort to overwhelm its ability to cope.

It's not an expensive jacket, and Showers Pass aren't pretending it's the most breathable outer layer ever, but even so there's jackets at this kind of price - like B'Twin's excellent 700 jacket - that do a better job of balancing water resistance and breathability. If you're looking for a packable jacket that'll keep pretty much anything out, and you're not the kind to work too hard on a ride, this might fit the bill.

Verdict

Decent waterproof for slower riding in the rain, but breathability not best in class

road.cc test report

Make and model: Showers Pass Storm 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?

Our most competitively priced bike specific jacket uses 2.5 Layer waterproof-breathable fabric and is fully seam taped to keep the wind and rain at bay. A large back vent allows excess body heat to escape. With high-viz fabric and lots of reflective, the Storm Jacket also delivers outstanding visibility. Put on this jacket for a chilly descent or a sudden storm. We've included a matching mesh stuff sack for easy packing, which fits neatly in a jersey pocket.

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

Waterproof Breathable Artex 2.5-Layer fabric

Fully taped seams lock out water

Two–way front zipper regulates body temperature

Storm flap behind front zipper for added rain protection

Bike specific dropped tail

Large back vent for flow thru ventilation

Elastic cuffs and hem keep warmth in and rain out

Reflective trim on all sides for 360 degrees of visibility

Soft Micro-chamois collar

Mesh stuff sack included for easy packing

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
6/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
6/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

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

Okay, so long as you don't do anything too stressful.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Nicely made, keeps the rain out.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Keeps the sweat in though.

Did you enjoy using the product? Not especially.

Would you consider buying the product? No.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? No.

Overall rating: 6/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 190cm  Weight: 100kg

I usually ride: whatever I'm testing...  My best bike is: Kinesis Tripster ATR

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

 

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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