Altura Women's Nevis III Waterproof Jacket

The Altura Women's Nevis III Waterproof Jacket is ideal for leisurely commuting and casual rides. It also doubles up well as a practical and attractive jacket for general wear, making it great value for money.

Altura has used its Shield technology in the Nevis III; it's basically polyester engineered to offer waterproofing and wind resistance, while still offering high levels of breathability. It certainly formed a barrier against the elements – even in consistently steady rain, water continually beaded and rolled off the jacket. Sealed seams and zip/pocket flaps further minimise potential water entry points, and a high collar, zipped to its full extent, forms an excellent barrier against wind and rain.

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The jacket's effectiveness against extreme elements can be compromised by its casual fit, though. The Nevis III is rather short in the body, particularly at the rear where many cycling jackets offer a little more protection (if you have a short torso this may not be an issue). I'd say it functions at its best when used on a bike with mudguards and an upright riding position. (Please note, it's not me in the photos – the jacket is obviously large on our model.)

The jacket has toggle cords at both the lower hem and the neckline that are easily tightened to help protect against the elements, as do the Velcro adjustable sleeve cuffs. These features must also be used to the full if you are to avoid the jacket 'inflating' while riding in blustery conditions, but doing this naturally puts the jacket's breathability to the test.

Although I never found myself sweating profusely, there was notably more perspiration than would occur in my more advanced breathable kit when riding at pace, and tightening the baseline cord only contributed to this. Taking it easy was the obvious answer – not everyone wants to race to work after all!

To enhance the Nevis's breathability, Altura has incorporated discreet upper back and underarm venting, the latter unzipping easily when you need it. When temperatures drop and it is neither raining nor excessively windy, the Nevis functions very well as general outer layer; cold autumnal mornings with a bit of mist or drizzle are perfect examples.

The interior mesh lining also aids movement of sweat and goes some way to prevent deterioration of the outer layer.

One of the jacket's most appealing features is its versatility. The Altura ErgoFit 3D presents a casual fit, offering full and unrestricted movement on the bike. Then once you step off the bike you can continue wearing it without it feeling like a piece of cycling kit – it just looks like a rain jacket.

There's also lots of storage space: two roomy hip pockets for your hands when walking about in colder weather, a large rear zip pocket (roomy enough for a map on non-commuting rides), and a chest pocket, ideal for smaller items. It is worth adding here that all the pocket and vent zips feature toggles that make opening and closing extremely easy, even with gloved hands while riding.

Retroreflective trim (which reflects light back in the direction it came from), incorporated in various places, gives the jacket further aesthetic appeal and is effective under the glare of street and car lights. This is especially useful if you are opting for the jacket in black rather than the 'Raspberry' pink on test or high-vis yellow.

I found the sizing perfect (remember, it's not me in the pics!). I would normally wear a 10-12 and the 10 I tested was spot on. The casual fit does mean that, although being female specific, the actual cut isn't excessively tapered.

> Read our buyer's guide to the best waterproof clothing

Overall, then, this is a practical and functional jacket that's perfect for commuting and leisurely riding in changeable British weather conditions. You could use it throughout autumn, winter and spring when temperatures can range between 5 and 15 degrees, wind may or may not blow, and rain may or may not fall! Don't expect it to perform on a par with more expensive Gore-tex equivalents, but remember, it's like you're getting a BOGOF deal from Altura as the Nevis III doubles up for use off the bike.

Verdict

Surprisingly versatile and practical jacket for the money-conscious commuter or leisure rider