Rapha Classic Winter Jacket

The Rapha Classic Winter Jacket is a high-quality water and wind-resistant jacket that's ideal for tackling any sort of weather you're likely to encounter on a winter ride. It could be the last jacket you'll ever need to buy.

Rapha has employed Polartec's Power Shield Pro fabric to achieve this, blending the performance attributes of its Classic Softshell jacket with the weather resistance of the Hardshell jacket.

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The fabric is based on a softshell – it has the same softness – but uses a microporous membrane and a more durable weather repelling exterior to block wind and rain. It's essentially a softshell jacket with added water resistance, making it more versatile for dealing with unpredictable winter weather.

In addition to the water-resistant fabric, Rapha has taped all the seams for added protection from the elements. I've ridden through the rain, both constant drizzle and short, heavy downpours, and it has kept me comfortably dry. It's not as waterproof as Gore's One Active jacket, but it's much more waterproof than a regular softshell or something like Castelli's Gabba.

The Power Shield Pro fabric strikes a really nice balance between weather protection and breathability. The downfall of a hardshell jacket is the compromised breathability, but the Classic Winter Jacket scores very highly here. Because the fabric only blocks 99% of the wind, there's just enough airflow – occasionally detectable through the arms – to ensure breathability is exceptionally good compared to a hardshell jacket, and nearly as good as a normal softshell.

During the long training rides this jacket is designed for, it does an excellent job of regulating your temperature. Wearing it over a long-sleeve baselayer, my temperature remained constant during a long ride with short periods of intense activity.

It never gets too hot, but if you do find it a little warm, two underarm zipped vents are really useful for sucking in some cool air. The jacket provides a reasonable level of insulation, but even worn over a long-sleeve baselayer it isn't as warm as Sportful's R&D Light jacket. There's space to layer up, though, so for really cold rides there's nothing to stop you adding a second layer.

What the Classic Winter Jacket does brilliantly is cope with any winter weather. It can be chucking it down with rain when you start and the jacket will cope just fine; it can be cold, dry and very windy and the jacket will equally meet those demands. Best of all, should the weather change during a longer ride, you're not suddenly caught out in the wrong jacket: the Classic Jacket can handle any foul weather you're likely to ride through at this time of year.

Because the fabric is softer than a hardshell, the fit and shape of the jacket is better. The size small I tested fitted well, nicely shaped around the arms, with good sleeve length and nice elasticated cuffs, and generous in the torso and shoulders. It's certainly not a race fit, though – if you want race fit you're better served by the Pro Team jacket – and it's not as conforming to your body as some other jackets. My only real gripe is that it's not elasticated around the hem to keep it snug against your bib tights, though drawcords do help a little.

Retaining some of the signature details of Rapha's original Classic Softshell, the new Winter Classic has an offset water-resistant zip and shoulder patches. It's designed for long winter rides so you get three rear pockets, though they're annoyingly just that bit too high, making retrieving food while riding unnecessarily tricky. Two small zipped pockets, one at the front and one on the back, are ideal for small change or the house keys.

The jacket is available in three colours, including this high-visibility Chartreuse, and there's a healthy smattering of reflective details on the arms and shoulders. I've become a fan of brightly coloured jackets since moving to the country, and take more measures to stand out on remote country lanes than I used to living in the city.

At the back there's a dropped tail below the three pockets, plus a pink fold-out bum flap for when you're riding on wet roads, adorned with a large reflective Rapha logo for extra visibility. It's neatly zipped away in an internal pocket when not needed.

The Classic Winter Jacket is impressive: versatile, dependable and durable. It takes any weather in its stride, from wind to rain and everything else that winter might throw your way. It makes dressing for a long winter ride really easy – just sling it on over a long-sleeve baselayer and you'll be warm and comfortable for the duration, with the high level of breathability ensuring you never overheat even during harder training efforts or long climbs.

> Read our guide to the best winter jackets

It's pricey, but if it's a choice between buying a softshell and a waterproof jacket for the winter, or just the Classic Winter jacket, I know what I'd go for.

Verdict

A high quality jacket that can deal with winter weather in all its guises