Ashmei Waterproof Jacket

Ashmei portrays itself as being up among the best in the sports garment sector, and this premium cycling-specific Waterproof Jacket certainly hits the mark with excellent performance – but a very high price.

• Pros: Waterproof, breathable, good looks
• Cons: Not as light as some competitors; very expensive

It's that time of year again, where the chance of the odd shower is reversed to the chance of the odd dry spell, and a waterproof outer layer is an essential piece of kit to take with you on pretty much every ride. I've had a good few over the years, some decent and some terrible. This striking red offering from British brand Ashmei fits into the upper echelons of the scale.

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First off, I think it looks great. The bright red is suitably vibrant and easy to spot, and though the fabric is simply labelled as '100% polyester' it has a quality, 'premium' soft feel.

The specifications feature lots of large numbers: a 20,000mm waterproof rating and 45,000 for breathability. In layman's terms it's very thin and lightweight, yet remarkably water resistant and breathable.

Detailing is a big plus point here too. The laser cut edges are very neatly finished, with fully taped seams and YKK water resistant zips on all closures – the main jacket zip, two under-arm vents and a valuables pocket. There are also laser cut holes in the stuff pockets at the rear to allow any water to drain away, with one of the three pockets having a magnetic flap over it, and the middle pocket having an elastic loop to keep a pump in place.

The printed reflective dotted stripe on the rear of the jacket is a useful and stylish feature, and seems to be robust too.

The cut is nearer to race than loose fitting, not tight but with a little room to breathe. The material is also quite stretchy allowing for a bit of bulge here and there, if you have a large chest or arms for example. The cuffs are finished with an elastane band with a good amount of stretch to get your hands through, while then remaining close on the wrist, far preferable to a Velcro fixing in my opinion.

The neck is a standard length collar lined with the same material finish as the outer layer, which is soft to the touch and comfortable. As with most cycling waterproof jackets it also features a tail that drops three inches or so below the hem, with a silicone gripper of sorts in the shape of the company's 'outperforming the best' statement and more of the dots.

As I mentioned, all four zips are YKK water resistant, which look to be sealed on the outer edges after being stitched in place. As a result, they are a little stiffer to open and close than a standard zip, but for good reason.

The jacket felt comfortable on, with the soft feel translating to the inner, and light enough to be almost unnoticeable. Worn over a jersey and arm warmers the jacket could move about as I changed position and even against bare skin it didn't feel plastic-like. With a couple of thicker layers on it did tend to ride up the arms and torso a little, the silicone 'gripper' not helping an awful lot as it's too small really, but it never got to the point where I felt I needed to stop and readjust.

Those three rear pockets are as generous as any jersey's (if not as elastic and stuffable) and more than capable of holding a good number of items. The pocket with the magnetic flap is extremely useful for keeping paperwork and maps dry without making getting at them difficult, while the zipped side entry pocket kept my phone and money – albeit plastic anyway now – bone dry.

I don't tend to carry a pump in my pockets, but did try out the internal loop for the test; the small barrel one I use the most was easy enough to get in and out, but a larger barrelled pump was a bit awkward – it was far easier to put it in the pocket and loop before putting the jacket on. Mind you, bearing in mind the cost of the jacket you may want to refrain from putting messy food or oily/dirty items in there anyway.

Out on the road, I did wonder if the high cost and those big technical numbers would make a difference over my cheaper and less high-tech go-to Endura jacket. A seemingly perfect opportunity arose with a planned ride starting in pouring rain.

Confidently starting out, the way the rain bounced off the jacket then beaded up before swiftly running off was impressive. However, the rain lasted 10 minutes and stopped. For the rest of the ride. No mind, I kept the jacket on for another hour in fairly mild temperatures to check the breathability. True to its claims, despite working hard with the temperature around 14 degrees I didn't get too hot; warm, yes, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Against bare arms it did start to feel a bit clammy but not wet.

When it did get too warm, because of its light weight and lack of bulk it folded up nicely into a jersey pocket.

I rode a few more times with the jacket, only encountering showers but nothing prolonged, which for the UK was unusual and, in this case, annoying. Again, it mocked the rain and didn't overheat, but it needed a proper test. Almost resorting to the shower, a Sunday club run had a suitable forecast: cold, windy and plenty of rain. Excellent.

Setting out of the door it was raining lightly and did so for the first 10 miles, a good 40 minutes of continuous rain, but I remained nice and dry. Later into the ride, with the jacket still on as once more it kept me comfortably warm and never too hot, the heavens opened and the group got the best (or worst) the clouds could throw at us: heavy continuous rain and even a few hail showers. A couple of the group turned back it was so bad, but we pressed on, me feeling smug, and by the time we got to the café, I was still nice and dry while virtually all the others were wet to some extent.

I did get the odd drip down the back of the neck – I don't wear a Buff/neckwear around the neck, which would have soaked this up, so personally I would prefer a taller collar, but I accept that just as many people probably don't like the collar high up on the throat. The elastane cuffs did soak in water, but if worn on the outside of your (waterproof) gloves it isn't a problem. If the cuffs were tucked into your winter gloves then water would run down into the glove as with any jacket/glove combo worn this way.

The jacket garnered some discussion over tea and cake after that, with my club mates impressed with its performance and looks – the consensus being that the high cost justifies a quality bit of kit that does its job so well.

I put it through the wash a couple of times during the test, not so much through being dirty – that clever material seems to shun dirt as, once dry, any dirt drops off – and following the instructions of 30-degree wash, no tumble drying or ironing, it came out as good as new, with none of the printed details showing signs of peeling or wear, and performance was consistent when used following the wash.

The material seems durable, and provided you look after it should last a good few years and keep you nice and dry without being too sweaty, for many rides ahead.

So, on to the cost. It is without doubt an expensive piece of kit, but in my opinion one worth considering. I tend to follow the 'buy once, buy right' principle, after experiencing a lot of poor products. After using this jacket I would recommend it if you can stretch your budget far enough.

Its biggest problem is that it's up against some tough competition. Rapha's Winter Classic Jacket is one of its nearest competitors on price at a single pound more. The list of features are very similar, with the Ashmei having a few extras such as the flap-covered pocket and pump loop, but Rapha's offering is partly aimed at keeping you warm and mostly dry, while the Ashmei will keep you warm in the cold to an extent but isn't marketed as such. The Ashmei can also be stuffed in a jersey pocket.

> Buyer's Guide: 20 of the best waterproof cycling jackets

And then there are the superlightweight offerings from the likes of Castelli (the Idro, 124g, £260), 7Mesh (the Oro, 93g, £249) and Gore's 103g One Active, at £220. These are 'sparely featured', though, as Dave wrote in his review of the Gore, compared with the Ashmei and Rapha.

There are also some very good cheaper options. Bontrager's Velocis Stormshell is a similar weight, performed really well when Jez tested it a couple of years ago, and is £100 cheaper. And my trusty Endura FS260 Pro SL, which retails for £165 (and is lighter at 209g) is also very good, although in my opinion the Ashmei beats it in performance and features. These suggest you don't have to spend £260 to get a very good combination of performance, weight and features, but if you can afford/justify the Ashmei, you won't be disappointed.

Verdict

First class waterproofing abilities in a stylish premium jacket, but wallet-denting cost will be too high for many