Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

review

Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II

8
£164.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Excellent waterproofing that will stand up to the worst downpours, though not as breathable or packable as some
Weight: 
193g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

The Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II has impressive waterproofing and will really keep out the worst of the rain and wind. It can get a little hot and sweaty, though, and for me it got a bit boil-in-the-bag when the temperatures hit the teens on training rides. It just about fits in a large jersey pocket, and is a good investment for cooler days when you need a robust level of weather protection.

  • Pros: Very good weather protection, nice fit, comfortable
  • Cons: Zipper is hard to get at, can get a bit hot inside, reflective detailing didn't last

Mike absolutely loved this jacket's predecessor, giving it a hallowed five star rating. Endura says the Movistar pro team now use the updated version that I'm writing about here, but although there are plenty of good things to say, I didn't fall in love with it quite so much.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Let's start with the good. Endura's Exoshell 40 waterproof fabric is a three-layer construction, with fully taped seams to keep the rain out and a claimed waterproofing level of 20,000mm – meaning nothing from a tube of water 20 metres tall would seep through a patch of fabric from this garment. And nothing did: no complaints about the waterproofing at all.

The collar is quite high, which is good for protection and I didn't find that it irritated me at all, even on hard rides.

Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II  - collar side view.jpg

One of the things I like most is the fit. Endura has gone for a shaped, multi-panel construction with strategic stretch sections to make the jacket move with you, and although it looks quite rigid and robust (I thought it was more commuter-orientated when it was first given to me) I found it was perfectly flexible on the bike.

Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II  - riding.jpg

My medium felt slim-fitting but fairly true to size, and the tail section is dropped just enough to protect your backside from spray.

Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II  - tail.jpg

There's a small side pocket that will fit a gel and a set of keys in… 

Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II  - pocket side.jpg

…and an easy-to-access zip down the other side to get through to your jersey pockets.

Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II  - pocket.jpg

The breathability rating is claimed to be 40,000mm of moisture per square metre over a 24-hour period, with the moisture transfer enhanced by Endura's own proprietary compound, but I found that it does get a little hot and sweaty on warmer days. I do tend to run hot, so not everyone will have the same issue (certainly not waifs like Nairo Quintana, anyway) but perhaps Endura could include a recommended temperature range in its product description. As a summer emergency rain jacket I think it's a bit too heavy duty, and it isn't as packable as ultra-light waterproofs such as the Gore Shakedry or Castelli Idro jackets. It's described as "Packable Lightweight Protection", which might have you thinking it falls into the same category as those two.

> Buyer's Guide: 10 of the best packable windproof cycling jackets

A minor gripe is that, when temperatures did creep up into the low teens and I wanted to open up the front a little bit, I found this wasn't the simplest of tasks as the zipper is underneath a sizeable zip guard and the zip puller is tiny. Obviously, the guard makes for better protection, but a bigger tab on the zip would make it easier to open and close on the move.

Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II  - chest.jpg

A slightly bigger gripe is that the reflective strip across the front has started to crack and come away after a couple of machine washes. It's not a handwash-only garment according to the wash instructions, and it was only ever put through a cool cycle and not tumble dried, so I would have expected it to last a little longer. Some might consider this only a cosmetic issue: unless you believe this feature is really the difference between a driver seeing you or not, it might not bother you.

Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II  - reflective.jpg

In terms of value, the Pro SL isn't bad compared with what else is out there that roughly fits its description: Gore's C7 Shakedry jacket is £239.99 (Tass tested the women's Viz version recently, and Ash tested the men's 1985 Viz last year) though that is a slightly different beast: it's much lighter (just 107g), more packable and more breathable.

At the less expensive end, dhb's Aeron Rain Defence Polartec jacket is £130, but according to reviewer Liam it won't offer quite the same level of wet weather protection.

Overall, I was very happy with how the Pro SL Shell performed in adverse weather conditions. I wouldn't use it as an emergency all-season layer because it's not the most packable and it can get a little warm, but if you're going out in bad weather and it's going to stay bad, it's a solid option.

Verdict

Excellent waterproofing that will stand up to the worst downpours, though not as breathable or packable as some

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the jacket 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?

Endura says: "Technologies developed by Endura for the most demanding races in professional cycling go straight in to the flagship Pro SL collection. This lightweight waterproof shell jacket is packable enough to fit in a back pocket but waterproof and breathable enough to keep the Movistar Team pro's comfortable through a big day in the saddle."

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

Endura lists these features:

Highly breathable, lightweight ExoShell40™ 3-Layer waterproof fabric in a fully seam-sealed construction

Stretch waterproof shoulder, side and cuff panels

Athletic, non-flap fit

Zipped access to pockets on rear

External gel pocket

Small pack size

Rate the jacket for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Well-taped seams, athletic fit, comfortable fabric.

Rate the jacket for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the jacket for durability:
 
7/10

Some of the reflective stripe came off in the wash, but otherwise it's holding up fine.

Rate the jacket for waterproofing based on the manufacturer's rating:
 
10/10

No complaints here, it definitely kept the rain out.

Rate the jacket for breathability based on the manufacturer's rating:
 
7/10

It's fully waterproof with taped seams and it can get a little warm inside.

Rate the jacket for fit:
 
8/10

Nice close fit, but not too tight.

Rate the jacket for sizing:
 
8/10

The medium seemed just right.

Rate the jacket for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the jacket for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the jacket for value:
 
5/10

It's a big spend, but comparatively not too expensive.

How easy is the jacket to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

The reflective section across the front has started to peel after washing.

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

Very waterproof; perhaps a bit too heavy duty for hard training unless it's very cold and wet out.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the jacket

Waterproofing and the fit.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the jacket

It can get quite sweaty when temperatures are in double-figures, the reflective parts don't wash well, and the zipper is a bit too small to grab while you're riding.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Rapha's hooded rain jacket is more at £230, and Gore's C7 Shakedry jacket is £239.99. At the less expensive end, dhb's Aeron Rain Defence Polartec jacket is £130.

Did you enjoy using the jacket? Yes

Would you consider buying the jacket? Yes

Would you recommend the jacket to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's very good for cooler days where you need plenty of weather protection: the waterproofing is impressive, and it will really keep out the worst of the rain and wind. On warmer days it can get a little hot and sweaty, and it's not the most packable. I was also a bit disappointed that the reflective strip started to come off after washing.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 179cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride: Road bike (currently Specialized Tarmac)  My best bike is: Ridley Chronus TT bike

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, triathlon races

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

Add new comment

1 comments

Avatar
alotronic | 4 years ago
0 likes

I've had this jacket over winter and this review is very fair. I found it online a *lot* cheaper . I might have tried the shakedry but I hate wearing black at night and as a substanital amount of my riding is in dusk, night, dawn conditions I wanted something with some colour and not day-glow.

It is a good jacket, fit is excellent for a real person, collar is nice, zip is ok in use. It is really small and light for a 'proper' wet jacket, but it is not quite small enough for 'shove it in your back pocket just in case'. I always tuck it into a bit of luggage as I am carryting a bit of kit in a small barbag awayway for Audaxing. I think of this as a cold wet and miserable jacket and have used it on a couple of early season audaxes where it was exactly that and it stayed on for ten hours at a time.  It isn't a summer rain jacket - you're better off just getting a bit damp in a windproof, but when that stopes being an option this is a good relable jacket. I run hot too and it is not as breathable as it could be and I have to rebalance clothing rather than just chuck it on top of everything else.  That miracle jacket might be the shakedry but until I try that this is best yet for proper filthy weather without wearing something made for the mountain.

Basically if I have this, my Rapha primaloft gilet, armwarmers and jersey/base I am good to go in pretty much any weather in the UK, day or night.

 

TLDR: Not one for the club ride in summery or changable conditions, but really good when you need solid and reliable in a small enough package, so bikepacking/audax/tour.

 

Latest Comments