Northwave Ghost H2O Water Repellent Jacket

The Northwave Ghost H2O Water Repellent Jacket is a stretchy top for keeping the wind and rain out in changeable off-season weather, coming with several neat features that add to its appeal.

• Pros: Stretchy, water repellent, suitable for a range of conditions
• Cons: Limited colour options

The Ghost H2O is made from a polyester/elastane membrane fabric. It's heavier than a typical jersey fabric but it's not as thick as you get on a jacket designed for the coldest winter days. Northwave says that with its napped inner face this top is suitable for temperatures from 5°C to 15°C. I reckon that's about right if you use a long sleeve baselayer at the lower end of the range and a short sleeve baselayer towards the upper end, although we're all different. If you run hot you might be tapping out at temperatures below 15.

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The H2O fabric stops the wind getting in and offers "up to 10,000mm waterproof protection", according to Northwave, which is enough to keep out mist and drizzle, and is sufficient even to cope with moderate rain for a while.

Typical of jackets of this kind, the Ghost H2O's seams aren't taped so you get leakage there if the rain starts hoofing down. That means you're going to need a dedicated waterproof shell when the forecast is really bad, but for showery rides and days when the weather just can't make up its mind this is a great choice.

The H2O fabric offers a decent level of breathability – not the greatest I've ever encountered but it's pretty good – and the Sitip Blizzard underarm panels, which don't have a membrane but are treated with an Acquazero durable water repellent (DWR) coating, allow more damp air to escape outwards.

As ever, whether you stay dry inside depends on the riding you do. For example, I went out on a steady three-hour ride wearing the Ghost H2O a couple of days ago where the temperature started at 8°C and finished at 12°C, and I stayed pretty much sweat-free throughout. Today, I nipped out for an hour at lunchtime – it was 13°C – and took in three big hills. Things got pretty humid inside on the climbs and I came home with a slightly sweaty baselayer but I was never uncomfortable.

Plenty of four-way stretch means you get excellent freedom of movement here. I've been wearing a size large and the fit felt right – close, certainly, and even a little tight across the chest when standing upright, but bang on when stretched out on the bike. There's enough elasticity in the fabric that it'll work fine even if you're more heavyset than me (that's not me in the photos, by the way; it's a closer fit on me) or you have the pockets full.

The fit of the collar is really good. It's close enough to stop cold air getting in to any noticeable extent while the fuzzy inner face feels super-comfy.

The full-length front zip comes with an inner storm flap to help stop wind and rain getting through. A flap at the bottom of the zip prevents wear and tear on your bib tights and another at the top does the same for your neck. The camlock zip puller is easy enough to find and operate with gloved fingers. It's not huge, but chances are you won't be wearing your biggest winter gloves when wearing a mid-weight jacket like this.

The sleeves are cut long enough to keep your wrists draught-free – at least, I've not had any worries there and I'm pretty long-limbed – and the cuffs feature an elasticated gripper that does a good job of holding them in place.

You get three pockets at the rear plus a zipped compartment for your phone or keys, but what's more unusual is that there's a flap over the top of them to prevent rainwater and spray rolling down your back and straight inside. You can still have something like a mini pump sticking out the top of a pocket, it just means that the flap won't work quite as well on a wet ride.

The bottoms of the pockets are mesh so if water does get inside it won't pool there. It's a similar idea to other brands using eyelets to allow water to drain out. I didn't have any issues with spray getting up into the pockets through the mesh, but you might want to keep a phone in a waterproof case just in case.

The main fabric used for the pockets is the same stretchy polyester/elastane as used for the body of the Ghost H2O, but they didn't head too far south when fully loaded up.

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Reflective piping runs the full length of the pocket flap and all the logos are reflective, even though they look black in daytime conditions. The cuff grippers are reflective too for a little extra night-time visibility. The fluoro yellow colour option is an eye-catcher in daylight although a black version is available if you prefer things a little more subtle.

The Ghost H2O is a similar proposition to Castelli's Perfetto Long Sleeve in that it's a foul-weather top that sits at the point where jerseys and jackets meet. There's no doubt that the Perfetto, made with Gore's Windstopper X-Lite Plus fabric, offers an excellent performance, but the RRP (now £195) is considerably more than the Ghost H2O's.

> Buyer's Guide: 23 of the best winter cycling jackets

The Kalf Club Men's Softshell Jersey was £120 when we reviewed it earlier in the year but it's £100 now. It's made of eVent membrane fabric and Dave said that it's really impressive in its ability to regulate moisture and temperature.

All in all, there's lots to like here. The Northwave Ghost H2O Water Repellent Jacket offers a close fit, very good protection from wind and rain and plenty of visibility. It'll get a lot of use in UK off-season conditions.

Verdict

Stretchy, well-made jacket that offers very good protection from wind and light rain