Altura Icon Pocket Rocket Waterproof Packable Jacket

The Altura Icon Pocket Rocket Waterproof Packable jacket is great for everything from town commutes to wintry training rides. It's breathable enough unless you're really going for it, and the slim fit is still relaxed enough even for chunky jumpers; basically, it works for all but the raciest of rides.

For more options, check out our guide to the best waterproof cycling jackets.

Don't confuse this with the old Altura Icon Rocket which Stu reviewed a couple of years ago – that one didn't have a pocket. I know, right? Completely different. Interestingly, the old one also didn't have a zip garage, though Stu said 'it really needs one'. Clearly Altura was listening; this new version does.

As far as I can tell the fabric has changed too (it was Pertex, but is now simply a 'durable ripstop fabric') and the weight has gone up a chunk. This is 175g in size medium, where the old one was 130g in size large.

Basically the Pocket Rocket is a bit thicker, a bit less packable and a bit less racy than the older Rocket, but still very good. And it's got a pocket... although it's just a single central one with a flap for closure rather than a zip. It's only just hand-width and wrist-deep.

Personally I found it far less useful than the two-way main zip on the front, which makes accessing your jersey pockets easy.

I really like the cut. The sleeves are slim yet leave room even for street clothes, the front is high but not stomach-chillingly so, and the tail drops generously to protect the parts that builders like to flaunt. It also stays put while you ride. The whole thing is not at all tight or restrictive, yet doesn't flap at speed. It has none of the tendency to rise up around the shoulders that some do, either.

The collar is good and high, and the zip garage means your neck is protected from the pleasingly chunky (and even more pleasingly colour-coded) metal zip pullers. The line of teeth is plastic and shielded by a waterproof layer to stop leaks.

Altura claims a breathability rating of 10,000g/m2, and that feels about right – 10k is really the minimum for hard exercise, and it can get a bit warm on a long climb or under sustained effort. After about 30 minutes of one ride in (mostly dry) 10 degree air I preferred to take it off, for instance, though I'd been enjoying the windproofing up until then.

Climbing while it's pouring isn't terrible, just sweaty, and the chilling effect of rain reduces the feeling of overheating. It's a good idea to have thinner layers beneath if you plan to wear this for the duration, though.

Basically it's great for short rides or relaxed-ish longer ones.

The waterproofing is good, too, and the DWR coating forces water to sit in beads and more easily slide off. It's a PFC-free version – PFCs being perfluorinated compounds, or fluorocarbons – because while these manmade chemicals are great water repellents, they also get into the food chain and are poisonous in high doses. So don't eat too many waterproof jackets, is what I guess I'm saying. At the very least it'll spoil your tea.

The seams are taped and neatly done, and the ripstop fabric feels particularly robust – though it doesn't scrunch down all that small. I could jam it in a (central, preferably) jersey pocket, but it needed a bit of shaping once in there to sit properly against my back, and in a side pocket it felt like it was twisting my top. It's bulky, then, but manageable.

The patterned sections are highly reflective and combine good visibility with style (for my money, anyway), and this bright lime version is pretty stand-out too. I like it a lot, but if getting run over is more of a priority there's a nice low-vis dark grey option called Carbon.

Value

At £125 this is middling for a packable waterproof. It's more than the old version – that was £80 – but then everything is more than it was two years ago. Everything's probably more expensive than it was two minutes ago.

It's considerably more than the excellent Galibier Tourmalet 4 Jacket, which is £83.22, but then the Galibier is a bit of an outlier.

The Albion Men's All Road Pertex Shield Rain Jacket that Hollis tested is also great but costs £195, for instance, while the Endura Pro SL Waterproof Shell Jacket is £199.99, though Ben did think that was excellent.

Overall

This is a well-made, well-shaped and stylish jacket that really keeps the wind and rain out effectively. It looks good too, and I appreciate the bright option alongside the more tradtional dark. Though it doesn't scrunch down that small it's not really a massive issue – the only real stumbling block is the reasonable, if not particuarly amazing, breathability.

Verdict

Great fit and quality with excellent protection, but only breathable enough for emergency or relaxed use