Showers Pass Women’s Atlas Jacket

The Showers Pass Women’s Atlas is a casually styled and unusual waterproof jacket with some great features, including its bold reflective map pattern. It offers excellent protection against even the very worst weather, and is highly versatile for use on or off the bike.

This casual styled waterproof jacket comes from foul-weather cycling supremo Showers Pass, known for its exceptionally weather protective clothing and accessories. It’s a rugged and sturdy jacket aimed at commuter cyclists and those who just want to be dry when they ride, rather than being a jacket for superfast road riders.

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Showers Pass intends the jacket to be as useful off the bike as on it, and it’s styled accordingly with a slightly roomier fit and a detachable hood.

The main USP on the Atlas, though, is its unique reflective map print. Every jacket is subtly different, as each is created based around a map of one of 11 cities around the world known for cycling – Portland, Washington DC, New York, Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, Newcastle, Berlin, Sydney and Taipei.

While the selection of cities might seem slightly arbitrary to the British eye, the reflective print really livens up the design of the jacket and also has the practical benefit of being highly visible in the beam of headlights – a great benefit for both cyclists and pedestrians.

The jacket is made from a tough and very resilient fully waterproof fabric, with taped seams throughout. It doesn’t let any rain in, even on long, soggy rides or torrential downpours, but things can get a little warm and you do sometimes need to unzip the mesh-lined side vents to prevent sweat build-up.

The fabric is breathable enough to cope with normal riding and walking, but throw in a hill or step up the pace and it does need a bit of help. The vents work well, not allowing the worst of the rain in thanks to the mesh.

Other features include rugged shoulder patches that help protect the fabric when you’re carrying a rucksack and prevent damp patches forming underneath the straps.

There are two zipped side pockets and also a zipped internal chest pocket that’s big enough to take all but the very largest of smartphones (and Showers Pass states it takes a passport).

The roomy hood is easily detachable but large enough to allow for a helmet underneath and, thanks to adjustment cords, easy enough to secure to maintain peripheral vision.

A tag on the back allows for attachment of an LED, should the blinding reflective pattern not make you quite visible enough…

The fit is roomy but not overly so (it’s not me in the photos). If you want a slimmer fit, or to only wear it in warmer months, you might consider going down a size, but otherwise it gives plenty of versatility for layering underneath as required, making it a good choice for rainy days in all but the very warmest months.

Everything cinches in too, ensuring no water gets in even if it’s throwing it down all day, but there is a slight downside to that, as the sturdy and rugged front zip creates a stiffness in the collar when fully fastened, which can be a bit uncomfortable and irritating.

Value

It’s more expensive than a lot of similarly commuter-focused jackets, but its wet weather protection is impressive.

> Buyer’s Guide: 28 of the best waterproof cycling jackets

It’s a similar price to the Vulpine Softshell Harrington and Resolute Bay Reflective Jacket, but Howies’ Herald is £139, while Vulpine’s lighter weight Portixol, which Simon was impressed with, is £100 and available in a women-specific version for the same price.

Conclusion

Out and about, the Showers Pass Atlas performed very well at keeping the rain out, even when torrential, but the fabric does run warm, making those vents crucial. Its cut, fit, design and performance make it an ideal choice for walking or mooching about in as well as cycling. I found myself reaching for it for wet weather walks as often as rides, and it very quickly became my go-to jacket.

It’s not the cheapest, but that versatility coupled with its bombproof build and quality make it a good investment.

Verdict

Really well made and comfortable to wear on and off the bike, the versatility and performance make it worth the investment

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