The Velocio Ultralight Rain Jacket is great – it's waterproof and breathable, easily packable and light, making it perfect for changeable days. Unsurprisingly, it comes with a premium price tag to match – though it's still (slightly) cheaper than some.
For a variety of choices at a variety of prices, check out our guide to the best waterproof cycling jackets.
> Buy now: Velocio Ultralight Rain Jacket for £292 from Velocio
The jacket is very light at only 182g, and packs easily into a jersey pocket. So that's what I did, and took it on a trip to Snowdonia, a region guaranteed some grim weather, to put it through its paces.
Waterproofing & breathability
The jacket doesn't give a waterproof rating, but it's excellent. I got caught in some short truly torrential downpours and my upper body remained dry (sadly, it couldn't protect my feet).
During my Snowdonia trip I was glad I was diligent with checking the weather. A beautiful morning turned into a very soggy afternoon and during an hour-long ride back in warm but wet conditions I remained largely dry.
There's no breathability rating either, though Velocio describes it as "highly breathable". I overheated a bit on the arms, and on punchy climbs in around 19℃ I'd never expect to be totally dry (especially as I tend to get a bit sweatier than most), but it was generally good, and the pocket-access flap on the back helps with ventilation.
I haven't tested this in truly cold conditions, but you can easily add a layer, making it suitable as a year-round emergency rain jacket – which helps justify the price.
Fit
The fit is optimised for a cycling position, so when first trying it on it felt quite tight across the chest and shoulders, but once on the bike it fitted well. There was minimal flapping, only a small amount on the upper back while descending fast (well, fast for me) – at all other times there was none.
The rear of the jacket is dropped enough to ensure your backside stays dry when you are riding in the drops.
The sleeves are a good length and fit, too, to ensure no water or draughts get in there.
The collar is tall to prevent any rain or draughts getting inside, but the fit here could have been a touch closer. The collar lining is soft and comfortable against the neck, though.
At the back there is a flap that enables you to access your jersey pockets easily while on the move, even if you have gloves on. At first glance it looks like it'll let water in but that wasn't the case. It possibly helps with ventilation, too, allowing warm air to escape.
A dual zip also means you can undo just the bottom of the jacket and get easy access to your jersey pockets, too. The zip pull is a good size and was easy to adjust on the fly.
Inside the jacket there is a pocket big enough to take a modern smartphone – useful if you are caught in truly awful conditions.
Size
Going by Velocio's sizing, I was at the lower (as opposed to my usual upper) end of medium. I'd say it's a little on the generous side compared with other brands, but I was still happy with my usual size.
It's available in a huge range of sizes, too, from XS to 4XL, so almost anyone should be able to find a suitable fit.
We were sent a navy jacket to test, but it is also available in citron, which is a bit more visible for those miserable days, though both have reflective dots and a reflective logo on the back, and a small reflective logo on the front. It would benefit from a few more, though, on the arms or shoulders.
Value
At £292, the Ultralight Rain Jacket is a premium priced option. It's not alone at this end of the market – the Rapha Men's Brevet Gore-tex Rain Jacket is now £300, for example, and received a great review – but there are plenty of very good jackets for less, and some a lot less.
The Showers Pass Spring Classic Jacket, for example, which Stef rated highly, comes in at £249 (and is currently reduced to £199), and I tested the Endura Pro SL Waterproof last year and thought it was great, and it's £199.99.
And Stolen Goat's Men's Waterproof Jacket, which Stu reviewed last year and liked, is cheaper still – up a fiver since then but still only £140.
Conclusion
Overall, this is a very good jacket. The waterproofing is excellent, its breathability is good, it fits well, is light, and fits easily in a jersey pocket when not required. It should work well as a year-round rain jacket, too, provided you don't run too hot.
As with all the Velocio kit we have reviewed recently, the quality is excellent, but with a premium product comes a premium price.
Verdict
Very good lightweight jacket with excellent waterproofing but a premium price
Make and model: Velocio Men's Ultralight Rain Jacket
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?
Velocio says: "Minimize bulk and maximize on-bike function. The Ultralight Rain Jacket performs just as well when it's raining as when it isn't. Threatening skies, foggy days, windy starts, and mountain descents are all fair game."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the jacket?
Velocio lists:
eVent DV Storm fabric - ultralight waterproof/windproof, highly breathable
Fully taped seams
Lycra elastic cuff
Drop rear hem
Reflective detailing
Internal zippered bonded pocket with media port
Rear cape / jersey pocket access
Rate the jacket for quality of construction:
9/10
Rate the jacket for performance:
9/10
Rate the jacket for durability:
9/10
Rate the jacket for waterproofing based on the manufacturer's rating:
9/10
It doesn't have a waterproof rating but it performed really well, even in torrential downpours.
Rate the jacket for breathability based on the manufacturer's rating:
7/10
It doesn't have a breathability rating but again it performed well, even in warm, wet weather.
Rate the jacket for fit:
8/10
The fit was good in most places, the neck could have been a bit more snug.
Rate the jacket for sizing:
7/10
The size guide would have me towards the lower end of the medium but I would recommend your usual size.
Rate the jacket for weight:
7/10
Marketed as "ultra lightweight", but there are lighter jackets.
Rate the jacket for comfort:
8/10
Rate the jacket for value:
4/10
The quality is premium – but there are a lot of cheaper but still quality jackets out there.
How easy is the jacket to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Washed at 30°C with no issues.
Tell us how the jacket performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It performed really well, keeping me dry in some truly miserable conditions.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the jacket
Waterproofing and breathability.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the jacket
The price.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market including ones recently tested on road.cc?
There are similarly priced products such as the Rapha Brevet Gore-Tex Rain Jacket at £300, but there are also a lot of cheaper options out there, including the Endura Pro SL Waterproof Shell Jacket at £199.
Did you enjoy using the jacket? Yes
Would you consider buying the jacket? Maybe – but there are cheaper alternatives I'd consider too.
Would you recommend the jacket to a friend? Yes – if price wasn't a major concern.
Use this box to explain your overall score
This is a great jacket, with excellent waterproofing and breathability. The premium price will be a stumbling block, but it's a premium product, and very good overall.
Age: 35 Height: 178cm Weight: 73kg
I usually ride: Specialized Roubaix My best bike is: Cervelo S3
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, touring, club rides, general fitness riding, Indoor
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