Altura Pocket Rocket Waterproof Jacket

Altura's Pocket Rocket waterproof jacket is intended for those days when you peer out of the window at the sky, and you're just not sure about the chances of staying dry. It does the job petty well, but it would be nice to see a couple more features to justify the high price.

The jacket itself is extremely lightweight - 140 grams on the road.cc balance of truth - and packs down to a size that means you won't have an uncomfortable bulge pressing into your back when it isn't required. The fabric reminds me of that you get on the outside of a tent, that is to say very little stretch to it but quite tough, and waterproof.

The Pocket Rocket is certainly waterproof. It racked up a number of frequent flyer miles in my central jersey pocket for a most of March and on the occasions that I was caught out, my jersey underneath remained more than acceptably dry.

When it comes to putting on the jacket, a stop at the side of the road was required. The zip is a bit small to locate on the move, and there is also a piece of fabric sitting behind the zipper that stops water ingress that can quite easily catch on the zipper teeth. I quite like to have a jacket i can put on while on the bike, but this jacket would need a still day and a long stretch of straight road to be confident in getting it on.

Altura do not state anywhere that the Pocket Rocket is windproof, and in high winds it certainly won't help much, but I found that in slight breezes it actually performed surprisingly well.

The other big factor with a garment such as this is always breathability. It's all very well keeping the rain off your body but you can end up just as wet on the inside if a jacket doesn't breathe well. I found Altura's fabric choice to be ok - not the most breathable of jackets I've used though.

For those who are keen on visibility, the jacket does have some reflectivity on both arms, as well as above your backside, and high-vis yellow is also a colour option. Speaking of the back of the jacket, there is a small zipped pocket, large enough for a phone or some flapjack. I didn't test this pocket out with my smartphone, but if I were not running mudguards I'd be wary of using it, as that location is wheel-spray central.

Altura suggest that you don't wash this jacket, as it will damage the waterproof properties of the fabric. That's a bit annoying if you end up riding in really mucky conditions.

The fit of the large size provided for this test was not too bad - in all honesty, I could have probably got away with the medium - but there was quite a bit of flapping around in high winds/on fast descents. The sleeve cuffs have loopholes for your thumbs to ensure good overlap with your gloves, and there is an elasticated waist to aid in keeping the wind out. Altura have opted not to add in a drawstring for the waist, and I think that is a shame as it would really help in tuning the jacket to your own body shape.

At 70 quid, the Altura is considerably more expensive than your average 'shove it in a pocket' jacket. While the increased breathability and breezeproofness is better than many others I've used, I'm not sure this justifies the £70 price tag.

Overall the Altura Pocket Rocket has been a staple resident within my jersey pockets during changeable days of spring, and when I have had to call upon it, it has stood up to the rain and wind well. It could perhaps do with a couple of additional features to make it a jacket I'd be happy to wear for periods longer than just a quick shower.

Verdict

Decent jacket that will keep you dry in a sudden downpour, but perhaps missing a few features