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Best commuting jacket?

(49 posts)
  • Started 12 years ago by Smudge
  • Latest reply from Greenroofer

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12

  1. Smudge
    Member

    Another request for the collective wisdom of the forum..

    I have an old (really old!) Altura waterproof jacket (think it was originaly meant as a mtb jacket) which has about had it, I had bought an Altura Night Vision as its replacement, but sadly it is markedly inferior, lets heavy rain into the front pocket and in heavy rain it relatively quickly gets sodden cuffs lower arms. A bit rubbish for a "waterproof" jacket. I stuck it through a wash recently (using nikwax liquid designed for breathable garments) only to find the inner lining of the jacket has started breaking up and peeling off.
    So the "new" garment took less than a year to do what the old one took nearer ten to reach (and the old one is still more water resistant! :-o

    Anyway, to get to the point, I've no intention of throwing around/over £100 at a jacket of such low quality (at £50 I'd hesitate!!), so what would you chaps and chapesses suggest as a suitable alternative?

    Needs to be suitable for Scottish winter, (ie actually water"proof", not "a bit shower resistant") but with good ventilation available for the blooming great hill at the endof my commute. Also it would be nice if it was a colour other than screaming yellow, though scotchlite is nice....

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. BenN
    Member

    Smudge, No suggestions from me I'm afraid, just wanted to add that my own one year old Altura Night Vision has gone exactly the same way - will also watch suggestions with interest!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I have a Freestyle GoreTex jacket in very faded fluoro-
    yellow. I don't know if they still exist but the jacket is still waterproof.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. sallyhinch
    Member

    My Helly Hansen jacket is incredibly waterproof, breathable and actually gets compliments from people. It's not particularly bikey (no back pocket, no hi vis) but I've had it 2 years and it's gone through 2 reproofing washes and is still looking as good as new. When it has been reproofed it's entirely waterproof (and believe me it's been tested...). I've forgotten the model (and I think they don't make that particular one any more) but Helly Hansen are worth a look (even though for some reason they have become fashionable among teenagers, down here anyway). It was quite pricey but I think it was worth it. If I need to be seen, I throw a builder's vest over it for the hi vis / reflective effect

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Smudge,

    I have this Craft Active Rain Jacket which is both good value, very waterproof and not too hot. Good seal on the cuffs and neck, back vent and zipable side vents and a large, waterproof pocket with taped seams.

    Probably still a bit too hot for a big day out, and slightly too large to roll up in a wee ball in your back pocket, but it's a great compromise.

    Doesn't have any bells or whistles, which are exactly what a good value commuter jacket really don't need anyway.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. Arellcat
    Moderator

    I have no idea what the best contemporary commuting jacket is. My Gore Path XCR is at least seven years old now and, after repairing, washing and reproofing, should be good for at least another few years. My older Freestyle Courier jacket, which was new in about 1995 or so, has taken to reproofing with Tech Wash equally well. It has a better neck than the Path, and a better chest pocket, but the Path fits me better and the underarm zips are nicer to use.

    I nearly bought a Gore Oxygen jacket in recent sales but I quite like the mesh lining of XCR that works with bare arms, unlike Paclite which feels more sticky.

    Tom, I think Freestyle eventually bit the dust in about 2004. I was sorry to see it go, but Gore has pretty well taken on the mantle for UK cyclists.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. Instography
    Member

    The jackets that Decathlon sells for about a tenner have no redeeming qualities whatsoever except being completely waterproof. Single layer, taped seams, large back vent, not breathable. Definitely not breathable. Mine lives in my pannier only to be worn in heavy rain.

    Otherwise I use a very thin Rohan Windrider cycling jacket that was outrageously expensive until they decided, I think, to cut their losses and sell it half price. They market it as windproof and water repellant but I've worn it in heavy rain and it's kept me dry. From experience I'd say in all but the most torrential rain, it would keep me dry enough for commuting my 6 to 12 miles but I can change at both ends. Dries very quickly. Being very thin, it has no insulating properties so not warm but its big pockets double as vents.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. Dave
    Member

    I've got an eVent waterproof which I sometimes use if it's hammering down, but only because my ride to work is 90% downhill and so I can avoid boiling. Probably a little spendy for something you'll wear only a few times a year (going on for £200 now I suspect), although you may also be able to justify something like that as a walking jacket with dual-purpose?

    Otherwise I find waterproofs always leave me too hot - I prefer a quick-drying windproof with DWR. Currently I'm riding in a North Face windproof (again a hill product, not bike specific) which only wets through in the hardest downpour.

    Must admit though I'm now eyeing up the Rohan Windrider...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. gembo
    Member

    I will look into the rohan wind rider. All waterproofs leave me sweating. I go for cheap quick drying. Tho they tend to last only a short time. I have a twenty five quid one from decathlon, works a little better than nothing, packs but not compact. I have a white one from Aldi it is rubbish but white. I have a £150 protective softshell from EBC which I won in a competition. You would be very upset if you paid £150 for it, not hugely waterproof, not hugely kbreathable.

    Depends on your expectations and yôur sweatiness

    If you find a good or, look after it I guess.

    Alsonthereproofing versus never washing debate can rage on

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. amir
    Member

    For non-summer commuting, I use a nightvision windproof jackets. It's nice and comfortable but not waterproof. However the number of days u need a waterproof is quite low. For wet weather I have an altura jacket - It's very breathable and reflective but has a sportier cut than the night vision waterproof. Can't recall its name though.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. cb
    Member

    Altura Night Vision is reasonably waterproof, not that breathable. Mine leaked at the elbow during a recent ride in heavy rain. Probably needs reproofed.

    You have to spend quite a lot (say £200) to get something really breathable. Active Shell is Gore Tex's most breathable fabric. Quite light, but not so robust as Pro Shell or Paclite. I reckon robustness is less important on a bike, unless you routinely wear a rucksack.

    NeoShell and eVent also considered good breathable fabrics.

    DWR coating is important to help the water bead off the jacket; a saturated jacket doesn't perform so well.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  12. earthowned
    Member

    I had an Altura Night Vision jacket but the zips went on the front which is a common mistake apparently. Won't buy one of them again (same with Berghaus rucksacks which also have cheap zips).

    Currently wearing an Endura Stealth jacket which is reasonably waterproof, but sometimes a bit too warm for my liking (I wear a t-shirt under it on even the coldest days!). Saying that, the cut is excellent, has vents and pockets where cyclists would want them and it's made from good materials.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  13. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I've got a cyclejersey.com jacket (with a Skye Breweries design on it). Absolutely stonking jacket (though if you're tall it tends to ride up at the back). But needs to be properly cold before using cos it's incredibly warm. Decently waterproof as well.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  14. Grahamn
    Member

    cue everyone posting what their currently wearing
    so to add to it , I`ll second the Endura Stealth
    though a lot depends on your budget , can be a bit warm but have worn mine through three winters now with only a base layer underneath regardless how low the
    temperature has been

    Posted 12 years ago #

  15. AlanT
    Member

    Like many I get too hot in a fully waterproof jacket so tend just to wear an Altura Etape jersey and only resort to a shell if it's proper chucking it down. The Montane Featherlite Velo is made of very light, very thin, very breathable Pertex which isn't waterproof but is highly wind resistant and dries out in no time - the DWR will keep the water off for quite a while anyway. These can be had for £32.99 at Chainreactioncycles at the moment.

    I also have an Altura Pocket Rocket but it's boil in the bag style so I rarely wear it now.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  16. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    Grahamn: "I`ll second the Endura Stealth"

    I've often wondered if Endura have a factory outlet in Livingstone.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  17. Darkerside
    Member

    For the recumbent side of things I've got a Gore running jacket, which has pockets on the front and hi viz arms which work well for indicating. Not cheap, but good.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  18. AlanT
    Member

    For the recumbent trike side of things I've got a Veltop :-)

    More expensive than any jacket but totally worth it!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  19. Uberuce
    Member

    I use a T-shirt and being 'ard.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  20. wingpig
    Member

    "but not so robust as Pro Shell or Paclite"

    Considering how little I've worn it and how few of the times when I did wear it were in conjunction with a rucksack then my Gore Paclite (pretty much unbreathable as far as I'm concerned to the extent that the waterprofosity is impossible to judge) can be considered extremely fragile to have been worn through at the back where the rucksack rested. It spends 364.24 days a year in my bag in case there's ever a downpour when it's very very cold so the odd bit of wear isn't a problem.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  21. Smudge
    Member

    Thanks all. Will investigate the Gore and maybe the Endura options then :-)

    Posted 12 years ago #

  22. Smudge
    Member

    Slow computer double tap, sorry!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  23. DaveC
    Member

    I have a Vision thingy, Its a Plastic bag with arms. I have found nothing as waterproof AND breathable as Gortex. My next Jacket will be Goretex.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  24. Baldcyclist
    Member

    I have a Gore Path Neon jacket, it's very waterproof but not as breathable as it could be, IMO it lacks under arm vents.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  25. Lezzles
    Member

    Like others I don't think I've perfected my set up yet. It all depends on the time of year.

    In summer skin is 100% waterproof and is pretty good.I wear a high vis t-shirt instead of going naked though.
    In autumn I have an Altura men's jacket (not nightvision) and have had no issues with it. Gets a bit hot though.
    In winter I use the Altura or my husband's decathlon cheapy jacket. The fact that the decathlon jacket is not breathable is a bonus cos its so flipping cold.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  26. Nelly
    Member

    I have pretty much stopped using waterproof gear unless the forecast is horrendously wet for hours on end - then I accept I will boil in the bag and pull on the watrproof troos and jacket.

    But 90% of the time I wear a Bike CooP windproof (made by Polaris) which is a great all round jacket, and deals with mild rain easily. I just vary the number and style of merino tops underneath dependent on season - seems to work well.

    I also have a tiny packable shell (mountain warehouse - not technically waterproof) that I wash in proofer as a top layer if I get caught out - rarely use it, and it now looks a bit motheaten.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  27. Smudge
    Member

    Looking at a number of the above solutions, I should point out I very rarely wear a waterproof if I'm out for sport (unless it's really really bad!), but for commuting a short (6 miles ish each way) run to and from the train I normally wear work clothes and stick the waterproof on top to keep them dry.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  28. SRD
    Moderator

    In that case, I think you should go for a cape!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  29. Smudge
    Member

    Lol, No chance in Edinburgh winds! :-)

    Posted 12 years ago #

  30. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Clearly you need an AEROCAPE then!

    Posted 12 years ago #

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