With rain falling somewhere in the UK on more than 150 days a year on average, a high-quality waterproof jacket is a part of your cycling wardrobe that is going to see plenty of use. The best waterproof cycling jackets use a whole host of modern fabrics and technologies, and there are now a huge amount of rain-ready options on the market covering all sorts of styles and budgets. You'll find our very top picks in the quick links below, plus plenty more recommendations further down the page.
Best waterproof cycling jacket overall: Showers Pass Elite 2.1 jacket
Best value waterproof cycling jacket: Galibier Tourmalet 4 Jacket
Best do-it-all waterproof cycling jacket: Santini Adapt Multi - Jacket
Best lightweight waterproof: 7Mesh Oro Jacket
Best casual waterproof cycling jacket for commuting: Chapeau City Jacket
Best money-no-object waterproof cycling jacket: MAAP Atmos Jacket
A quality waterproof jacket can make the difference between a tolerable ride and a miserable ride. Or, if you combine it with a pair of overshoes and some winter bib tights, the time on your bike can be just as enjoyable as it is in the summer... well, almost!
Regardless of whether you're riding across town in your everyday clothes, out on the club run, racing, riding organised events or even bikepacking, we've come up with a selection of waterproof jackets that we've reviewed to help you make the right choice.
How we review waterproof jackets
road.cc reviewers take product testing seriously, which means lots of riding in appropriately wet weather conditions when it comes to waterproofs. We'll rate jackets on their technical specifications, quality of construction, durability, performance and value... and most importantly, whether the waterproofing was effective or not. If it wasn't, the product won't get a good score!
We'll take price into account, meaning the most expensive jacket will be expected to perform better than one that costs much less, and value is assessed based on how a product performed compared to others in its category when it comes to price and specification.
Why you can trust us
All the jackets included in this guide have been subjected to full, thorough road.cc reviews, and as we review a lot of jackets, all of them have scored at least 8/10 (our top six all got 9/10 or higher).
While we can make a small commission if you click on a link and buy something on this page, that's not the primary reason we're putting the guide together. The aim is to show you what we genuinely think are the best waterproof cycling jackets out there right now, so quite a few of the recommendations here afford us no opportunities to take that commission. We recommend what's best for you, not what's best for us.
It's also worth mentioning that the road.cc team members who put these guides together are also vastly experienced cyclists, with yours truly being the most prolific road.cc reviewer currently. We're well-versed in taped seams, DWR coatings and pretty much everything you need to know about cycling waterproofs, so hopefully you find the advice on this page more useful and in-depth than your standard product round-up.
With all that said, it's time to get into our top waterproof selections. Remember: there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing!
Add new comment
13 comments
Soooo. Whats the actual difference in numbers between Goretex Shakedry as used in the Shakedrys and Goretex Active as used in the Oro?....
A bit of googling suggests there is nothing in it from a breathability point of view (28k vs 30k HH).
If you believe Ellis Brigham Active is 3 layer and Shakedry is 2 layer.
https://www.ellis-brigham.com/waterproof-fabrics-buying-guide#gore-tex-a...
Anyone looking for a GoreTex jacket because they think it's waterproof and breathable might care to look at Ryan's review of the material on the FortNine website.
Me, I carry on with my brilliant, ten-year-old DHB from Wiggle, god bless their departed souls.
Any membrane jacket is only as breathable as the DWR is durable - which is to say, not very. Once the jacket wets out it's no longer breathable. If the DWR was durable, there would be little enough need for another layer behind to back it up. Effectively, the 'tex layer behind is telling you that the DWR in front does not durably repel water, the jacket will therefore wet out, so we need a backstop to keep things waterproof but by the same token it won't be breathable, at least whilst it's raining.
The exception would be where the 'tex layer is exposed on the outer surface doing double duty as a waterproof (D)WR. But it's still not durable, and when it goes you lose the waterproofness to boot.
I commented on the original review of the Altura Grid Parka that I thought I was getting the men's version for Christmas.
I was right. I did. And I love it.
The 7mesh oro is amazing, and I love mine. Just a couple of points to make:
* It's the same black which is inexplicably fashionable among road riders, almost ubiquitous. Why is "Team kit" the most common alternative to black ? Why can't we have more pink or purple or stripy options?
* I don't actually ride in it much; it's an emergency jacket in the saddlebag (yes, it packs down small). If conditions were ever bad enough to wear a waterproof jacket when leaving the house then, meh, I'd stay at home instead and argue with people on the internet. I've had to pull it out a few times when the weather turned mid-ride, and it did a flawless job of keeping me warm & dry.
* The cut is very cycling-specific; it could feel uncomfortable around the shoulders if you were walking &c. I daresay it would feel weird if you were riding a sit-up-and-beg.
The problem with reviews like this is that durability is not assessed. I consider the Showers pass Elite 2.1 jacket I purchased several years back to be the worst jacket purchase I have ever made. I am pushing 64 and still ride 5K+ per annum, so I have used a few jackets.
Chest zip failed; stitching failed in several areas, very obvious colour fade (gold/orange version - rarely washed); and, I can only rate it as shower 'resistant' at best.
Lightweight; side zips and fit are all great, but do not compensate for the sizeable investment.
I still have a 20 year plus jacket that beats this one hands down.
The Galibier Tourmalet 3 has now been upgraded to Galibier Tourmalet 4
A number of years ago - Zombie article
Tourmalet 4 - This time its personal?
Apologies, I'm told the edit didn't save on that and it's now been changed. Apart from that hiccup this guide has been fully updated, promise!
made me laugh out loud
Apparently it's 33% lighter and stiffer.
Rain protection is one of those n+1 things. Factor temperature, likelihood of rain, wind, whether you want to pack it in a pocket, what is appropriate is a per-ride guesstimate. I'm up to 4, a heavy one with ventilation zips for when you know you are going to get wet - choose other layers to adapt to likely temperature. A multilayered lightweight for days when you know when it rains you are going to want to up your insulation but can just about fit it in a big pocket, then a lightweight cape for fending of heavy showers. Not forgetting the windproof tops with some waterproofing to cope with light showers. Then there are the summer rides where lycra will be dried off before you get the cape out, live with it.