Showers Pass Women's Rogue Hoodie

If you want an attractive weatherproof jacket to keep snug and dry while pootling around town or riding to the shops, then the Showers Pass Rogue Hoodie is perfect. If you want something for commuting at a decent pace then its poor breathability will let it down. To be fair, Showers Pass describes it as 'streetwise' and emphasises its versatility, saying it's also great for 'hiking, camping, on the slopes and around town'.

It's a sturdily constructed winter jacket – much thicker and heavier than the Gore Power Trail Lady Windstopper Soft Shell Hoody I tested late last year – that'll see you through the worst of the British winter. It's toasty warm, so I never needed more than just a baselayer beneath it, even at 2°C.

> Buy this online here

Despite the jacket being described as only 'weather-resistant' (due to untaped seams), I found it performed admirably in the rain – the DWR (durable water repellent) finish was extremely effective at its job and the waterproof ArtexTM membrane sandwiched between the fleece lining and the outer face stopped rain soaking through, even when the material finally did wet out (during a hose spray test). Eventually there was some ingress at the shoulder seams but only with the hose test – it should keep you dry in all but the heaviest downpours. Also, it dries off very fast and is totally windproof.

Unfortunately, it doesn't perform as well on breathability (it's markedly hotter than the Gore Hoody). I quickly overheated on my commute even when it was very cold out, and the moisture was trapped inside, especially at the narrowly cut forearms. It could really benefit from some vents to let heat/sweat out.

The cut of the Rogue is intended to be fairly loose – or that's how it looks on the skinny models on the Showers Pass website. While it's generous around the body, it was quite narrow across the shoulders and particularly snug at the armpit seam (it's not me in these photos). This compromised its cosy comfiness a little as they niggled. I followed the size chart but would advise sizing up.

The sleeves are narrow, so no flapping material, and just about long enough for me (I do have long arms though). They have inner 'wrist gaitors' with thumb loops for extra warmth, which are comfortable because they are cleverly made without a hem to dig into your palm. The cuffs are adjustable but I found them too narrow to extend over thick winter gloves.

I'd also prefer the tail to be longer because it doesn't afford much protection from wheel spray.

The hood is a welcome feature that really enhances the jacket's versatility – I often used it on the walk portion of my commute. It is big enough to fit over a helmet if you really feel the need – and doesn't reach right to the front of the lid so your side vision isn't restricted – but it does restrict head movement if you want to look over your shoulder, so not really recommended.

Other nice features are the good-sized zipped hand pockets with their cosy fleece lining, which create another two open pockets inside, ideal for stashing bike lights. There's also a zipped rear pocket, plus a chest pocket with earphone cable port, although this was just too small to fit my Samsung Galaxy S5 in, which is smaller than an iPhone6... It's ideal for tickets, credit cards and the like.

There's a lot to like about the Rogue and because it doesn't really look like a bike jacket (the Scotchlite reflective strips on the back work well in headlights but are inconspicuous during the day) I've worn it while out walking and around town too, when the lack of breathability isn't an issue. But £135 is not insignificant for a jacket that has compromised performance, never mind how nice it looks.

> Buyer's Guide: Yellow commuting jackets from £20-£190

Verdict

Stylish and super-warm softshell ideal for gentle urban commutes and casual wear