Boardman Women's Packable Jacket

If the forecast is looking a little indecisive, a lightweight, packable jacket is the go-to for any cyclist. The Boardman Women's Packable Jacket pretty much has you covered, unless the rain turns torrential, with a good fit and decent protection, and it fits easily into any back pocket or saddle bag.

The jacket is reasonably breathable and was comfortable in most conditions, although I came home from a couple of rides on days above 18 degrees and was unable to tell whether the rain had come through or I was just damp with sweat. I particularly hate that clammy feeling of sweating in a non-breathable jacket so I imagine I struggled more than most in the recent rainy yet warm weather. Nonetheless, on some slightly chillier mornings when I took the jacket out, breathability wasn't an issue and it kept the wind and showers out and a little warmth in.

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Riding in occasional showers and light rain, water droplets mostly rolled off the polyester/elastane material, which then dried out within a few minutes of the rain stopping. Only in more persistent, heavy rain did water start to pool and eventually permeate the fabric. For a water-resistant jacket, I was very satisfied with its performance and became unusually enthusiastic to head out on drizzly days with this in my pocket.

The fit is reasonable, though not exceptional, and leaves some material to balloon and flap about in the wind. It has a little extra length at the back to protect from spray off the road and doesn't ride up, though I would have liked it to be slightly longer. The sleeves were also of a sensible length with the cuffs sitting comfortably around my wrists. Size-wise, I wore a 10, and while I felt it was relatively true to size, I'm in between an 8 and 10 and probably could have worn an 8 (note – it's not me in the photos).

I was particularly impressed with the weight of this jacket, which packs up smaller than the dhb packable jacket I currently use. Incidentally, I also found it to be more breathable than dhb's offering so it's safe to say I was a fan.

> Buyer's Guide: 11 of the best packable jackets

The reasonably sized zip was easy to undo while riding and it packs away into the large pocket on the rear right hand side, although it was far easier to stuff it straight into my jersey.

Smaller details include a soft fleece lining around the high collar, which was really comfortable and served nicely as a bit of extra protection from the elements. The jacket also features a series of reflective strips on the front, sides and sleeve cuffs along with a large reflective logo on the back, making you very visible in dark and rainy conditions. I liked the bright turquoise colour, too.

Although the Boardman Packable Jacket is towards the budget end of things, with an RRP of £35 it isn't the cheapest out there, and both dhb and BTwin have some cheaper options. However, it's a more than fair price and if you're on the market for something that packs up small and keeps the elements out, I would certainly give this a look.

Verdict

Weatherproof, lightweight and affordable jacket, great for those 'will it, won't it rain' days