Rapha Explore Down Jacket

Rapha's Explore Down Jacket is is extremely light and packable and has the neat trick of combining with a dedicated sleeping bag for bikepacking and overnight trips. Yes, it's expensive, but no more than other ultralight down jackets from other premium brand and it is a lovely jacket.

Pros: Good insulation for the lack of weight, good fit, comfortable, nice details, DWR coating

Cons: Not the warmest

Rapha has been expanding into the bikepacking and adventure market with its Explore range and the Rapha Explore Down Jacket is its newest creation. It's designed to be used in conjunction with the Sleeping Bag (we'll review that separately) and is an 850-fill ethically sourced down jacket with 90% down to 10% feather ratio that is very packable and extremely lightweight.

The external face is treated with a DWR coating to fend off rain showers and there are small reflective details around and about. You can choose from black, navy and the dark green we have here. The Explore has some pleasing little details like the removable hood that can be worn under a helmet if needed, two front pockets and an adjustable elastic waistband.

Winter cycling jackets review box set

18 of the Best winter cycling jackets

21 of the Best waterproof cycling jackets

11 Best windrpoof cycling jackets

Fit is relaxed with the size small I tested having enough space for plenty of layers underneath without being too flappy. There's a slightly dropped rear tail and the sleeves are a good length with the elastic cuffs sitting flush against my wrists. The neck is generously tall as well for snuggling down into when you're putting a brew on. The front zipper is a two-way design so you can either boost ventilation or get at jersey pockets more easily for snacks.

Obviously, bikepacking is the remit of this jacket, where a down jacket is an essential for keeping you warm off the bike when making camp or cooking dinner in the wild, but we could also imagine this catching the eye of many urban riders - especially those looking for a good on and off the bike jacket, something Rapha themselves allude to in the Explore Down product description. As a riding jacket It is certainly up for more than just epic bike adventures. It's great for urban riding, dashing across the city to the office or doing errands, with good fit and comfort, and able to handle a light shower or two.

Out in the wilds though when it's time to tuck down for the night, you can cosy into your sleeping bag with it on for added warmth, or attach its own dedicated sleeping bag. And for the first chilly hour of pre-dawn starting ride, the extra warmth is appreciated. It's breathable too so the risk of overheating is pretty low. Once you've warmed up enough to dispense with it, it folds up very small into its own stuff sack, and can be hidden away inside your pack or bag.

The low weight and packability of the jacket is impressive, and it's generally a warm jacket but I find this level of down insulation requires careful layering if you're to avoid getting really cold when the temperature plummets. I should caveat this by saying I do seem to feel the cold pretty badly and my circulation isn't all that great. You may find it a lot warmer than I did.

Balancing weight, packability and insulation will come down to personal preferences and requirements, and will also be dictated by the part of the world you're bikepacking through. For a trip through the France or Spain the down jacket would be ideal for the cooler evenings, but for braving the UK winter weather I'd personally be looking for a chunkier down jacket at the expense of weight and packability.

There's plenty of choice when it comes to ultralight down jackets so the Rapha Explore Down Jacket faces some tough competition. If you want a comparable jacket, the £250 Patagonia Ultralight Down Jacket boasts a similar 800-fill-power down with a DWR coated Pertex Quantum outer, and similarly light and packable. 

Durability has been good so far, but I'll update this review in a couple of months time to see how it's holding up.

Verdict

Lightweight, packable ultralight down jacket that works well for bikepacking, or urban riding, adventures