I’m lucky sufficient to truly get pleasure from driving within the rain, however a sizeable chunk of that enjoyment is facilitated by having good gear. In different phrases, I’ve access to one of the best waterproof biking jackets available on the market, by advantage of a unending group take a look at. Of the over 40+ jackets I’ve obtained in a cabinet now, there are many which can be wonderful, however there are a a lot smaller quantity which can be so good that they really make me look ahead to driving in an precise deluge. The Rapha Explore Gore-Tex Jacket is considered one of them for certain.
It’s nominally a gravelly, adventure-oriented shell jacket, however there are some nifty options that elevate it past the typical. Is it well worth the steep asking value although, which is knocking on the door of £400? Well, I’m not going to inform you right here; you’re going to must no less than scroll to the ‘Value’ part to seek out out, however I’d a lot fairly you simply learn the entire thing.
Just a handful of seasons in the past for those who wished a water-resistant jacket that wasn’t minimize for highway driving you’d have to move to your native open air store and purchase a mountain climbing jacket. The minimize would work for mountain biking, however these don’t minimize it for the in-between nether zone of gravelly journey driving that Rapha’s Explore assortment targets. This isn’t a jacket aimed toward an FKT try, however extra one thing for these aspirational Instagram reels of exhausted-looking riders, embattled by the weather someplace in deepest Iceland, in tasteful earth tones that match the panorama.
It’s pitched at a lot the identical market phase because the Albion Zoa Rain Shell, a jacket I am keen on each on and off the bike and one which sits in the same value bracket. As there, the match is looser to accommodate layers; you possibly can very simply chuck a reasonably puffy down jacket, one from our information to one of the best winter biking jackets maybe, beneath and never have your entire insulation compressed into chilly oblivion. The different facet to that is that there’s extra materials to bunch up and flap round, and to counteract this there’s a novel addition within the type of two small units of poppers.
A water-proof, double-ended zip is a given for a jacket at this value, however for those who unzip it from the underside you possibly can fold the entrance portion of the hem, the bits beneath the pockets, up and inside the primary physique of the jacket and pop them in place, successfully shortening the entrance of the jacket for occasions while you’re driving in a extra aggressive position. Now, Rapha has a historical past of making some fairly doubtful ‘innovations’ (I’m you, half-a-sleeping-bag), however it is a function I’d like to see on any jacket with the same minimize. It is so easy and works so effectively. It actually does lengthen the jacket’s attraction past simply bikepacking and bikepacking-cosplay days to a extra general-use jacket. I wouldn’t essentially attain for it over a devoted highway jacket for a highway trip, however it will definitely be much less of a ache to make use of than some others.
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(Image credit score: Will Jones)
The hem cinch is easy and could be operated with one gloved hand with ease
The rear flap covers a whopping vent (Image credit score: Will Jones)
(Image credit score: Will Jones)
popped up and away the entrance could be shortened for aggressive driving. “Go till you are misplaced” is only a gravel model of “Live, Laugh, Love” although.
(Image credit score: Will Jones)
The pockets are roomy, and handily up and out of the way in which of any bum bag or backpack waist strap
(Image credit score: Will Jones)
A reflective emblem provides a soupcon of visibility
The rear of the hem once more is much like that of the Albion Zoa, in that it doesn’t function the closely dropped tail. It has a single-sided, simple-to-pull drawstring to cinch it up, and whereas it does depart extra of your rear finish uncovered it seals you in good and correct; simply match some mudguards like and correct person and also you’ll be grand! The hem does additionally function considered one of my least favorite advertising slogans, “Go until you’re lost”. I’m not going to mark it down for this however it’s foolish. Perfectly positive recommendation for those who’re in Epping Forest, however not so best for those who’re truly within the wilderness. Or, when you’ve got a way of path as horrible as mine, you’d merely by no means go wherever.
The cuffs are a little bit of a detrimental for me. I marked the Endura Pro SL jacket down for having non-adjustable, fairly breezy cuffs and whereas these are barely tighter on my skinny wrists, they nonetheless felt much less protecting than ones the place you possibly can truly tighten them to the specified quantity.
The hood is ace insofar because it simply cinches down with a single drawstring. It’s positively higher beneath than over a helmet, which isn’t my desire, however when it’s completely raining cats and dogs it’s definitely the extra protecting solution to put on it. The drawstring additionally doubles as a helpful solution to retailer the jacket, when you’ve rolled it into the hood.
The key figures for the material itself are slightly onerous to come back by, and never posted on the Rapha website, however given it’s utilizing a normal Gore-Tex 3-layer material it’ll have a hydrostatic head of 28,000mm and a breathability of 17,000g/m2/24 hours. If these figures imply nothing to you then I’ve put a information to waterproof materials collectively to assist demystify, however briefly, it’s, on paper, extra waterproof than one thing just like the Endura Pro SL, however much less breathable. Compared to the Albion Zoa it’s the same story, with Gore-Tex being extra waterproof (28,000mm vs 20,000mm) and fewer breathable (17,000g vs 20,000g). In actuality although, past a sure level that each of those jackets surpass, issues just like the added again vent do extra so as to add breathability than the membrane determine itself.
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(Image credit score: Will Jones)
With the hood over a helmet the face field is slightly claustrophobic
(Image credit score: Will Jones)
But with the hood down and barely open it is good and ethereal
(Image credit score: Will Jones)
The zipper is slightly stiff, and a bigger pull can be simpler in gloves, however that is a minor element
(Image credit score: Will Jones)
If you trip with the hood over a helmet you will in all probability discover you permit the face open
As I discussed within the intro, it is a jacket that is ok to make me need to trip within the rain. Even after I wore the DWR out it nonetheless stored me dry. Even in rain heavy sufficient that small puddles kind within the folds of the material I stayed resolutely dry as a bone inside. With the hood beneath the helmet and cinched up tight there’s no ingress from on excessive. The face field is slightly claustrophobic with the hood over the helmet, however with it open a contact it’s workable, although it’s then extra vulnerable to water getting in.
Likewise, on the backside, the simple drawstring retains issues at bay from beneath. I feel it may possibly be a contact longer on the rear, as when utilizing it with regular trousers for commuting or simply usually driving round it exposes the small of my again, however that’s a hair-splitting criticism.
The poppers to hoik up the entrance material have been a delight, and I fortunately used it for some full-gas driving. It’s borderline transformative and much better than merely undoing the decrease zip and having the triangles of free material always draping over your thighs.
The elasticated cuffs are tighter than most, however I simply need to have the ability to tighten them fully (Image credit score: Will Jones)
The cuffs I did discover wanting in correctly grim climate. I’d wish to see a Velcro tab, particularly because it’s actually the one factor holding this again from being about as protecting a jacket because it’s attainable to get earlier than you enterprise into Gore-Tex Pro ranges, which isn’t an applicable material for a biking jacket because the breathability is way diminished. The water ingress was minor, however when performed towards the Albion Zoa it’s a minus within the field.
As for the breathability, it’s completely adequate. The giant again vent definitely has an element to play, however even when driving with a backpack on it takes a good effort to really feel sweaty. The looser match performs an element right here too; with extra room for air to flow into inside there’s extra of a pumping impact, forcing it out from the hem and the neck for those who don’t have them cinched up tight, and the peppered decrease hem additionally performs an element right here. If you’re driving at chain gang ranges of effort you’ll in all probability surpass the breathability, however let’s be sincere right here, that’s not what this jacket is pitched at, and so is an unfair take a look at. There’s a cause this makes use of normal Gore-Tex and the road-going Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex jacket makes use of Gore-Tex Active, with the next breathability ranking.
I’ve not been notably form to this jacket both. Beyond simply driving within the rain it’s been lined in muck and the occasional heavy stain from the workshop too. I’ve worn by the DWR and it’s stored on trucking. Its use, simply as with the Zoa, has surpassed a jacket merely for on-bike utilization. I’d be simply as blissful mountain climbing up Skiddaw in sideways rain on this as I’d driving all day and past in perpetual rain. It’s simply top-of-the-line waterproof biking jackets I’ve used, and a really attainable contender for my all-time favorite for those who take value out of the equation.
The giant rear vent does assist dump warmth, however for those who’re driving with a pack on it negates it. Fortunately it is breathable sufficient for all however the highest tempo efforts in inclement climate (Image credit score: Will Jones)
Value
An RRP of £395 is loads for a water-resistant jacket, biking or in any other case. For that, you might be getting one thing that may completely maintain you dry within the worst circumstances possible. If you need one of the best safety then it’s value paying high greenback for, particularly for those who’re investing in it for an extended bikepacking journey or bike tour (that are the identical factor, if we’re all being sincere with ourselves).
You are paying slightly extra for the Gore-Tex tag, in comparison with the Pertex you get on the Albion Zoa, and to be sincere in the actual world they each provide comparable safety, and particularly with the dearth of adjustable cuffs the worth here’s a little much less, however for those who additionally hike loads and want a one-garment resolution it definitely makes it a extra interesting proposition.
Verdict
Price apart for a second, this is likely one of the only a few jackets I’d don’t have any reservations about packing for a week-long journey the place the forecast is simply rain, all day and ceaselessly. It’s minimize brilliantly, it’s going to maintain you dry within the worst climate possible, and the hoik-able entrance hem and popper association is a stroke of genius. You’re getting marginally higher worth from the Albion Zoa by way of helpful options (higher hood and face field, and adjustable cuffs) however on paper, the membrane right here is extra waterproof.
In quick, it’s a top-of-the-range jacket that does effectively to justify the excessive asking value and might be a priceless companion if you wish to take pleasure in some epic driving in epically dangerous climate.
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(Image credit score: Will Jones)
I’ve gone onerous on this jacket, and whereas the face material has wetted out on the shoulders the place my backpack straps have rubbed, i used to be bone dry beneath
(Image credit score: Will Jones)
As an apart… waterproof denims are simply as waterproof as regular denims.
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Testing scorecard and notes
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Fit
Just proper, with sufficient room beneath to layer up for any climate. The tail may possibly be a bit longer however that is it
9/10
Protection
It’s as waterproof as you’d ever want a jacket to be for biking, solely let down a smidge by the non-adjustable cuffs
9/10
Features
Adjustable hem and hood are wonderful, and the hem poppers are great. Decent pockets too.
10/10
Breathability
Less breathable than different membranes, however for even excessive effort driving it does effectively sufficient. I by no means actually discovered it wanting, and the roomy match and again vents deal with warmth effectively
8/10
Value
This is on the very high finish of the value vary, however it performs effectively sufficient to justify it. You get barely extra options with different choices, however right here you are getting a extra waterproof membrane to counter that
8/10
Overall ranking
Row 5 – Cell 1 88%
