can someone please recommend me a waterproof jacket if it's not too much trouble

Thunder Child

PBlakeney wrote:

rob_g_clarkson wrote:

Thunder Child wrote:

Why do you want one without DWR? It makes the water bead up on the outside and run off, improving breathability and makes the waterproof membrane work at its optimum for transpiration.

because it's life span is limited, and the glory of the beading soon disappears.

i know you're supposed to be able to reapply nickwax etc but despite following the instructions to the letter i've had zero success...

Very much this. You are as well to buy cheap and throw away after 3 washes. Or, look for a good non-DWR. I'm at the cheap stage after giving up wasting money on "good" jackets.

For me, a DWR coating is essential to stop the top layer wetting out and becoming heavy. I've never experienced it degrading so fast that it's uneconomical to purchase a 'good' waterproof. Mind you, I only wash it once a year and it's still as good 5 years on. I would be having words with the manufacturer and get a replacement or refund.

It really is bad form to buy cheap and throw away after three washes. This mindset needs to change to stop so much waste. The life span of a waterproof is far greater than that.

As someone mentioned above, just buy a windproof and get wet, you're probably sweating so much in your cheap waterproof that you wont even notice.

ryan_w-2

I bought the Sportful Stelvio rain jacket (£240), which won a plethora of awards.

Amazing for a few rides, but then the DWR went to pot. Washed with Nikwax but still nowhere near as good as it was when new.

Now I'm looking into the Gore jacket I mentioned above since it doesn't need a DWR and should be good for a few years at least.

pblakeney

Thunder Child wrote:

For me, a DWR coating is essential to stop the top layer wetting out and becoming heavy. I've never experienced it degrading so fast that it's uneconomical to purchase a 'good' waterproof. Mind you, I only wash it once a year and it's still as good 5 years on. I would be having words with the manufacturer and get a replacement or refund.

If you ride in groups through the winter then road spray and crud is inevitable even with full mudguards. No, I won't be on the front ALL the time. A winter jacket lasts one year, for me.

Moonbiker

This one got a decent review

http://www.lusso.bike/product/aqua-repel-jacket/

Heres the tech guff:

http://www.stormshield.biz/en/

sounds like a dwr coating?

meanredspider

Ryan_W wrote:

Now I'm looking into the Gore jacket I mentioned above since it doesn't need a DWR and should be good for a few years at least.

The original that I have has a lifetime warranty. Obviously I've never tested that with Gore but the jacket works beautifully. The only criticism I have of it is that the cut around the middle doesn't really allow for there to be too much in your jersey pockets. This is slightly ironic since, because it folds up into such a small size, itself it doesn't take up much jersey pocket space leaving more room for other stuff.

rick_chasey

Having listened to some of the Scottish commuters on here over the years, the argument that it's all about temperature, not being wet per se, is actually quite convincing once you try it out.

I find that just wearing appropriate layers; so in summer an autumn base layer, arm warmers & possibly knee warmers, and in winter something more sturdy is much more effective and much more comfortable than anything that's actually water proof.

Meanwhile, surely you just get some of those jackets that works in its own right that has that water repellent stuff in it and buy a spray to top it up every 10 washes or so?

meanredspider

Absolutely - I almost never wear a rain jacket whilst riding. I carry one for two reasons: for torrential downpours that body heat can't overcome and for "mechanicals" when you have to stop and you need to stay warm. I wouldn't have bought myself the Gore because the expensive benefits are slightly wasted on me - but it is a technical feat and it packs up really small.

ryan_w-2

Of course it's all about maintaining a tolerable core temp, regardless of being wet or not.

For me, I only wear a rain jacket if it's raining before I set off on my commute into work. I will check the weather a pack one for those odd torrential downpours we've all been subjected to on weekend rides.

The Stelvio is now pretty much worthless to me and has been replaced with a Sportful Hotpack Ultralight NoRain which is yet to be used.

I'm 99% sure I'll buy the Gore for this winters commuting.

meanredspider

Ryan_W wrote:

I'm 99% sure I'll buy the Gore for this winters commuting.

Don't forget that the Castelli is made of the same material if you're looking to optimise price, cut, availability or style.

ryan_w-2

meanredspider wrote:

Ryan_W wrote:

I'm 99% sure I'll buy the Gore for this winters commuting.

Don't forget that the Castelli is made of the same material if you're looking to optimise price, cut, availability or style.

Which one mate? Always open to suggestions and like to tight cut of Castelli kit.

meanredspider

Ryan_W wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Ryan_W wrote:

I'm 99% sure I'll buy the Gore for this winters commuting.

Don't forget that the Castelli is made of the same material if you're looking to optimise price, cut, availability or style.

Which one mate? Always open to suggestions and like to tight cut of Castelli kit.

Posted it on page 1

https://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Caste ... lsrc=aw.ds

ryan_w-2

This one is made of the same material too:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/7mesh-oro-jacket-1/

Shame they're all so bloody expensive

meanredspider

Ryan_W wrote:

This one is made of the same material too:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/7mesh-oro-jacket-1/

Shame they're all so bloody expensive

That one is very black!

axisofweasel

As someone from North of the wall I can heartily recommend any of the Gore Text jackets as a proper waterproof jacket. Anything else has tended to be a false economy really. They aren't cheap but worth it in the long term.