A waterproof jacket is essential for year-round cycle commuting. Here’s what you need to know before you buy one.

A waterproof jacket is the most important item in the cycle commuter’s wardrobe. Rain and cold weather are inevitable. A decent cycling jacket provides protection from both.

There are only two alternatives, aside from not riding when it’s wet. One is an ordinary high-street coat, which will be too hot and flappy for most cyclists but can work for e-bikers and unhurried roadster riders. The other is a traditional rain cape or poncho, which functions more like an umbrella than a jacket. The odds are, however, that you’ll want a cycling-specific jacket. Here’s what to consider.

Rain protection

Make sure the jacket is described as waterproof. Showerproof means what it says: that it’ll stand up to a passing, light shower. In sustained rain it’ll leak like a sieve.

Jackets are rated as waterproof to a certain number, such as 5,000mm or 10,000mm. This isn’t an amount of rainfall but the hydrostatic head, a measure of the water pressure the fabric with withstand before it leaks. The bigger the number, the more more waterproof the fabric. Anything less than 1,500mm is showerproof rather than waterproof. At 5,000mm, the fabric should withstand persistent light rain. From 10,000mm and above, it should cope with heavy rain. However, unless the material is completely impermeable (like rubber or PVC) some dampness can leak through if the rain is heavy enough and you’re out in it for long enough.

Rain doesn’t only wet you through the fabric. It can also seep through seams and zips. Seams need to be sealed or taped, while zips need at least a storm flap in front of or behind the zip. If the zip is waterproof as well, better still.

Wind and cold protection - A jacket that’s waterproof will also be windproof. That’s usually enough to keep you warm while cycling because windchill is the main enemy, especially when it’s also wet. You generate a lot of heat on a bike – much more so than when walking – so don’t need a lot of insulation. If you’re snug and warm in your bike gear before you set off, you’ll generally be too hot a couple of miles later.

Cycling jackets are cut longer in the arms and back than everyday coats because the leaning-forward position you adopt on a bike would otherwise expose your wrists and lower back to the elements. They’re cut higher and closer at the neck so that they don’t scoop air. The hem, collar and cuffs are tight against the body to keep out draughts, thanks to adjustable shock-cords, simple elastic, or velcro tabs.

Breathability

Cycling jackets are breathable to help prevent you getting hot and sweaty. Tiny pores in the fabric release sweat vapour but don’t admit rain droplets. Breathability is rated on the same kind of number scale (5,000, 10,000 etc) as waterproofness. Here it refers to the grammes of water vapour that can pass through the fabric in 24 hours. If that sounds abstract, all you need to know is that a bigger number is better in terms of breathability. The faster and harder you plan to ride, the more useful a high breathability rating is. Sporty road bike riders need more breathable jackets than e-bike riders.

You can still get sweaty in any breathable jacket because it’s possible to sweat faster than the jacket can ‘breathe’. As well as your exertion level, the other important factors are the weather and your luggage. Breathable jackets work best when it’s cooler and drier. They work less well when it’s warm and wet, so summer rain is more of a problem. And fabric won’t breathe at all where it’s covered by a backpack.

Many cycling jackets have vents under the arms and some have them across the back. Underarm vents usually have zips so you can regulate their airflow. If you need even more cooling, undo the jacket’s front zip a little. Still too hot? Slow down or, if it’s stopped raining, pull over and stash your jacket in your bag.

Design and fit

All cycling jackets are closer-cut than high street fashions but there’s a difference between those with a casual fit, which can be comfortably worn over normal clothes, and a body-hugging race or performance fit, which is designed to be worn only with bike gear. Commuter jackets generally have a casual, relaxed cut. For longer-distance, higher-speed cycling journeys, a performance fit (and a higher breathability rating) can work better. Whichever style you prefer, try before you buy if possible because sizing varies between brands.

Jackets have a full front zip, making them easier to get on and off than smock-style waterproofs, particularly if you wear a helmet or glasses. Cold-weather rides are more straightforward if you can work the front zip – and any zipped vents – with gloved hands.

Some cycling jackets have hoods, primarily for use off the bike. Lighter weight waterproofs may have hoods thin enough to go under a helmet, while some jackets now come with hoods big enough to go over a helmet. Either way, make sure it doesn’t compromise your peripheral vision. It’s vital for commuting. Check that you can detach or tuck the hood away under the collar if you won’t use it while riding, otherwise you’ll have a little parachute flapping around behind your head.

As noted above, cycling jackets are cut higher at the neck and longer in the arms and back. Some have a dropped tail that’s designed to protect your bum as well as your lower back. This is only an issue on bikes without mudguards.

Conspicuity

Sober colours blend in nicely when you’re off the bike, but who wants to blend in when you’re riding a bike on a busy road? (Aside from those cycling ninjas who like to wear black…) Yellow, red, orange, lime green, and light blue all contrast better against an urban background in daylight. At night, copious amounts of reflectivity make you stand out in the headlights of other vehicles.

Some jackets come with LED lighting. This may help you get noticed but isn’t a legal substitute for lights on your bike. And bear in mind that if your jacket is reflective, you’ll already show up in the headlights of the vehicles that matter most: the ones heading in your direction!

Pockets

The most useful pockets are a chest pocket for, say, a phone or keys, and a big rear pocket for gloves, snacks, a lock, or anything else that will fit in. Sometimes a waterproof jacket will fold up into its rear pocket. Hand pockets in the front are nice to have off the bike but are less useful for storage on it. All pockets you’ll store anything in while riding need zips to prevent objects falling out.

Washing

Most waterproof jackets can be machine washed at 30 or 40 degrees. Check the label. Cycling jackets need washing more often than other coats because you sweat more in them and that sweat passes through the fabric… mostly. Some of it will hang around. A sniff test will soon tell you!

Never use fabric conditioner as it blocks the pores in breathable fabrics, making your jacket sweatier to ride in. You can, however, use the washing machine to refresh your jacket’s durable, water-repellent (DWR) coating. That’s a surface treatment that makes water bead and roll off, rather than soaking in and ‘wetting out’ the fabric. Nikwax TX Direct, Granger’s 2-in-1, and similar wash-in products will do the job.

Replacement

Cycling jackets have a hard life so don’t expect one to last forever. Zips fail. Fabric can tear. Some companies – for example, Endura – offer a repair service for accidental damage to their clothing.

Aside from refreshing the DWR coating, there’s not much you can do about your jacket simply wearing out. Polyester fabrics slowly degrade in the sun and become less waterproof as they age. Replacement at some point is a given.

What you get for your money

Broadly speaking, when you spend more on a cycling jacket you can expect: better waterproofing; better breathability; a more tailored fit; and more features. If it’s a performance fit jacket, spending more often means a lower weight and pack-size as well. Here are some examples of good waterproof jackets at different price points.

Budget: Hump Strobe Waterproof Jacket (RRP £50). A simple but effective jacket, rated to 5,000 for both waterproofness and breathability. The seams are taped, the zip has a storm flap, and the hem and cuffs are elasticated. There’s one zipped pocket on the chest. Colours are bright and there’s a fair amount of reflective detailing. A vent on the back to prevent overheating is a nice touch at this price.

Benchmark: Altura Nightvision Storm (RRP £100). Twice the price and, rated 10,000 for each, also twice as waterproof and as breathable. There are vents under the arms as well as across the back, and four pockets: chest, rear, and two for the hands. Cuffs are adjustable and the collar is fleece lined. The jacket’s signature feature, as the Nightvision name implies, is its reflectivity: shoulders, arms, sides and collar are plastered with reflective print.

Bling: Endura Urban Luminite 3-in1 Jacket II (RRP £174.99). The waterproof rating is the same as the Altura jacket at 10,000, but at 20,000g its breathability rating is even better. There are large reflective panels on the front, back and arms, and three pockets: two hand, one chest. It also has a hood. The 3-in-1 part of the name refers to the fact that it comes with a detachable insulated gilet. You can wear the jacket with this in place when it’s colder, take it out when you don’t need the extra warmth, or wear the gilet by itself.