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Pactimo Storm+ Hybrid Jacket

8
£140.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Well made and understated looks add to this great hybrid jacket that's ideal for spring, autumn and milder winter days
Weight: 
271g

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The Pactimo Storm+ Hybrid Jacket is a quality jersey-cum-jacket that works well in milder temperatures and might make for a useful garment if you travel.

  • Pros: Subtle design, comfortable, well detailed
  • Cons: Small pockets can be difficult to access

This is the first bit of kit I've tried from Pactimo, and initial impressions out of the bag were good. All-black may not be to everyone's taste (it's also available in retina-searing yellow) but I think it looks good, and it's always flattering. There is plenty of reflective detailing for low-light and night visibility on all sides of the jacket.

> Buy this online here

The outer material feels like Lycra but is soft and fleece-like on the inside. It's made of a thermal fabric with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish for water resistance.

Pactimo Storm+ Hybrid Jacket - chest.jpg

At the rear, three pockets are covered over by a storm flap, and topping it all off is a full length zip with reflective strip and a silicone gripper at the waist.

Pactimo Storm+ Hybrid Jacket - gripper.jpg

Fit is snug, the medium tested fitting well with no excess or bunching as expected, and the material is stretchy enough to accommodate a little extra Christmas weight gain with ease. It's nice and soft against the skin as it's designed to be worn like a jersey; if you prefer (or want ) to wear a baselayer, check the sizing chart as you may need to size up.

Pactimo Storm+ Hybrid Jacket - riding.jpg

Pactimo states that it's designed to be used between 5°C and 15°C and it's at its best when it's likely to be wet, so fairly specific, but I found that when paired with a baselayer it could be used in cooler temperatures too for a bit more range, as long as it was a thin one. For milder weather it's a really useful garment, although use without arm warmers has been somewhat limited – only on a couple of occasions when it was around 14°C did I ditch sleeves, so you may question why you wouldn't pick a long-sleeved top.

Pactimo Storm+ Hybrid Jacket - sleeve.jpg

Well, the technical qualities may still sway you to take this one – breathability is really good, but the water resistance is excellent. Water beads up on the surface and the wind pushes it away, not giving it an opportunity to sit on the fabric. Although there aren't taped seams at the zip and seams it did a cracking job of keeping me dry and left me super-impressed. I was convinced I would still need a proper rain jacket with me, but unless you were expecting prolonged downpours then it isn't.

> Buyer's Guide: 21 of the best waterproof cycling jackets

Just as well really, as the pockets on the back are quite small – you would get a super-thin jacket in but nothing with any bulk. Whatever you do get in will stay dry, as there is a flap of material over the pockets to keep them protected, but this does work against you on the move because you're fighting to get past that to the contents, and even more so when trying to put an item back.

Pactimo Storm+ Hybrid Jacket - pocket flap.jpg

Comfort-wise it's good for all-day rides, sitting snugly on the body, and the sleeves have a plain finish with no silicone or elastic to pinch. It did strike me as a bit of kit that would be useful if you travel to the mountains abroad: good for the warmer valleys and invaluable on the cold tops and descents.

It's stood up well to multiple washes, with no signs of distress to the material – just be sure to follow the instructions so you don't ruin the waterproof coating – and as of yet the reflective detailing is still perfect.

> Buyer's Guide: 11 wet weather racing jerseys

Cost-wise, it's not cheap, but if you look at it more like a good softshell jacket than an expensive jersey it seems more reasonable, and it is super-practical for a variety of conditions. Its obvious competitor is Castelli's Gabba 3; I would suggest the Storm+ is just as good, so you could save yourself a tenner.

Verdict

Well made and understated looks add to this great hybrid jacket that's ideal for spring, autumn and milder winter days

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Pactimo Storm+ Hybrid Jacket

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the jacket is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

A short sleeved jersey/jacket hybrid, designed to be paired with the Storm+ arm-warmers for a complete cool weather setup.

From Pactimo:

"We've rigorously tested this jacket in the snow and sleet at the top of the Stelvio and across the misty, wet moors of northern England. Water rolls off the Storm+ Hybrid Jacket, making it the perfect choice for cool days when there's a possibility of moisture is in the forecast. Pair with the Storm+ Arm Warmers and you'll stay warm when confronted with mist, sleet and light rain. Three full-size pockets, with weather protection flap, brushed interior and slim, no-flap fit make this the perfect jacket for those who prefer form-fitting outerwear and want a world tour-level garment."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the jacket?

Pactimo lists:

Thermal fabric with DWR finish for superior water resistance

3 full size back pockets in Defense+ 3–layer laminate fabric with weather protective flap

Silicone gripper at waist

Full–length reverse coil YKK zipper

Reflective trim

Euro length sleeves

TotalFit™ design

Ideal for temperatures 5° - 15° C

Rate the jacket for quality of construction:
 
9/10

It's a very well put together bit of kit, using high quality materials to both keep you warm and repel moisture.

From Pactimo:

"You'll love the water repellency of the Storm+ Hybrid Jacket. Water rolls off thanks to the bluesign® environmentally friendly, DWR (durable water repellent) finished stretch fabric. Interior is a breathable, brushed fleece that is soft and cozy against the skin. Not only will this jacket fit like a second skin''meaning there's no wind flap at all! - but it has an elegant, supple feel and is super breathable, making it extremely versatile in a variety of conditions."

Rate the jacket for performance:
 
8/10

Super-comfy to wear and for keeping out the odd shower it performed really well; in heavier rain you'll still want a jacket.

Rate the jacket for durability:
 
9/10

So far so good, no visible wear and it's washed well a number of times.

Rate the jacket for waterproofing based on the manufacturer's rating:
 
8/10

For a hybrid jersey it's remarkably good, the water beading up and never actually soaking in unless it's doused for a long time in constant rain.

Rate the jacket for breathability based on the manufacturer's rating:
 
7/10

Generally good; it does get a bit warm and sweaty when the temperature is above 10 degrees but as long as you're moving it's OK. Under 10 degrees it's fine, never feeling damp.

Rate the jacket for fit:
 
8/10

It's a snug and slim fit as described, which does help with no flapping of material, but not tight.

Rate the jacket for sizing:
 
8/10

The size medium fitted spot on to the sizing chart, and was long enough in the body for my 6ft+ frame.

Rate the jacket for weight:
 
9/10

Being short sleeved and not overly thick, the weight is negligible – certainly nothing you would notice.

Rate the jacket for comfort:
 
9/10

Excellent – the brushed interior is soft against the skin and doesn't stick to baselayers, the material stretchy enough to not cause any tight spots.

Rate the jacket for value:
 
7/10

Not cheap, but does a good job and slightly cheaper than the ubiquitous Castelli Gabba, which it is up against.

How easy is the jacket to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Washing was easy enough although it does call for cool temperatures and a very mild detergent so as not to ruin the material coating. As long as you stick to this, it's no trouble and washes well.

Tell us how the jacket performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Really well, kept me warm and dry through autumn showers and has worked well in the milder winter weather without me freezing or getting damp, until a jacket was needed over the top.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the jacket

Understated looks, reflective detailing and comfort.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the jacket

Pockets a little on the small side.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market including ones recently tested on road.cc?

As mentioned, the retail of the Gabba 3 is £10 more, so on the ball.

Did you enjoy using the jacket? Yes

Would you consider buying the jacket? Yes

Would you recommend the jacket to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's a well made and high performing garment that will see you through a big portion of the season, giving more options than a long sleeved jacket when paired with arm warmers.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 46  Height: 190cm, 6'2  Weight: 185lb, 84kg

I usually ride: Boardman AirPro Di2  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, club rides, sportives

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6 comments

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 5 years ago
0 likes

Great piece of kit. Wore it for the first time last weekend for 2 hours out in the near freezing sideways rain, underneath my gore jacket. Kept my core nice and toasty. Very snug fit, pocket flap is annoying.

Avatar
Fluffed | 5 years ago
0 likes

Customers have exactly the same rights to refunds when they buy items in a sale as when they buy them at full price.

Answering my own question, but they can't refuse a refund within 14 days just because it's a sale.

Avatar
Fluffed | 5 years ago
0 likes

Can they legally refuse returns on unused items?

Avatar
alotronic | 5 years ago
0 likes

I couldn't resist that.... then went back later and bought 2 more winter kackets, some thermal bibs and a couple of bases all for about £200, aka less that one Rapha winter jacket. I *really* hope it all fits because as a close out sale you can't send it back!!!

Avatar
MrB123 | 5 years ago
0 likes

This is currently a frankly incredible £42 on Pactimo's website!

Avatar
Freddy56 replied to MrB123 | 5 years ago
0 likes
MrB123 wrote:

This is currently a frankly incredible £42 on Pactimo's website!

Thats for the heads up. Just bought one for the price of a round of pints. Worth a punt as my Gabba just takes in water now.

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