Galibier Tempest Pro Jacket

The Galibier Tempest Pro Jacket has an impressive ability to shrug off the heaviest of rain for ages without soaking you from the inside out, and when you don't need it, just stuff it in your rear pocket. There's a bit of a plasticky feel to the fabric, but it works really well.

• Pros: Good waterproofing; performance cut fits well
• Cons: Fabric can feel a bit plasticky next to your skin

Using a HydraStop membrane, the Tempest Pro delivers factory results of 9,000mm when it comes to waterproofing; that means it can resist 9,000mm of water from a hydrostatic head (tube of water) before it can't hold any more and it leaks through. In the real world that means heavy rain and downpours.

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There have been plenty of chances to get out and test it too, especially in prolonged heavy rain. Depending on how heavy it was falling, I could head out for at least three hours without getting drenched, with the rainwater just beading off the surface.

To back up the material you are also getting fully taped seams, a stormproof zip, and the collar is pretty tall too, to stop the wind and rain entering.

The most impressive thing for me, though, is the breathability. On one of the wet days I'd gone out in a summer baselayer with the dhb Aeron Equinox Thermal jersey over the top; I'd say it was about 8°C. Riding pretty hard for a couple of hours saw me remain comfortable, and although I was warmer than if I was just wearing the jersey on its own, I didn't feel as if I was overheating. I knocked the Galibier's zip down on a couple of the steep hills to keep everything in check, but that was it.

Arriving home, my arms and torso were a little damp from the effort, but I wasn't soaked in sweat and the jersey was dry on both the inside and outside.

When the temperature was in double figures and I knew it was going to be wet for the whole ride, I just went with the short sleeved baselayer to keep me cooler. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the plasticky feel of the membrane against my skin.

Backing up the performance of the fabric is a very race-orientated cut to the jacket, so when on the bike there is no flapping of excess material in the wind. (It's not me in the photos.)

The chest and shoulders are cut close to help the aerodynamics.

The sleeves are cut in such a way that they sit perfectly when you're in the saddle, with the cuffs angled slightly to make sure you have enough fabric on the top to sit over your gloves without interfering underneath with your palms on the bar.

The tail is dropped a long way compared to the front, which gives you loads of rear end coverage if you are riding without mudguards. The high front removes any excess fabric from flapping around your midriff when crouched over the bar.

Sizing is pretty realistic for UK riders, and taking a look at Galibier's size guide will point you in the right direction for which one you need.

There is a large Galibier reflective logo on the back to help you be seen, and a little reflective tag, but being a rain jacket there are no rear pockets. I wouldn't expect any really, though there is a small pocket inside in which you could bung a gel or energy bar.

The Tempest Pro is all about being packable, and it comes with its own drawstring bag sewn onto the inside. The jacket will scrunch up into the pouch and fit easily into a jersey pocket, so if the weather is looking a little iffy I'll carry it as a matter of course.

There isn't much to it, to be honest, but what there is is put together well and it's nicely finished. All of the seams are double stitched for durability, and when I took a bit of a tumble on the gravel tracks the fabric resisted any damage.

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All this makes the £59.30 price tag very competitive. The Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II is a similar design and offers great waterproofing, but it's not as packable and costs £164.99.

Or how about one of Rapha's offerings? The Pro Team Lightweight Shadow jacket is £200 and the Galibier looks to match it on performance and fit.

Performing as well as those two jackets and smashing them on price shows just how good the Tempest Pro is, and during the test period it has definitely been part of my go-to kit for wet days.

Verdict

Great waterproofing and impressive breathability, and you can't beat the price