Rapha Women's Rain Jacket

Rapha continue to expand on their capsule women's range of products with the addition this season of a fully waterproof jacket. True to form, it's really not cheap, but it also displays all the attention to detail, high quality construction and innovative design that Rapha have become known for.

Intended to be a lightweight rain shell for road riders, this is designed with all those requirements in mind. The jacket is a sleek race fit, with a curved drop tail, it's made from a soft silky slightly stretchy waterproof fabric, it's got Rapha's trademark asymmetric zip, a zip garage to prevent chafing at the chin, snug collar, neat stretch cuffs, a single zipped rear pocket and reflective bits and pieces. There's also a drawstring at the hem, should you feel you need it.

In wear, it's a sleek fit, but not unduly tight, and a good length for most heights. The uber light fabric (this jacket is even lighter than the North Face Xenon I tested back in the summer) differs from most lightweight waterproof fabrics in a number of ways. For starters it doesn't rustle and crinkle annoyingly, and then there's the slight stretch, just enough to give a really good fit and for the jacket to stay put when you're riding. Most surprising of all, though, was the level of breathability. Even in the warmer conditions we had this autumn, it kept my body dry from the inside, whilst keeping the rain out effectively as well. The interior PU face fabric is pleasant to wear, even next to skin for warmer conditions, and the unfaced side panels are a nice touch, allowing for increased breathability where you're not really needing it to be fully waterproof anyway. The seams at the shoulder area and upper arms are taped to keep the water out too, and this is where the worst of the wet stuff is going to accumulate. It's comfortable enough to wear on long rides that are wet from the word go, but is light enough to be an emergency layer, and it handily fits into a jersey pocket.

Naysayers will shake their heads at the price, but for a waterproof and breathable jacket this light, you'd be hard pressed to find anything much cheaper. Given that super light hiking and mountaineering jackets can easily cost as much as £300, this isn't a bad price for a road cycling specific design with some really good features.

Verdict

Wear it all day or pack it in your jersey for 'just in case', great quality, design and performance that justifies the price