Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Stow Away Jacket

The Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Stow Away Jacket is a lightweight packable outer and, while it isn't fully waterproof, it beads well in light rain and dries fast. It could be smaller when packed down, but the integrated hood and overall quality impress.

Although the Stow Away Jacket is designed to be used on the bike, I found that it crossed over easily into day wear thanks to its high quality design and understated looks. In fact, it often replaced my usual jacket because it feels so nice to wear – it even fits over the top of my down jacket.

I tested this jacket in a size small, though I'm between an XS and S on the PNS guide, and it gave a relaxed fit that fits in all the right places without any pulling or restriction when on the bike. It does billow out to the back on road rides, though.

> Buy now: Women's Escapism Stow Away Jacket from Pas Normal Studios for £170

The sleeves are a pleasing length, finishing just below the wrist, and the body length is great too; not too short or long. It's elasticated and sits easily on my waist, and doesn't ride up on the bike.

For me the hood is the star feature of this jacket: it's protective yet doesn't get in the way. It is finished to the front with a really high collar, zipping up all the way to just below the nose, which creates a protected feel when weather gets gnarly.

Excuse my blank expression there... boom chish. The hood is cut to keep peripheral vision unobstructed though, and it works – I didn't notice it was there in that sense. It fits under your helmet, and there's a toggle on the back for adjustments (although I didn't need to use it to get a good fit).

This is water-resistant, not waterproof. The DWR treatment beads water away continually in light rain, but there is water penetration (pretty quickly) in heavy rain. It is windproof and very fast drying, though, and I found Pas Normal's claim that it doesn't stick to your skin when wet to be true – at least until it is fully soaked, anyway.

The silky-to-touch ripstop fabric has tiny raised squares to make it stronger, and after two months of heavy use and washing there are zero abrasions or signs of wear. The smooth finish also makes it appealing to wear – some packable jackets can feel like wearing a glorified bag.

> 10 of the best windproof cycling jackets – packable outer layers to keep out the chill

The Stow Away jacket packs down into its integrated back pocket, which is zippered on both sides so you can stuff it away fast from inside out. Packed up it is about 17x14cm – not very small, although it still fits in my slim-fit jersey pockets. There is a sewn-in logo which ends up in the centre of the packed-down jacket... it's not functional, but it's a nice touch.

The front of the jacket features a double zip so that you can zip up from the bottom as well for ventilation, and both are finished with a fabric and rubber toggle.

The two main pockets – one on each side – are frankly roomier than you'd ever need or want for riding. The single rear pocket is also roomy but only zippered to the side, which means it's not very accessible on the bike, and it's off-centre too.

Value

At £170 it's very expensive for a water-resistant, rather than waterproof jacket. All the packable waterproofs we've tested lately are at least £40 cheaper. The Pactimo Women's Divide Jacket (now £100) scored well in our test, but you aren't getting the hood with that and there's no rain protection at all.

MAAP's Draft Team Jacket does get DWR and is £130, although again it has no hood and the DWR doesn't actually work that well. The 7Mesh Northwoods Windshell is £130 for what looks to be very similar features to Pas Normal's offering here.

Overall

While this oozes quality and style, if you're looking for a tiny-when-packed or flap-free road layer, this is not for you – plus it's hard to ignore the price when you can get a full-on waterproof for the same money. Personally I love this jacket anyway, but really it's best for casual rides, commutes and off-bike use rather than serious or fast rides.

Verdict

High-quality windproof with effective DWR and integrated hood, but doesn't pack that small and is very pricey