dhb EQ2.5 Waterproof Jacket

The EQ2.5 Jacket from dhb is designed to keep you warm and dry when cycling in cold and wet weather - and it does just that, very well indeed.

It's made up of a Teflon-coated waterproof breathable fabric on the outside with a mesh liner on the inside.With cycling kit, it's always a balancing act between waterproofing and breathability. With this mix of materials, the EQ2.5 jacket seems to get the balance just right for steady rides in cold and wet conditions. It keeps out the rain and wind, while letting body moisture escape via the breathable fabric and the vertical vent flaps across the back, so you don't get too clammy inside. There are also zipped vents under the armpits for additional - and adjustable - ventilation.

This jacket is designed to be a close fit, and our test model (size medium) was comfortably body hugging with just a base layer and medium thickness long-sleeve racing jersey underneath. It didn't flap in the wind when riding, except on fast descents. It's short in the body compared to some other jackets, but the back is longer than the front and covers the upper bit of your rear-end, with the curved hem held neatly in place with a mix of elastic hem and silicon gripper.

I found the arms the perfect length for steady riding on the top of the bars or the brake hoods, but they might be a tad short for those with longer limbs when stretched out on the drops. I could have gone for a size larger, obviously, although then the cut of the jacket won't be so close-fitting overall. On the other hand, that may be a preferred style for some riders anyway.

The cuffs are adjustable with Velcro, with flexible plastic tabs that are easy to grip with gloves on. The collar is soft-lined with an additional raised section at the back for extra warmth. Some riders may find it a bit loose-fitting, but it means there's room for the collar of the jersey underneath. An elasticated neck would have been better, to provide a bit more flexibility and keep the draughts out whatever you're wearing underneath.

Other features include internal pockets in the lower front part of the jacket - handy for money or maybe a phone - but anything heavier inside those pockets makes the jacket hang down at the front. For some, that'll mean the stuff in the pockets will bump on the top of the leg on each up-stroke when pedalling.

There's also a large pocket on the rear with a horizontal zip. You could easily get gloves, hat, food and tools in here, although I found that anything heavy hangs uncomfortably low and rubs against the coccyx. Another seam across the base of the pocket (to hold stuff at the same level as in the rear pocket of a traditional cycling jersey) would solve this, but it might not be a problem for everyone - especially if you carry your heavier stuff in a saddle-pack anyway. Inside the big rear pocket is a smaller hanging pocket made of mesh, in which you could carry a credit card, key or maybe a small phone.

Once you've sorted the pockets out, this is a really great jacket for cold and wet conditions. One word of caution though: as soon as the temperature gets warmer (say above about 5°C), and especially if you start pushing the pace, it starts to feel too warm and clammy on the inside - even with just that base layer and long-sleeve jersey underneath. This clamminess can be alleviated to a certain extent by undoing the pit-vents, but after that, if the jacket gets too warm you're in trouble, as it's too large to take off and stuff in a back pocket like a single layer jacket or gilet. So the EQ2.5 is definitely for the times when it's going to be cold and wet for your whole ride, not something to take with you just in case - unless you've got a saddlebag, of course.

With a retail price of a penny under £70, currently reduced to £62.99 on the Wiggle website (dhb is Wiggle's inhouse brand), this is very good value compared to similar waterproof and breathable cycling jackets from other brands. You can easily pay twice as much for something with comparable looks and performance.

It's available in grey (with green zips), red (black zips) or black (red zips), all with some reflective piping. For a jacket designed for winter conditions, some riders may be disappointed to find it's not available in brighter colours.

Verdict

Waterproof and breathable cycling jacket that's ideal for cold and wet conditions. Very neat and excellent value - just don't put too much in the pockets.