Rapha Men’s Commuter Lightweight Jacket

The Rapha Commuter Lightweight Jacket is a good shell that fits well over normal clothing, offering some protection from the elements. Lightweight and decently breathable, it does a decent job in showery conditions as long as you take care of it.

Rapha is well known for producing clothing for that person over there. It's made a bit of a habit of identifying little nooks and crannies of a niche with its ever-growing ranges, and the Commuter Lightweight Jacket is another example of this. As the name suggests, it's designed as a lightweight option for commuters (as opposed to the standard version) and comes in at just 160g in a size medium, which, although not that light compared with some specialist shells out there, is pretty featherweight for a commuter not wearing cycling kit.

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The thinness of the technical fabric means the jacket is nicely packable, folding down into a compact stuff bag that takes up minimal space inside a rucksack if you were to carry it with you, expecting showers later in the day.

When the weather does turn, it's quite capable too. While not a patch on Gore-Tex Active-level fabrics for waterproofness, showers do bead off well from new, while over the past couple of months it's remained usably water resistant in light showers.

Periodically, I wash my technical jackets in a tech wash to maintain water resistance, and that would definitely be a good idea with this one because it definitely isn't the most waterproof material out there.

The thin outer fabric and mesh-like ones interspersed throughout result in really impressive breathable performance. Even in the humid, stormy conditions that landed on the UK in August there wasn't a hint of 'boil in the bag'. In cooler conditions, when being lightly active – gentle pedalling or even brisk walking – it's become a real go-to outer layer for that bit of protection without actually feeling like I'm wearing an insulation layer.

> Essential wet weather cycling clothing & gear

For me, it's a really top performer as a changeable weather shell that doesn't add much weight and minimises the chances of overheating when you're on the move. Urban riders, rejoice!

However, this lightweight performance comes with a recognition that you need to take care of it. I realised this when an over-the-door metal coat rack was accidentally knocked off the back of the door, with the jacket hanging off it. Landing on the floor, the sharp(ish) metal somehow cut a small v-shaped serration into the thin arm fabric.

A bit of a freak accident, certainly, but I was a little surprised that the fabric hadn't withstood something as seemingly innocuous as that. It hasn't frayed more since then, though, so I've been able to keep on using it regardless (hoping that no one notices that there's this small hole on the arm).

The cut is nicely considered – the sleeves are long enough to reach forward to the handlebar without pulling up (I have a reasonably long wingspan), and there's an elongated tail too. But, as soon as you hop off the bike and walk somewhere in it, the front is cut low enough that it fits almost like an ordinary sports-style jacket – also thanks to its slim but not restrictive fit. In essence, it walks the line between a specialist and everyday jacket really nicely.

Added features? The thin hood fits under a helmet if you need it to…

…while there are zipped pockets on the front sides, though no pocket on the rear.

The wrist cuffs and waist hem are lightly elasticated too, helping to stop water sneaking up, and fans of Rapha will appreciate the subtle relief of an arm cuff on the right arm.

There's also a pretty cool reflective tab on the back that shows either 'Rapha' branding or a 'made you look' phrase depending on which way you're looking at it. The rear section also includes some small polka dots too, but these aren't reflective.

Value? For £80 you can do a whole lot worse, and if you consider that (at time of writing) the Rapha sale has the orange, dark olive and yellow versions at a reduced price (black, pink and dark navy colours are also available), it's a nice usable piece to own without breaking the bank. (There's also a 'print' version for £95.)

While you can buy packable windproof jackets for less (and for more), few are casual-commuting-style hooded options. The Rapha's closest rival is probably the non-lightweight Rapha Commuter – slightly heavier (obvs), £20 more, and more waterproof but, Matt found in his review of it last year, not as breathable.

> Buyer’s Guide: 13 of the best packable windproof jackets

Other casual style options include the Chrome Storm Signal jacket – at £140 it makes the Rapha Lightweight look like reasonable value, especially as the Chrome isn't the most breathable, and the Showers Pass Transit CC jacket is £160, but you do get exceptional, hardier all-round performance.

It's also worth pointing out that we've also reviewed the women's version of this jacket too, where my experience largely mirrors that of fellow tester Emma.

> Buyer’s Guide: The best casual cycling commuter wear

All in all, if you want a bit of Rapha in your everyday life (on and off the bike), the Commuter Lightweight Jacket is a competent piece. Don't rely upon it in heavier rainfall, treat it well, and it should do a solid job for you.

Verdict

Decent shower-resistant shell – light, packable and really breathable, but look elsewhere for true waterproofness