rapha rain jacket

G rock

after buying an assos airjack 851 jacket last autumn and promptly realising that you get what you pay for (the airjack is the best piece of cycle clothing i own, first class and i expect to have it for years), i'm leaning towards getting one of these.

the airjack is just a tad warm for these days, and i need a packable rain jacket. similar to the assos, i hope to buy one that'll last for years and do the job properly.

i don't want to buy something that's pants and end up buying something again.

is the price tag on these justified? or is it catering to the label-conscious london financial district commuters??

Inquitus

G rock wrote: »

after buying an assos airjack 851 jacket last autumn and promptly realising that you get what you pay for (the airjack is the best piece of cycle clothing i own, first class and i expect to have it for years), i'm leaning towards getting one of these.

the airjack is just a tad warm for these days, and i need a packable rain jacket. similar to the assos, i hope to buy one that'll last for years and do the job properly.

i don't want to buy something that's pants and end up buying something again.

is the price tag on these justified? or is it catering to the label-conscious london financial district commuters??

You are paying a premium for the label, there will be items that do at least as good a job at a lower price.

bogmanfan

No experience of the Rapha but I also have an Airjack and I've been using an Assos LuftSchutz for the past few weeks. Showerproof (not fully waterproof) but wind proof and very breathable. I think it's being replaced, so good deals around online.

doozerie

I've never tried, or even seen in the flesh, the Rapha Rain Jacket but I suspect that it doesn't pack down that small. I may be wrong though.

As to whether it is worth the price tag, I don't know - I have several pieces of Rapha kit and I've found it to be good quality and works well generally (with a few small reservations). For the money I paid (all of my Rapha kit I've bought during special offers or clearances) I'm happy with it all but I'd have to think twice about whether I could justify the full cost for some of their stuff.

I do have the Rapha classic wind jacket for a few years now and I find that very good. It is not waterproof but is wind proof. It doesn't pack down as small as some wind/rain capes but it certainly fits reasonably comfortably in a jersey pocket (but won't fit in the annoyingly narrow middle pocket in some, and perhaps all, of the Rapha jerseys, which bugs me every time!). One of the good things about the wind jacket is that it doesn't have that nasty coating on the inside that many capes do that sticks to bare skin, so it is comfortable to wear over short sleeved jerseys. I see, and use, the wind jacket as wind/rain cape to carry with me, whereas I see the rain jacket as being something you'd wear if heading out into the rain and you'd leave it on for the duration of the ride - maybe it really does pack down to a jersey pocket size, but I assume that it is at least a little bulkier than the wind jacket and I think that would make it a pain to pack away. Buy it though and let me know for sure

ROK ON

I have it.
It is a lightweight breathable rain jacket. Not waterproof but resistant.

It folds up very well and daily fits in a jersey pocket.

Also IMHO it looks great.

Price is nuts however.

G rock

ROK ON wrote: »

Price is nuts however.

yes, indeed it is! but if averaged over its lifetime it may well be worth it (humour me here)

doozerie wrote:

Buy it though and let me know for sure

fancy chipping in to get a review of it?!

FrankGrimes

I'm thinking of getting the Rapha Classic Wind Jacket as I find I often need something between a gilet and a full-on rain jacket. I have a luminous Endura (maybe Altura, have to check) rain jacket which is surprisingly breathable and if I know I'm heading out into mostly rain for a few hours, I'll wear that. Problem is, if it dries up, it's too big to stow away in a pocket.

I saw a review in a cycling mag of the Rapha Classic Wind indicating it was stowaway and good for windproof and water proof, but reading here it looks like it's water resistant, not waterproof - what does that mean for our Irish weather: during a quick shower will it be fine, but if it keeps on lashing down, you'll get soaked through?

There is also a Rapha Rain Jacket which is fully waterproof but looks bulkier so I doubt it fits in a jersey pocket - seems this thread may have been talking about both jackets?

I won't lie, part of the reason I want the Rapha jacket is it looks damn good, I love the light blue in particular, but if it's not gonna do a decent job in the rain I might have to give it a miss, so can anyone with this particular version (the Classic Wind) confirm how they find it in the rain?

Can you only buy Rapha gear from their own website?

lazycyclist

In addition to their website, they sell through a limited number of dealers but none in Ireland that I am aware of.

I have the Rapha Condor Sharp version of the rain jacket and I'm pretty happy with it. The wife bought it for me during one of their sales, so it was a lot less than normal. It will pack pretty small and fit in a jersey pocket, only downside is the RCS version is black, which looks cool but not really the colour to wear when its raining!

I also have the classic softshell which is a great jacket but not when it rains but they've just released for this winter a hardshell version which is supposed to be fully waterproof - it's still close to the €300 mark so quite pricey.

Sign up for their newsletter, sometimes they have deals and also keep an eye on the clearance section, fairly sure the wind jackets were going for €140 v the normal €195 in a recent sale.

FrankGrimes

lazycyclist wrote: »

In addition to their website, they sell through a limited number of dealers but none in Ireland that I am aware of.

I have the Rapha Condor Sharp version of the rain jacket and I'm pretty happy with it. The wife bought it for me during one of their sales, so it was a lot less than normal. It will pack pretty small and fit in a jersey pocket, only downside is the RCS version is black, which looks cool but not really the colour to wear when its raining!

I also have the classic softshell which is a great jacket but not when it rains but they've just released for this winter a hardshell version which is supposed to be fully waterproof - it's still close to the €300 mark so quite pricey.

Sign up for their newsletter, sometimes they have deals and also keep an eye on the clearance section, fairly sure the wind jackets were going for €140 v the normal €195 in a recent sale.

Thanks for that lazycyclist. So it sounds like you have the Rain jacket and seem to find it good for waterproofing and it also fits in a jersey pocket (which was a pleasant surprise to hear as it looked a bit chunkier than the Wind jacket)?

The Softshell is described as 'water resistant' and the Wind has that description too, so if you're finding the Softshell lets in the water after a while, it sounds like the Wind might do too.

How do you find the Rain for breathability? E.g. would you keep it on for a 100km ride in showery weather without overheating?

If the Rain is good for breathability and it can fit in a jersey pocket and is fully rain proof, I'm not sure there'd be any reason to go for the Wind instead of the Rain?

Looking online, there are only a few places with reviews, and there are a few comments about the waterproof coating wearing off after a while - have you had any issues?

I know that's plenty of questions, but when thinking of spending that much on a jacket, it pays to do the homework!

Seweryn

Just to add something to the pot, if you do not mind.

I use this jacket and would rate it highly. It is very breathable, rainproof yes, but on say one hour ride in heavy rain there will be some leaks (happened once on my commute, but the rain was really heavy all the way), which I do not mind. Important - it is very comfortable as next to skin layer, which is not always the case with waterproof jackets.

G rock

I ended up buying the rain jacket in the end!

it's definitely packable, have had it with me on most cycles this summer.

great quality, has kept rain out over a couple of hours. It's a bit sweaty if worn next to the skin (better with arm warmers), but to be honest any time I've worn it it has been fairly warm anyway!

as an aside, when I bought it I was sent a wind jacket by mistake, and didn't cop it! So I have some experience with it too! It isn't great in the rain, found my shoulders/back wet in showers longer than 15 mins or so. It is lighter though, packs down smaller.

In terms of breathability, I reckon there isn't too much between them.

Sorry for the crappy post, on the phone

lazycyclist

FrankGrimes - ask questions, you're right to do so, it's a big outlay.

I'm a bad example when it comes to questions on over heating as I'm overheating even typing "overheating"! But it does seem better than some cheaper jackets I have.

I often wear it when descending as it really keeps the chill off, so I don't really see the point of the separate wind jacket.

As for water proofing wearing off, I think this is pretty much a feature of any fabric that has to be treated to waterproof it. I think Rapha suggest not to put these things through the wash every time after you've worn them as fabric conditioners and washing powders are very effective at breaking down water proofing. I'm pretty sure you can buy a spray or something like that that you can use to re-proof these materials (I read it somewhere, if I find it, I'll post up). (EDIT: just found this from some guys I know "Rapha recommend NikWax tech wash, and TX Direct Wash in, for their rain jacket - not sure whether the Wash-In is necessary for the wind jacket - but can't imagine why not. As for how often to wash - Rapha suggested that about every third wetting/exposure to rain re-proof it. As its a technical garment, i would leave the Arial alone")

I wouldn't feel any great urge to try other brands, as I really love my Rapha gear, from socks to jerseys, shorts, arm warmers, hats, jackets!

I do have a pair of Assos bib tights that I really rate - the only flaw in the Rapha line up as far as I'm concerned as they don't offer tights with a pad, yet.

doozerie

I find my Wind Jacket very good at keeping wind out, but it's not waterproof. I've used it a few times in the rain and certainly found it water resistant but it does let rain in - usually that hasn't been a problem at its combination of breathability and windproof-ness has kept me from getting cold or too wet from sweat (except for one notable occasion when it was a very cold and wet day and on that day all of my kit failed to keep me warm).

I like the Wind Jacket a lot, but for days of persistent heavy rain I'd use something else. For that reason I recently bought the Rain Jacket in their sale, when it was half price, but I have yet to test it. The Rapha prices are extreme in some cases though and I don't think I'd pay their full rates. They do have sales once or twice a year, and they can be worth waiting for. I noticed that they recently increased their prices too on a bunch of their products and by a significant amount, which makes me even less inclined to buy from them unless stuff is drastically reduced.

FrankGrimes

Thanks for the great info folks. Good to know the Wind isn't that water resistant. They're out of the light blue Wind and won't be getting it back in unfortunately.

So my current thinking is it's down to the Rapha Rain and the Gore jacket posted by Seweryn, which also looks like a very handy bit of kit.

Mycroft H

300 euro is mad money for something that isn't exactly waterproof.

I've a lightweight shell North Face gore-tex jacket that I bought on amazon a year back for 150 euros and it's totally waterproof and totally breathable. Even has little sleeves round the armpits for helping regulate your body temp.

Seweryn

FrankGrimes wrote: »

So my current thinking is it's down to the Rapha Rain and the Gore jacket posted by Seweryn, which also looks like a very handy bit of kit.

You are welcome to try out and test ride my Gore jacket if you wish, if you are based nearby. It could help to make your decision easier .