Living in northern VT and looking for advice for rain jacket. Most I see have hoods which I don’t care for. Looking for something waterproof that breathes
If you can find one, a Gore Shakedry is great for wet where breathable is important. If budget is not a concern, suggest look at the Castelli Gabba Pro. Also, Showers Pass Century, which may be better for your region.
From years of living and riding in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve found that a gabba jersey and nanoflex warmers were/are the best combo for cold rain, it’s more of a ‘wetsuit’ approach, you don’t stay 100% dry but you’re never cold and you never overheat. The only time I use a proper jacket is when I carry a packable one with me for highly changable days, for that I use an ultralight Gorewear shell, but not a shakedry one (RIP Gorewear)
This is somewhat complicated by the fact that gabba/nanoflex stuff has been discontinued, but there might still be stuff floating around on sale.
I know recommending two discontinued items this isn’t super helpful but rain gear is in a bit of a state of flux right now with the bans on the good stuff*.
I haven’t tried any of the new Castelli rain pieces, but if there’s one company I trust to make good foul weather cycling gear it’s Castelli.
*we had the greatest adverse-weather fabrics in the history of humanity but we blew it because idiots thought it’d be a good idea to use the same technology to coat ketchup packets. This is why we can’t have nice things.
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Thanks for the great info Danny
Another PNW rider here but I grew up in Vermont. What kind of wet conditions are you looking to ride in?
In the PNW we have a lot of misty, drizzly weather and the roads stay wet. A raincoat the is waterproof just means you fill it with sweat and rain come in the collar over time. Your best bet is to wear things that breathe and are comfortable while wet like the gear mentioned by the previous poster and wool. Fenders are a must.
Are you looking for something for sustained wet or a New England style short rain storm?
I’m in the same position as you in that I’m looking for a rain jacket too, something hoodless. I think I’ve narrowed my options to Albion’s All Road Pertex Shield Rain Jacket, MAAP’s Pro Atmos Jacket, and Rapha’s Core Rain Jacket.
All three use Pertex Shield WP/B stuff, but Albion and MAAP use the three layer version, while Rapha uses a 2.5 layer version. I’m learning toward the Albion or MAAP jackets because I think the 3 layer fabric will make the WP/B coating last longer.
With all that said, what I’m lacking is feedback on how these jackets perform in the world.
Maybe folks have some experiences with these jackets that they could share?
Whatever you buy for wet weather I suggest you read Suvi’s article on maintenance. These waterproof/resistant jackets all require some extra care.
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