Bontrager Evoke Storm Shell 2015
Reviews / Jackets
47,532
At A Glance
The apparel line at Bontrager has been growing in recent years and it has become synonymous with high quality and style. The Evoke Stormshell is a soft shell jacket that sits right at the very top of their product line. Boasting top end materials the Profila material is light, extremely waterproof and highly breathable. The jacket boasts 20k/20k number count on the waterproof/breathability measure.
Buy Jackets on
The jacket features a two layer fabric layup on the body for maximum breathability and to avoid sweat build up, while a three layer fabric is used on the arms to make the jacket more comfortable should you be wearing short sleeves underneath. Additionally, there are two waterproof zippered chest ventilation points, these are easy to reach and operate too.
In terms of features there is a large drop tail which has a rear side access pocket in it, perfect for gels, keys or whatever else you fancy chucking in there! On the chest is a phone size pocket with a headphone port that will easily hold an iPhone or MP3 player.
All the seams are sealed and the zippers are waterproof too, there is a storm guard behind the main zip and you’ll find drawstrings on the inside hem and collar should you need to cinch anything down and keep water out.
On The Trail
The Evoke Stormshell has an air of quality about it and the soft shell Profila fabric certainly feels luxurious as you put the jacket on. It’s not super lightweight however and will offer a degree of warmth during the colder rides. If you ride at night you will also appreciate the reflective detailing that adorns the jacket. It’s subtle enough to not spoil the looks in daylight, yet very effective when you are transitioning on the road between sections as we often do around our local loop.
The fit is slim in the body with ample length in the arms and there is good mobility with a little bit of stretch to the fabric to ensure you won’t feel held back while you are wearing it. The main zips have a decent pull attached to them that is easy to use with gloves, although the chest vents are a little smaller and can be tricky to operate in the wet with gloves on.
One area where the Evoke Stormshell shines is breathability. No matter how long the ride, or how hot we got; we always found it exhausted moisture really well. No doubt helped by the different fabrics used, with more breathable areas in the important places like the back and chest.
In terms of keeping you dry, we failed to get it to spring a leak, even in some of the wettest of conditions. The cuffs have a comfortable seal and if it gets really bad you can cinch up the hem and collar to ensure you stay dry.
Overall
Expensive but well thought out, the Evoke Stormshell is a great jacket from Bontrager. Clever use of high quality fabrics combine to give the jacket fantastic breathability and waterproofing whilst still being stylish and soft on your skin. It looks great both on and off the bike, you’ll be sad to get it muddy!
Buy Jackets onThis review was in Issue 32 of IMB.
For more information visit BontragerRelated
By Rou Chater
Rou Chater is the Publishing Editor of IMB Magazine; he’s a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, but his passion for bikes knows no bounds. His first mountain bike was a Trek 820, which he bought in 1990. It didn’t take him long to earn himself a trip to the hospital on it, and he’s never looked back since. These days he’s keeping it rubber side down, riding locally and overseas as much as possible.
