A good waterproof should always be in your artillery, as our Test Editor Nigel always says; there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. This jacket from Bontrager arrived a little late for our jacket test in the previous issue, and as there is still a fair bit of rain outside we thought we would get right out onto the trails and test out Nigel’s theory.
Buy Jackets onThe jacket is 100% waterproof boasting 10,000mm waterproof / 10,000g/m2/24hr breathability provided by the high quality Profila Stormshell 2.5 layer fabric. All the seams are fully taped and the zippers are all waterproof too. There are two chest vents, which allow good airflow when it warms up yet continues to rain and the fit is very generous to accommodate the riding position.
The wrists have Velcro closures so you can keep out the elements and there is a fantastic mesh lined hood to keep you warm on the colder days. We loved the jacket on the trails, the breathability was excellent and it kept us warm and dry. Perhaps our favourite feature were the cleverly designed chest vents, which don’t interfere with the straps of your hydro-pack. The jacket also packs down reasonably small, so if the weather dries up it is easy to stow it in your bag.
Buy Jackets onThis review was in Issue 22 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.