Why get wet when you can have a waterproof shell for less than £60? Aimed more at the commuter than the racer, this jacket is waterproof and breathable, with taped seams and a mesh liner which kept us dry and unclammy, both in lab tests and when riding.
There’s a vent across the back and double-zipped vents on each flank. It’s available in fluoro yellow or black, with reflective piping and logos on the chest and arms. Cinching tabs on either side of the tail and in the collar keep draughts out. The Prime II won’t suit speedy, sweaty riding but is excellent value for commuting and leisure riding.
How we tested the latest jackets
As well as cycling for hours in the coldest, wettest conditions we could find (and sitting on a turbo under a hose), we took all the jackets to the waterproof clothing experts at Foxwear to test the seams and material – specifically the chest area and shoulder seams, which bear the brunt of downpours.
Foxwear’s testing machine isolates a 10cm section of the jacket and subjects it to increasing water pressure. We continued until either the jacket leaked or the pressure reached 0.6 bar which, according to Foxwear, is ‘not far short of a tropical storm’. Foxwear should know: they've been making hi-vis, high performance rain jackets for professionals such as the police for years, and will soon be bringing out a bike jacket.