I have tested a tonne of waterproof cycling jackets, and I’m afraid to say they’re all worse than they used to be. This isn’t hyperbole, it’s just what happens when changing regulations to rid the world of so-called ‘forever chemicals’ ends up having the knock-on impact of making waterproof gear less waterproof.
A few short years ago, we reached a real peak in terms of the performance of waterproof gear, and of all the jackets I have tested the best was likely the Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Rain Jacket. I gave it 96%, and while it doesn’t perform quite as well as the Rapha Shakedry model I also have in my possession, it is a lot more durable, which is important because of what I’m about to tell you.
USA: Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Rain Jacket: $325 $195
UK: Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Rain Jacket: £275 £154
There won’t be any more of these. This is it. All the Shakedry jackets have gone, and having hunted around endlessly, this is the last of the really good stuff. In a last hurrah, however, you can pick one up – in most sizes still – for an absolute steal in the Black Friday bike deals bonanza.
This is as cheap as this jacket has ever been, and given that the stock is finite, there’s a good chance this represents the final sale price for what is, in my experience from testing loads of options, one of if not the outright best waterproof cycling jacket that’s ever been made.
I am writing this all from first hand experience, but I am conscious that women might want to stay dry too. Typically the women’s version isn’t discounted as much as the men’s, though you can still get 25% off at checkout in both the US and the UK. I can’t personally vouch for this jacket in quite the same way for obvious reasons, but it is my understanding that it is constructed from the same materials, and so on paper should perform much the same.
When I really need my gear to see me through, this is the jacket I reach for. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Rather than trying to find a better way to summarise what I wrote in my review of this magnificent jacket, I thought I’d just let you read my verdict, which I’ve simply pasted below:
“The Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Jacket is one of the last of a dying breed of old, pre-PFAS ban garments that represent the pinnacle of bad weather riding gear, not just for the time being, but perhaps forever…Well cut, extremely protective, enough for sustained riding in heavy rainfall. The DWR treatment has lasted well, and works better than modern alternatives, and all things considered, it’s not actually that expensive. It is, having tested countless waterproof jackets now, the best option on the market right now so it’s something I recommend buying now while it still exists unless you’re very PFAS averse.”
Black Friday week (yes, week) is already upon us and we’ve got plenty more Rapha deals in a dedicated hub, as well as Black Friday Zwift deals, Specialized deals, Wahoo deals, and a roundup of Black Friday cycling shoes.
Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Jacket deals