Best waterproof cycling jackets 2024: tried and tested models that'll keep you dry

Spend much time on a bike and you are very likely to experience rain, especially in the UK or Pacific Northwest of America. Getting wet and cold on a bike is no fun at all, especially if you are a long way from home, so investing in a decent waterproof jacket should be high on the priority list for most riders.

As cyclists, we ask quite a lot of our waterproof clothing; it must protect us from the rain, allow moisture vapour in the form of sweat to escape so we don’t get damp and it needs to pack up small enough for a jersey pocket when not in use.

Even with the drive to reduce environmentally harmful PFAS (polyfluoroalky substances), there are a bewildering number of options when it comes to jackets, with most claiming to be waterproof and breathable despite the huge disparity in prices. By and large, you do get what you pay for, so whilst the cheapest jackets will probably keep the rain out they will suffer in terms of breathability and packability. Of course, this isn’t always the case, and you need to decide which factor you prioritise for your use and budget. Furthermore, whilst the fabric is a crucial part of the garment’s performance, even the best material won’t make a good cycling jacket if the cut is wrong, so cycling-specific clothing is always better than more generic products.

If you are planning on building up a good winter cycling wardrobe to keep you riding in any weather, then also have a look at the best waterproof cycling trousers and the best cycling overshoes.

The Quick List

The best waterproof jackets 2024: Our picks

Best overall

The Maap Atmos Rain Jacket uses Pertex® Shield fabric (as does the Pas Normal jacket) - and it performs exceptionally well. The Atmos though, is stretchier than the Mechanism Rain Jacket and allows for much more freedom of movement on the bike.

Maap has kept the design relatively simple. Cuffs are handled with an elastic band that partially extends around each wrist - this keeps the fabric from bunching up too much, which I found to be great for comfort. The waist too features an elastic lining which keeps it tight to your body. It doesn’t offer the same level of adjustability as the jackets that feature an adjustable drawstring, but it never rode up during riding - so no worries there!

Sure enough, the brilliant blend of a comfortable, soft fabric, coupled with a great fit and quality grippers made for an awesome experience out on the bike. I found that the Atmos jacket struck the best blend of having an airy feel, whilst getting the basics right - waterproofing and comfort.

In our indoor testing, the Maap once again stole the show. It placed equal first in the seam testing, with zero water ingression over the 10 minute period. In the shower, the YKK two-way zipper was bulletproof too, resisting high-pressure water pretty much as well as Rapha’s offering.

Weight and packability are right on the money too - the jacket weighs just 125 grams and packs down to around half the size of a standard jersey pocket when wrapped tight.

It certainly isn’t cheap, and it doesn’t necessarily have the bells and whistles that some of the other jackets do when it comes to pockets. But the overall experience of the Maap Atmos jacket is outstanding.

Best value

Rapha’s Core Rain Jacket II is one of the cheaper jackets here and its performance at this price point makes it incredibly good value for money. It is constructed using a 2.5-layer nylon fabric which means it’s comprised of nylon face fabric with a chemical hydrophobic spray (DWR), a laminate layer, and a printed layer. Rapha has also included a YKK AquaGuard® water-resistant zip and an elastic cord around the bottom of the jacket to adjust how tight it fits around your waist. It's certainly a performance cut - fitting closely (but not too tight) around my shoulders and torso, with good length too.

On the bike, I found the Core Rain Jacket II performed brilliantly. In the wettest weather, thanks to the small ventilation holes, there was a tiny amount of water seeping through under the arms, but nothing more. The 2.5-layer construction, though cheaper to produce than three-layer garments doesn’t breathe quite as well as more premium fabrics, though in colder weather it is less of an issue.

The jacket really impressed me during stress testing though. Of all the jackets, it was level best on the seam test, with no water seepage during the 10-minute test. In our shower testing the zip did not leak, even under high water pressure. All this, in a 126 gram jacket that was just as packable as any other on test.

I love the design of the Core Rain Jacket II. It’s simple, classy, and really does all you need a rain cape to do. Rapha has done well to include the rear elastic, brilliant cuffs, rear gripper, and great fit all at a more humble price point.

Best for breathability

The Tempesta Lite uses Gore Active Technology material, which harks back to their pre-Shakedry Active Shell fabric. It is very light for a 3-ply jacket, and as such is hard to beat in terms of outright protection compared with some of the thinner, lighter fabrics in this guide.

We found the breathability to be excellent, and the fabric copes well with sweaty conditions, although the cut is likely to mean that it is more of an endurance rider's garment rather than a racer's jacket. In part, this is because the cut is a little looser as the fabric doesn't have a lot of stretch in it. It is also less packable than some options, and although it will fit in a jersey pocket it takes up a fair bit of room.

The non-elasticated open-sleeve design is a little odd, and our tester wasn't too keen on the slit at the back for accessing jersey pockets - he felt that a double zip would have been a neater solution.

At its rather high price, it is likely to appeal only to those who ride regularly in the rain and are prepared to pay for its performance attributes.

Full review of the Castelli Tempesta Lite

Best for pocket access

Another jacket to impress was the Velocio Ultralight Rain Jacket. The Ultralight features eVent DV Storm fabric, which performed fairly well, and has an interesting design. Velocio has opted for overlapped cutouts on the rear of the jacket, which allow for easy pocket access. Up front, the jacket features a dual zip, allowing you to ventilate both top and bottom.

The aforementioned pocket access holes were a real blessing out on the road. Not having to faff around rolling up the rear of the jersey is a lovely comfort to have, particularly with cold hands. I did notice that I had to make sure the overlap was sat back in place though, as allowing it to flap up did cause some water ingress.

In the stress testing, the Velocio jacket placed fourth in the seam test, with a small amount of water seeping through. The zip test, however, was a different story. I didn’t notice it too much on the bike, but the zip did give way to water at higher pressures - the reality here, is that you might see some water ingression on much longer rides - something to bear in mind.

As for packability, the Ultralight weighs 176gram (S), and packs down pretty small to around a Coke can in size, though not as small as the likes of the Rapha Core Rain Jacket II. The Velocio provided a great fit too, and certainly aimed more at aggressive riding positions. The cape has a long tail and is narrow at the front when standing, meaning it stays a close fit when you are in a riding position.

Velocio has done a good job with the Ultralight Rain Jacket. The design makes sense for real-world riding, and the fabric is right up there with waterproofing and breathability - it doesn’t come cheap though.

Most packable

Pas Normal Studios has been making quite the storm in recent years in the premium clothing market and for good reason. The Mechanism jacket uses Pertex® Shield fabric, with a three-layer construction. As far as the design goes, PNS has kept the Mechanism Jacket fairly straightforward, with no pockets, and simple elastic cuffs. It also features a two-way YKK Waterproof Zip.

A simple yet effective design seriously impressed out on the road. I will say, from a size perspective, the Pas Normal Studios does come up on the short side, more noticeable in the torso than the arms, however, this is something I am fairly used to seeing - but if in doubt, size up.

Waterproofing was right on the money. Even for extended rain periods, there was minimal to no rain seeping through the jacket. The cuffs too were more comfortable than I expected. A fabric neck liner allows for a close fit while remaining comfortable, and the elastic sleeves are very noninvasive. The jacket is breathable too, not overheating even when riding slightly overdressed.

The seams are impressive, and the Mechanism Jacket takes equal first place in our testing. The zip fell slightly short of that seen on the Rapha Core Rain Jacket II, but still showed minimal water ingress even at higher pressure.

When it comes to value, Pas Normal Studios has done fairly well. While it's certainly not cheap, given the garment weighs just 105 grams (S) and packs down the smallest, the lack of features is really overruled by the impressive quality.

Best for warmth

When Gore announced the retirement of its Shakedry fabric, Castelli set out to create its own new waterproof membrane to replace it. They worked with a manufacturer to come up with a 2 layer Microshell fabric. Due to the fabric not having loads of stretch, different materials can be found on the side panels and shoulders to ensure a non-restrictive jacket. It’s also the only jacket on test to feature three jersey-style pockets at the rear, which is useful, although they are not zipped, so are no place to store a phone or other valuables.

Once again, I can’t fault the fit, in fact, Castelli does it best. The Slicker Pro has a nice high neckline, tight yet comfortable cuffs, and the longest tail on the test. This design certainly helped it out on the road where it provided great coverage. The jacket was also one of the warmest on test - it still breathed well, but the slightly thicker build was noticeable when it came to wind chill factor. It’s not quite as packable though, and weighs a touch more than most at 209 grams.

However, indoors, it was a different story. The Castelli jacket came last in our seam test, with a large amount of water ingress noticeable in the 10-minute test period. The zip too allowed water through - and this did leave me confused.

Out riding, I didn’t notice excess water on the inside of the garment, but in our specific testing, I did. The conclusion I have drawn here is that on longer rides, I would expect you might see more water ingress with this jacket.

Overall it’s tough to recommend the Castelli Slicker Pro thanks to the elephant in the room - it’s price. It is by far and away the most expensive jacket on test at £450, and in our testing, it just didn’t perform well enough to justify its price tag.

Best for versatility

Santini's Guard Neos uses Polartec's non-PFAS Neoshell fabric with a hydrostatic head of 20,000mm, making it ideal for staying dry in the very worst weather. Furthermore, the version we had on test included a stowaway hood in the collar for added shelter, although a non-hooded model is also available.

We liked the jacket's versatility. Our tester wore it in temperatures between 7° and 15°C, and the softshell-style material was comfortable even if worn next to the skin. We also loved the fabric's air exchange ability—the way it moves warm, moist air out so you don't get damp inside the jacket.

Storage-wise, there is only a single, zipped rear pocket so it isn't ideal for carrying winter paraphernalia unless you use a jersey underneath it or carry a saddlebag. The price could also be an issue for some - £295/$305 (£320/$270 for the male version), although if it is versatile enough to be worn frequently then this does improve its value-for-money rating, and the hoodless version is a fair chunk cheaper.

Best combination of packability and robustness

Made from a softshell, Schloss Tex fabric, designed specifically for the Equip RS, the jacket is waterproof as you can get, but also breathable. The hydrophobic membrane is DWR coated, seams are taped and its race-cut design helps keep most of the water out, although the stretch wrist band did let it down when not orientated directly out of rain spray when we tested it.

It's not quite as compact as some of the others on this list, but this Swiss jacket will easily stuff into a pocket and the high viz colour options get the thumbs up from us as one of our favourite waterproof jackets.

Read more: Assos Equipe RS Rain Jacket Targa full review

Best on a budget

If you’re looking for an affordable lightweight, packable jacket that’ll keep you dry in most types of wet weather conditions, the Altura Icon Rocket should be seriously considered.

Most definitely used in the shoulder season and when necessary in summer temperatures, the Altura Icon repels moderate rain and road spray. As for the fit, we found it to be tight without ever being too obstructive.

Aside from a small, open pocket on the right of the jacket that can store food, we found that the main disappointment is the lack of access to the jersey’s back pockets. But apart from this oversight, this is an essential piece of kit when the rain threatens.

Read more: Altura Icon Rocket Men’s packable jacket review

How to choose a waterproof cycling jacket

How we test

When testing rain jackets we naturally place great importance on their ability to keep you dry. As well as riding them outside in the wet, we also tested some of these jackets indoors, isolating both the seams and the zips.

This was done by placing a water column over the shoulder junction of each jacket and letting them sit for 10 minutes on top of a piece of kitchen roll. This allowed us to gain a visual representation of how much water penetrated the jackets relative to each other.

The same for the zippers - we tested each of the jackets in the shower, on top of a white t-shirt, to see which could withstand a large amount of water.

This helped prove that you perhaps shouldn't buy a rain jacket solely on its waterproof rating. Our seam testing shows how manufacturing processes and quality control can seriously affect the performance of a jacket, particularly over longer rides in the rain. Zippers too make a huge difference. Although the zip won’t take the full brunt of the rain in a normal riding position, the spray from your front wheel, or even water ingress over time can often lead to your core getting soggy - and that’s how you get cold.

Alongside this testing, we also paid close attention to the fit and the functionality of each jacket.

More on our testing protocols.