Rapha Pro Team Shadow Gilet Review: Top level protection and more usable across seasons

The Rapha Pro Team Shadow Gilet shares much of the same construction as the Shadow Jersey. Chief among the design is a single layer micro-pore membrane which Rapha set out to make as breathable, weatherproofed, and lightweight as the PFAS membranes that have now been ditched from most production cycles across the EU.

Construction

This membrane also features an external DWR coating to assist water in beading off the garment, while the membrane itself should remain fairly impermeable to water even when saturated externally. Front facing seams are also taped internally to reduce water ingress while being built in a way that aims to maintain performance over time. The micro-pore structure is aimed to assist breathability while allowing for consistent weatherproofing performance even while stretched.

This was actually the item Rapha found was most often used by its sponsored EF Education-EasyPost World Tour teams in the spring classics races. A two-way zipper has been used to make access to pockets underneath easier as well as providing more tailored ventilation with minimal billowing.

The gilet itself still features three cargo pockets at the rear, while reflective detailing has been added for foul weather visibility. Three colour options are available for men, two for women, while sizes range from XS to XXL.

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The Ride

The Rapha Pro Team Shadow Gilet features near enough the same design as the Shadow LS jersey, but removes the sleeves. By using the same Shadow membrane, which features a reasonable level of stretch, it can maintain a close fit even when layered over other items and with the pockets full. The length is not short at the back, although not as 'dropped' as most waterproof garments.

What I like most about this gilet is that it addresses one of the main gripes I had with the Shadow LS jersey, which was the heat buildup; it was able to breath, but resulted in moisture pooling at the cuffs. By removing the sleeves this is no longer the case. A two-way zip is still featured for tailored breathability, but it also works well for accessing pockets under the gilet. This makes the gilet fair more versatile than the Shadow jersey, which I found was usable in 8-14˚C range, whereas the gilet has a broader operating range. Paired with a lighter weight long sleeve jersey it was manageable in 14˚C even with a long sleeved base layer underneath. It got a touch toasty on steeper climbs, but it was far more comfortable than the Shadow LS jersey, and explains why this is the Shadow kit item that Rapha sponsored pro teams use the most.

Another feature I like is that it is impressively packable. It’s easy to remove while riding and folds comfortably into a jersey pocket, even if not as small as the likes of the MAAP Atmos gilet. Its packability is most impressive given the level of insulation and weather resistance that the gilet offers; normally an item like this would not be that packable.

As for that weather proofing, it performs impressively well for a post-PFAS era garment. In heavy rain it can get saturated, but this is the case with most items nowadays. In showers and light rain, as well as road spray, it’s exceptionally good at beading the water away. Given that’s the raison d’être for the Shadow range, it’s good to see just how effective the gilet is at achieving this.

Pockets are another area where the gilet does well. The pockets mirror the Shadow jersey, so they are plenty large enough to accommodate spare kit items, tools, and plenty of food. A zip-up valuables pocket is another useful addition.

Colour wise there are a few muted options but also a bright blue colour. This black colour isn’t the most visible, but it has effective reflective panels. The branding is also very subtle so it can be paired with most other kit items comfortably without clashing branding for those that are concerned about that.

Value and Conclusion

Impressively enough, for a highly weather resistant gilet, the Rapha Pro Team Shadow Gilet actually represents pretty reasonable value at £225 / $300. Given that the likes of the MAAP Atmos Gilet is £255 / $300, and although more packable does not feature pockets and weather protection is actually similar, the Shadow appears to represent reasonable value at this level.

Options like the Q36.5 Dottore Hybrid Gilet are cheaper at £190 / $260, but the weather protection is not as impressive, while there are fewer pockets and not quite as packable. Meanwhile the exceptionally good value Café du Cycliste Edith windproof gilet is only £125 / $170, but is designed for very light showers rather than any form of significant rain. However that is still the most packable outer layer item I’ve ever used and adds a good windproof layer for riding in all seasons.

Looking at gilets that offer strong weather protection, pockets, and features like two-way zips, the Rapha Pro Team Shadow is actually in a bit of a league of its own, both in terms of performance and also value when you consider performance against cost. It’s not cheap, but I think it represents the best performing and most versatile item in the Shadow range.

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The Rapha Pro Team Shadow Gilet is my favourite item out of the 2025 Shadow range. Whereas the jersey can get a touch warm, and the jacket is limited to very cold temperatures, the gilet works exceptionally well as an added layer in cold and wet weather, or for milder conditions as a lightweight rain shell. It still features a full raft of pockets, two-way zip, and great packability. It’s not cheap, but given its performance, it actually represents pretty good value in the current market. Rapha has a good reputation for making good foul-weather gear, and the Shadow Gilet hits the brief brilliantly.