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I'm after a nice lightweight packable showerproof jacket to put over my windproof once the rain starts, needs to be able to stuff into a jersey pocket, nothing to thick just a showerproof.
I've seen the Castelli squadra, anything better for the money?
Around £50-60 budget, but the cheaper the better for me.
Sportful Hot Pack?
Had two, lost the first one. never paid more than £50. £55 from Wiggle.
If you're skinny, take a look at Northwave stuff - you can find it quite cheap on Ribble, Merlin and various other online stores. I reckon it's underrated in terms of quality. My fully waterproof jacket from them is excellent - not at all sweaty which is quite an achievement for me!
It does come up skinny though, so buy from someone you can send back via Collect+ for free...
Altura Pocket Rocket?
I've just bought myself an Altura vapour from tredz. I haven't tried it in anger yet but the reviews are favourable. It's stretchy, windproof and waterproof, and will fold up small enough to fit in a back pocket. And best of all it was £45 (RRP £120). Rutland cycles have the Altura pocket rocket for £29 too, which is tempting, just to stuff in the saddle pack.
What problem are you trying to solve? It may sound like a daft question, but I just noticed you asked for a [i]showerproof[/i] rather than a [i]waterproof[/i]. I have a winter soft-shell that is windproof, breathable and keeps me dry in all but the worst downpours. It's brilliant for riding at this time of year. Very occasionally I'll stuff a waterproof in the back pocket as well, but it has to be really raining to put that on.
The DHB Cosmo is good for the price. Used it a few times in foul weather the last few weeks, kept me dry and not very boil in the bag which is a common problem for me.
I had a Squadra (well, still got it, never use it). IMO it's rubbish, as are most jackets in that price range. If you go for that sort of jacket, I'd look for a vented back. Underarm vents just don't work IME.
If you're lucky you may still be able to find the Pearl Izumi Pro Aero for under £60. It's what I replaced my Squadra with and I love it, and I use it a lot. Stretchy but still windproof: no rustling or flapping, and more breathable. Miles better than the budget crinklies.
The other one I have is the Gore Xenon 2.0 AS. Managed to get it for £70 I think, so a bit over budget. More rain-friendly, though.
Both of the above are a slim fit. (Much more so than the Squadra, which, despite being Italian, is rather loose.)
Gore Bike Wear Xenon 2.0 Active Shell Jacket is superb but c £100. It's offically a windproof but it keeps out light rain too.
I have a Gore gilet I bought in 2005 and you could probably get away with hanging it in a shop and no-one would notice it's not brand new so even though Gore costs when you buy it, it's buy Gore, buy once. All their kit is excellent IMO
Agreed on the "buy Gore buy once" thing. Still using a Paclite jacket that must be nearly 15 years old.
Amazon pricing for Gore fluctuates like mad, and the Xenon AS is under £60 in some colour/size combination(s) at the moment. (Haven't bothered checking which.)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Performance-Cycling-WINDSTOPPER-Active-Jacket-JWXENA/dp/B005EVK5VY
given the requirements
then an endura Pakajak fits pretty much exactly.nice lightweight packable showerproof jacket to put over my windproof once the rain starts, needs to be able to stuff into a jersey pocket, nothing to thick just a showerproof.