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That looks good off the bike for walking/pub. Would also be used for riding
I have a semi showerproof Mountain Warehouse softshell, which was way too warm on a 7 mile walk on Sunday
I have an Endura MT500 which can get a tad sweaty on the bike, but would be ok for walking - except it has the ridiculously large helmet hood
I have a Craghoppers waterproof that's a bit lighter than the MT500, but needs re-prooofing and the Mrs has claimed it
So.... fairly light and packable, looks decent - but not wanting a wafer thin pacamac style kagool. Doesn't want to be £200+ or even close really and doesn't need to be full on foul weather gear - showers or the occassional downpour, won't be used for expeditions
Rab Kinetic
I have one as a summer waterproof for walking.
Endura GV500? I would tell you what it's like but mine turned up a day late for my drizzly week in the Borders - seems to get decent reviews though, which is why I picked one up in the sale as a lighter MT500 alternative.
GV500 still has a mahoosive hood
Is the GV500 the replacement for the MTR jackets?
If so, that could be a good choice. I find my MTR shell really useable.
I purchase a Garwhal after payday - I bought my son one last month for his birthday. It is a slightly longer length, has a head hood, not a helmet hood, and this being Gore Paclite is more waterproof and durable than the ME fabric'd Zeno I have had (cut really well, works really well, own brand fabric less good).
https://www.countryside.co.uk/mountain-equipment/mens-garwhal-jacket
Is the GV500 the replacement for the MTR jackets?
I think it might be - looks like the GR range may be replacing the MTR stuff in general.
^ Yes I believe so. I read on here that that the GV500 waterproof shell isn't nearly as compact as the MTR shell packed up, which might rule it out for stuffing in a hip pack.
Rab Kinetic
+1, although I have the Kinetic Alpine version as they way the hood sits on the plain one annoyed me after 3 seconds of wearing in the shop. Ridiculously lightweight, scrunchable, comfy and stretchy, even in the reinforced version I've got. Try both versions before you buy, but there's little/nothing else I could find anything like them, especially at a similar price.
I read on here that that the GV500 waterproof shell isn’t nearly as compact as the MTR shell packed up
A bit confusing as there were two MTR shells, one much lighter than the other. The lighter one was called the "Emergency Shell".
+1 for the Rab Kinetic Alpine 2, scrunches down into the smallest sea to summit event dry bag (just over a litre from memory) for strapping to the bike (could go smaller but the compression straps on the bag are fully done at that point!)
Might be lucky and find one for around £100 on sportpursuit - with every penny
I picked up a Gorewear C3 Active Jacket earlier this year. Sun was for it to be subtle black with one small logo for road riding. But the recent wet but hot and humid weather has meant it’s been called into mtb duties. Waterproof / wind proof and the lightest / coolest cycling jacket I’ve ever had by miles.
Off the bike I don’t feel too stupid with it on where needed - although I’m not going to go as far as calling it fashionable.
Tempted to get a Gore Paclite from Sportpursuit.
Not exciting, and some pack smaller, but I've not found anything to outperform Goretex - and it's DWR treatment in particular.
I know they do fancier laminates now, but Paclite is pretty tough. The breathability isn't hampered by wetting out as most other fabrics tend to.
Another recommendation for the Rab downpour. I've had mine for about ten years and it's still waterproof, the zips still work, and the hood gripper strap is in a different league!
I got a gore “endure” paclite plus jacket from their site recently as the sent me a 25% off offer. Grey and subtle and fits generically enough for off bike too despite helmet hood. In fact I ordered two sizes in the deal and sent one back and I th8nk they credited me full price for the one I sent back!
Not as lightweight as the rab kinetic but if your not long’n lean the rab kinetic stuff can mean sizing up a bit too much IME. I really liked the idea of the rab kinetic pull over top as it’s ridiculously light ( so much so I can’t believe it works!) but it fitted really weirdly in the size up on me. The gore tex jacket rolls up to the size of a pint glass but I reckon it’s bombproof. Rab also do a cycling specific cinder kinetic and another model that looks similar that’s pretty close to the same functionality.
the gore stuff seems really well made and you can’t beat goretex for rain proofing IMO.
Keela Saxon. Lightweight, packs down, decently breathable and both waterproof and durable. @ £130 bought direct and the hood is nearly normal sized yet able to work over a helmet.
Made in Glenrothes, repairable at the factory. They pay living wage to UK workers and responsibly source materials. The company supports numerous mountain rescue teams around the country and equip ski patrols, bike cops etc...
That's a lot of reasons to buy and recommend their stuff.
Rab also do a cycling specific cinder kinetic and another model that looks similar that’s pretty close to the same functionality.
The Rab Cinder Kinetic - the bike version - is cut similar to the standard Kinetic, but has a bike-friendly helmet hood, a longer tail with a pocket and non-adjustable cuffs. Off the bike it's okay and the hood cinches down enough to just about work, but it only has a single small chest pocket and the tail pocket hangs really low, on me at least, which means it's of pretty limited use unless you like stuff hanging annoyingly over your backside. If you're taller than me, five nine-and-a-half in a medium, that might be less of an issue, but I'm not. For walking use the relative scarcity of pockets might be an issue.
It makes a pretty good showery weather mountain bike / gravel-ish jacket - it's a a bit roomy for road use - but for some reason Rab used the Polyester version of the Kinetic fabric rather than the tougher Nylon stuff used on the Alpine. I'm not sure how tough it would be if you stacked it on something rocky and abrasive.
The only other thing I've found with the Kinetic jackets is that when they do wet out, which they will eventually, the face seems to get really wet and soggy and takes longer to dry out than more conventional waterproof fabrics, but the pay-off is that they're really soft and comfortable to wear and very breathable by waterproof jacket standards. If you want a Kinetic for bike/off-bike use, the Alpine arguably makes sense. All imho etc.
Keela
I agree there is a lot to recommend them as a company.
Sadly though they have a few issues for me: they don't make a head compatible hood walking jacket - they're all helmet huge - and they don't publish any breathability or durability figures. Judging by the over trousers I bought my son's, there is a reason for that - sweaty as...
It must be a different fabric; I find the Keela Saxon to be very breathable, on a par with Endura GV500 and significantly better than their older and vented, road-focussed FS260. Even at 8 years old, last week the Keela kept out an hour of absolutely biblical rain and was shortly afterwards comfortable to wear climbing up from Loch Rannoch to Ossian in the middle of our tour; I rely on it as my main rain jacket in all but very cold weather.