Looking for a new waterproof jacket without breaking the bank?
The seasons are changing here at WideopenmagHQ. The after-ride pint is now drank inside in pub, we’re packing lights for the evening rides and we’re digging out those waterproof and windproof jackets.
If, like many of us here, you’ve lost or destroyed your old waterproof mountain biking jacket then you’ll be thinking about what to buy next. There are heaps of expensive, high tech jackets out there … but what about those of us that don’t have a fortune to spend?
Here are our pick of the best waterproof jackets for less than £100 that you can buy right now, online. Sure, we know £100 is a fair bit of cash but we’ve found that it marks the point where you can still get a decent product for a decent price without too much of a risk of buying something crap.
We’ve tried to find the cheapest prices online for each jacket … but if you’ve found a better deal be sure to tell us in the comments below.
Altura Mayhem Jacket – £39.99 a Wiggle
The Mayhem is a proper winter mountain biking jacket. There’s a high collar to keep the wind out, velcro cuffs to keep your arms warm, taped seams and a mesh liner to keep damp material away from your skin.
You’ll feel decently wrapped up on a wet and windy hillside but the bulkier material does make the jacket tricky to stash in a bag mid-ride. We also found that the under-arm zips aren’t quite enough to keep the jacket cool in warmer weather or on long, tough climbs and you’ll end up having to pull the main zip all the way down to get cool air in, which often lets the rain in.
We were pretty disappointed to find that the zips on the Mayhem packed in after a couple of months of use and we also found the cut of the jacket a little strange. It’s quite tight on the shoulders, whilst being baggy in the arms and belly. Not the end of the world, but the extra flappy material was noisy and added a bit of bulk.
If you’re on a tight budget and need a jacket for commuting and a bit of off-road use it’s worth a shot. Use caution with the zips though if you’re getting it regularly plastered.
The Altura Mayhem is currently available for just £39.99 online over at Wiggle. For what you’re getting, that’s a really decent price.
Madison Roam Waterproof Jacket – £55.99 at Sprockets
Madison’s Roam Waterproof Jacket is another chunkier option that you’ll be glad of on chilly commutes or wet, blowy winter rides. Unlike many of the other options here it’s a ‘softshell’ jacket – meaning it’s not designed to be an impervious waterproof layer, but is a bit comfier and a looks a bit more casual.
You won’t be packing the Roam away into a bag without some decent free space … so it’s a good choice for mid-winter rides when you know you’re going to be fighting to stay warm and dry for the whole ride.
The Roam has a decent enough 10,000mm waterproof rating and 10,000gms breathability rating and comes packed with useful features. There’s a pocket on the front for your phone, the adjustable hood will fit over your helmet, the zips are all waterproof and there’s even an open vent on the back to keep air flowing.
We also thing that it’s one of the least ‘mountain bike jacket’ looking jackets of the bunch – making it ideal for wearing day to day, for the commute and down the pub.
You can get a Madison Roam jacket for £55.99 over at Sprockets Cycles – which seems to be the cheapest online right now.
Madison Zenith waterproof jacket – £59.99 at Tredz
The Madison Zenith is designed to be a lightweight and decently waterproof jacket that’ll keep you rolling in the very wet conditions. With a 15k waterproof and breathability rating it packs a bit more punch than the Madison Roam and is almost as good at repelling water as our favourite jacket of all time, the considerably pricier Endura MT5002.
The Madison Zenith’s style is a bit more ‘XC’ than we’d usually go for but the pay off is that it’s lightweight, it can be packed down in to a medium sized hydration pack and that there’s no extra bulk or unwanted material to flap around. There are two large pockets on the front (designed to be big enough for a map apparently), there are underarm zipped vents, the hem and cuffs are adjustable and there’s a large rear pocket for storing your sarnies. Oh … and no hood this time.
You can pick up a Madison Zenith Waterproof over at Tredz for £59.99.
Fox Gradient waterproof jacket – £74.99 at Leisure Lakes
The Fox Gradient comes into two colours – one is simple and black, the other is a wild red/white/blue/black combo. We’ll let you decide which you like best.
The Fox Gradient is 10k waterproof and breathable and packs down neatly into a small pack – it’s one of the few jackets here you could stuff into a small hydration pack or your trendy enduro bumbag
The Gradient has taped seams to keep the water out, a lightweight and removable hood and is made of comfortable, stretchy material which works nicely on the bike. The breathability is fairly good, though it can get a bit sticky on longer, sweatier rides.
We have a few Gradient jackets here at Wideopen and they’re a great bit of kit to chuck on and off when the weather is pogoing between rain and sun. It’s become a decent favourite of our photographers who can stuff it into a bag easily without taking up valuable space or adding weight. It’s not necessarily the jacket to rely on for hardcore, back country adventures but it’ll do fine for laps of the local and days out at the bike park.
The Fox Gradient jacket is £74.99 over at Leisure Lakes.
Endura Xtract Jacket – £52.24 at Mickey Cranks
We’ve spent more hours in the Endura Xtract waterproof jacket than any other here at Wideopen.
It’s very lightweight, packs down to the size of an apple and the 5k waterproof/breathability rating is enough to keep out the elements when you don’t need a proper, ‘ardcore waterproof jacket.
There’s a small pocket on the back that you can pop your keys or pub money in, it’s made of ripstop fabric (and hasn’t ripped in 3 years of riding), there’s an elastic hem and cuffs to keep the wind out and a mid-height collar that keeps the gusts out on windy days. There’s also a mesh vent on the rear to keep you cool and reflective details for the ride home in gloomy conditions.
The Altura Xtract might be one of the lowest waterproof/breathability rated jackets of this bunch but it’s also one of our favourite jackets of all time. It’s tiny, lightweight and no fuss meaning you can stuff it easy into a pocket or bag without any bother. If you hate riding with a bag, this is a good choice and one we’ll often stuff into a baselayer back pocket when the sun comes out.
It’s also a really decent price – the cheapest we’ve found it so far is £50ish on Mickey Cranks.
Endura Singletrack Jacket – £59.45 at CycleStore
The Endura Singletrack Jacket is one of our favourite budget waterproofs. For way less than £100 you get a 10,000 waterproof and breathability rating and a tonne of decent features that punch well above the price range. There’s under arm vents, a roll-away hood, a roomy chest pocket with a headphones port, reflective trims for dark days and two front pockets to store your snacks.
The shape and cut of the Singletrack jacket is a bit more of an all-rounder than some … and feels a little bit more like a general-use outdoors jacket than a pure ‘cycling’ one. The collar in particular feels a bit bulky and there’s no adjustability in the hood to get it spot-on for wearing over a helmet. That said, for the money the Singletrack is cracking and will do well for winter riding, commuting, hanging out at the races and generally just stomping around in the wet and cold.
The Endura Singletrack is 48% off at the moment at CycleStore.co.uk for £59.45.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll update the story …
Don’t forget … Share your wet, muddy and wild riding shots with #wideopenwinter and we’ll reshare your photos on Instagram.
