The flagship of their ‘Made for Worse’ range that launched last year, Endura’s MT500 Waterproof Jacket II has all the bells and whistles.
With the darkest depths of winter behind, how has the Endura MT500 Waterproof Jacket II held up during that time? Pete casts his verdict.
Photos by Pete Scullion.
Key features:
- ExoShell40DR 3-Layer waterproof fabric in a fully seam-sealed construction
- MadeKind’ fabric certified with no toxic PFC’s
- Durable shoulders with silicone grip and ergonomically positioned stretch panels
- 3D adjustable helmet compatible hood
- Ventilation from large underarm 2-way zipped vents extending onto back, compatible with back packs
- Front pockets doubling as vents, hidden internal pocket and sleeve lift pass pocket
- Water-repellent front zip with storm flap
- Soft touch lycra inner cuff for added comfort and protection
- 90 Day Satisfaction Guarantee
- £249.99 RRP
- EnduraSport.com
Made from Endura’s 3-layer, ‘MadeKind’ ExoShell40DR fabric, aimed at keeping you protected against the elements without you becoming a sweaty mess. You get 40,000g/m²/24hr and a waterproof rating of 20,000mm. The breathability is aided by 2-way zippered vents that extend to the back and front pockets that double as vents too.
The hood is large and comes with a storm flap, plus you have lycra cuff inners to stop the wind shooting up the sleeves. You also get silicone grippers on the durable shoulder panels, plus stretch panels where they’re needed to help mobility.
Fit is good, the size small being roomy enough for layers but not flapping about in the breeze either. An XSmall would likely be the one that fits me better but wouldn’t take a primaloft underneath without being too snug. The ‘Harvest’ colourway is also an absolute belter too.
The ExoShell40DR fabric is a delight for one that keeps so much liquid out and lets so much moisture in the other direction. Hardshell jackets are often just that when they’re sporting high waterproof and breathability numbers but the Endura material is comfortable enough to forget about and you’ll never tire of slipping your arms into those lycra wrist cuffs.
A lot has been said about having to reproof Endura jackets with extensive use, but personally, the Endura MT500 Waterproof Jacket II has been out in all weathers, being run through the machine and kept going strong regardless of how stinking the weather is outside. If this is your only riding jacket, then yes, that might be an inconvenience but reproofing a jacket doesn’t take long.
What Endura have managed to do is take something like the comfort and breathability of the Rab Cinder Jacket that didn’t seem to hold up to the downpours and combine it with the weatherproofing of something like the Altura Ridge Pertex jacket. The Endura offering pokes its head in front of the Altura jacket by having the multiple vent zip options to fine tune more or less breathability should you need it.
The extra details like the hidden Napoleon pocket and the lift pass pocket, reflective elements etc make the difference between this and the Altura offering, plus the Endura doesn’t feel quite so cold on the skin when the material eventually wets out.
What do we think?
The MT500 jacket quickly became my go-to jacket for three main reasons. One, this winter in the west of Scotland has been miserable so having a jacket that can deal with the omnipresent rain and standing water has been a godsend. Secondly, I am a sucker for orange. Warm colour outer layers are my jam. Thirdly, it just works as it says it will.
We love:
- This jacket
Could do better:
- Not an awful lot
