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btr waterproof hi-viz jacket
around a week ago, my cycling accomplice and i undertook the sunday morning ride in warm sunshine, allowing for short-sleeve jerseys and the opportunity to sup froth outside on the patio at debbie's (still open for takeaways). even though it's scotland, it was the very last day of may, ostensibly what could be said to pass for summer round these here parts. that it was warm enough for short-sleeves might be considered a notable state of affairs here, but ventilation was ably assisted by the persistent wind that never quite manages to permanently go away. we may moan, but in truth, it has its uses.
while the hebridean weather has never been entirely predictable, what can be counted on is that it will often change drastically from one day to the next, a fact that was proved in the latter stages of last week, when the temperatures sunk to those of which november would have been proud. this downhill slide culminated in a saturday that ignored the forecast and pretty much rained all day, despite meteorology dictating that we'd have seen the sun by noon. in sympathy with the rain, the persistent galeforce northwesterly drove the temperature to somewhere between seven and ten degrees.
for once, the curse of the waterproof was conspicuous by its absence. in my experience, every time i've been sent waterproof jackets for review, the weather brightens immeasurably, and i have been known to contact the provider to apologise for the time taken to offer a published review, entirely due to a total absence of precipitation. this time round, fortune was distinctly in my favour: a wet and windy day and a waterproof jacket.
based in chichester, btr (bike, train, run) offers a wide range of high-visibility garmentage to suit individuals undertaking any of the activities presaged by their acronym. in this case, the garment under discussion is a very bright fluorescent jacket that would fulfil the waterproofing and visibility requirements of cyclists or runners, but, to be honest, the cut lends itself to anyone who wants to be seen and remain dry. there are two zipped front hand pockets, and a flapped rear pocket that features a drawstring closure. in addition, the hem sports two adjustable drawcords to offer a closer fit, and the cuffs can also be adjusted via velcro straps. the high collar is lined with a soft fabric to avoid any chafing, while the front closure is by way of a full length zip with a clever locking mechanism.
my only beef with the latter, is one that i've come across on many another jacket. a few centimetres below the collar, there is an internal windflap that almost inevitably became caught on the zip when attempting to close all the way to the top. hardly a deal-breaker, but certainly an occasional irritation.
the jacket is lined with a loose mesh, almost too loose inside the sleeves, the excess of which almost inevitably appeared past the cuffs when donning over a cycle jersey. what should be stated is that this waterproof jacket is not breathable, a fact pointed out by btr on their website. it does feature a rear vent to aid circulation, but at a retail price of £34.99 (currently reduced to £24.99), the lack of a breathable membrane is quite understandable. it does, however, have a drop tail to keep road-spray from the back of one's shorts.
that this particular jacket is probably not aimed at the pelotonese would likely be advised both by the two front pockets and the lack of any specifically defined breathability. additionally, though every jacket i have in my wardrobe is medium size, this particular example was just a tad on the loose side, encouraging a smidgeon of flappage while traversing the parcours. i have borne all these in mind while compiling my review.
for the price, it would be hard to not to praise this jacket. its fluorescent brightness had cattle and sheep grasping for sunglasses, while oncoming cars would slam into roadside ditches, their drivers blinded by my presence (ok, i might have made that bit up, but it is a very bright jacket - nobody is going to claim they didn't see you). aboard a bicycle with a lengthy top tube and drop bars, i'd have liked perhaps one more centimetre on the sleeve length, but i think it likely that the designer had a more upright posiiton in mind, with hands grasping flat bars.
the waterproofing is, to all intents and purposes, beyond reproach; water simply beaded and rolled off the surface throughout my three-hour bike ride in less than clement conditions. however, what the garment gained in resisting precipitation, it lost out in preventing perspiration. even though the ambient temperature was unseasonally low for the time of year, on reaching my coffee stop, the underlying jersey was decidedly damp about the sleeves and the shoulders, neither caused by rainfall.
however, i'm pretty sure that my regular mode of riding quite fits into the jacket's customer profile. this is a rainjacket for a commute of up to five or ten kilometres, or for popping down to the shops. a road bike ride of near 70km incorporating galeforce headwinds, was probably not in its job description. nonetheless, bearing this in mind, it never quite reached boil-in-the-bag proportions, though a warmer, yet wet day might well have provided a different conclusion. looking at the brief reviews on the btr website, one customer posted that they were new to cycling and wanted to be safe, while another posited that it was a good waterproof at a good price.
i'd be inclined to wholeheartedly agree with both.
monday 8 june 2020
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