El Niño is Coming. What do You Know About Packable Rain Jackets?

[ptourkin]

We've supposedly have a lot of rain (for us) coming to our sunny climes. I've got and Assos ClimaSchutz that fits well in my jersey pocket but it's only good for a few sprinkles.

I know that the Rapha Pro Rain Cape and POC Raceday Stretch pack down into a pocket but I don't know if the POC AVIP (I like orange) or the new Rapha Rain Jacket do as well.

What do you know and like for packable rain jackets?

[rnhood]

Gore Oxygen. It got the top marks in a test in one of the cycling pubs this year. But its very expensive. If you're going to race and ride group rides then its a good one. If you're going to ride all day in the rain then I would look at Showers Pass. Of course they are expensive too.

[Birddog]

Gore Oxygen. It got the top marks in a test in one of the cycling pubs this year. But its very expensive. If you're going to race and ride group rides then its a good one. If you're going to ride all day in the rain then I would look at Showers Pass. Of course they are expensive too.
Gore makes multiple models of their various jackets. I have an Oxygen, but it is NOT packable in a jersey pocket. Is there a specific model that is?

[wpod]

Another Showers Pass fan here. Superior products from people who know about foul weather riding and build their gear accordingly.

[sitzmark]

Gore makes multiple models of their various jackets. I have an Oxygen, but it is NOT packable in a jersey pocket. Is there a specific model that is?

Gore Oxygen 2.0. No pockets - no nothing, just a thin shell. Very slim fit, so if you carry a big wad of stuff in jersey pockets can become a tight fit. Basics like spare tubes, CO2 carts, food, shouldn't be a problem. Full-finger gloves, leg warmers, arm warmers, and other foul weather gear rolled up and stuffed in pockets is what needs to be checked out.

Packs down to included stuff sack. Could be even smaller in a compression sack or if bound with velcro straps.

[rnhood]

Yes, it packs reasonably small although it will fill one pocket on the jersey. I just went and checked mine and its the Oxygen 2 GT AS - which is now several years old. They have changed models a little, but it appears the current model closest is the Oxygen 2.0 as indicated in "siitzmark's" post above.

Mine does a good job keeping me dry for a few hours. If going for 5+ hours in the rain, I might look for a more robust jacket with heavier Gore-Tex membrane or equal. Eventually wetness will seep though mine over the hours. But its great for the typical metric or full century ride. Decent race fit without flapping, and the I like the tail coverage too.

[fishwhisperer]

if you're going out for a 5+ hour ride, you'll want to look for a jacket with a Gore Pro (or 3L) membrane, which isn't particular packable. The Gore Active membrane used in the Oxygen line can start to leak a bit around the tape during a deluge, part of the tradeoff you make when you make the seams more flexible and the fabric a little easier to move in. If you're really going out for that long in conditions that are truly, truly wet, then a Pro shell is the only way to go.

When it's raining here (been a few years now...), I use a Gore Path jacket, which uses a 2L Pac-Lite membrane. PacLite is part of the "standard" Gore-Tex fabric lines (not Active or Pro). For my needs in a proper rain, PacLite strikes the right balance between packable (kinda), waterproof (very), and breathable (ehh).

All that said, IMO the most important parts to keep dry on a ride are the feet. I've still not found great solution for that, even with full coverage fenders and Gore-Tex outersocks ...

[Lovetoclimb]

rapha rain jacket packs down quite well