The Rapha Trail Gore-tex Infinum Jacket has found its way into our guide to the best waterproof cycling jackets, but it’s technically only water resistant. However the Gore-tex Infinium fabric promises to stop light rain, be highly breathable while being completely wind resistant making it a good companion for winter riding off-road in the UK. The jacket dances the line between full-on MTB performance and gravel riding really well, while still looking good off the bike. I’ve picked it up just to walk to the shops because of the nice casual fit, and looks pretty darn smart. But you don’t want to hear about a stroll to the shops, you might want to hear how it went down on a cold, and very wet day on my gravel bike though…
Design and aesthetics
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The jacket looks luxe; it has a nice outdoorsy fit without swamping you and the colour is a really rich royal blue. I’m not normally a fan of navy but this jacket gets a thumbs up from me. It also has the signature Rapha armband, but in a strip of small dots which seems to be its approach for all of its trailwear garments. Rapha rarely skips a beat when it comes to adding reflective details to any clothing and it is nice to have some as I’m rarely completely off-road for a ride. This jacket is a bit light on them, but as it’s intended for off-road use it probably isn’t a priority for Rapha or for you.
It’s got panelled gussets under the armpits, which are thinner and more stretchy than the rest of the jacket which are meant to allow full range of motion and increase breathability. The sleeves were plenty long enough for me and when I measured up against its size chart, the jacket that came was a good fit. I could probably go with a smaller one, but I do like the relaxed style and it gives plenty of space for layering underneath in the winter.
The cuffs are elasticated for faff-free removal and sat nicely over my watch and gloves without letting a draft find its way in. The hood and the hem of the jacket are adjustable with elasticated toggles so you can make sure everything sits where you like it when you’re on the move. The hood has a stiffer peak which is great if you opt to ride in a more roadie style helmet without a peak and don’t really want to wear a cycling cap. It sticks out far enough to do a decent job of keeping your eyes dry; handy if you like…
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