At a glance Lightweight waterproof that packs down into a small stuffsac and can be carried with ease by the most weight conscious rider
Tested by
Jon Adams, tester for The Bike List
Performance
The Featherlite Vélo H2O is a lightweight, cycle specific
waterproof jacket. It's made from Freeflow H20, which is a
polyurethane-coated nylon, and the seams are taped throughout to
prevent water getting through the stitch lines. The jacket fits
well and looks good, and features retro-reflective trim and flashes
for visibility at night, and a shock-corded hem at the bottom which
can be cinched in for a snug fit around your bum. The drop-tail
extends to provide good coverage, even when you're in a head-down
tuck on a road bike, and though the sleeves 
are loose enough to allow
them to be pulled up to the elbows for a bit of forearm venting,
the fabric doesn't flap around too much on quicker descents. The
full-length zip can lock at any point along its travel, and at the
collar, it forms a good, snug fit to keep out the weather. There's
no hood (the assumption is you'll be wearing a helmet), and as part
of the weight-saving deal, there are no pockets, either. Round the
back, there are open vents to help the jacket's breathability, and
it comes with a nifty little mesh stuffsac so it's easy to stow
away.
When packed, it's small enough to go in a jersey pocket, though there's a Velcro strap on the stuffsac that allows it to be attached to your frame, bottle cage or saddle rails if you prefer. The stuffsac weighs in at just 13g, but the Medium sized jacket we had was 23g heavier than Montane's spec suggests, and tipped the scales at 148g.
So far so good, but the on-the-bike performance doesn't quite match the light weight and good looks. I tried it first as a straight windproof shell in dry conditions, and faced with a headwind too chilly for a short-sleeved jersey, I slipped it over the top. Within 20 minutes the Vélo H2O was very wet inside - the arms were actually running with water, so any areas of bare skin isn't a good idea under this. My shoulders and back were wet through, too, and I wasn't overheating - I was actually taking it easy and had no perspiration on my forehead. With a thicker long-sleeved base layer and colder weather, the lack of breathability would be less noticeable, but it's not really effective as a windproof as the water vapour isn't released quickly enough to stay comfortable.
The next test outing was
an hour's ride in medium, constant rain, with a 15mph wind. The
fabric performed well at keeping out the weather, with the rain
beading up on the surface, and the wind being stopped dead. Inside
the jacket, though, it was the same story, with retained moisture
and condensed body heat causing the inner surface to be dripping
wet. Lack of breathability is less noticeable in constant rain -
you sort of expect to get wet because your face is exposed to it,
but the experience was still quite uncomfortable, and not really
what I'd expect on a £70 jacket. Though the weight and
styling is attractive, the price seems on the high side for the
level of performance the Vélo H2O delivers.
As a windproof it's not breathable enough to be comfortable, and as a waterproof you get wet anyway. On the whole, a better choice is Montane's standard windproof Featherlite Vélo jacket. At £45 it's much cheaper, and though it's not fully waterproof, it's actually more versatile, as it holds back light and medium rain and is breathable enough to remain comfortable in dry conditions, too.
Buy from www.chainreactioncycles.com
Montane says:
The world's lightest weight waterproof cycling jacket.
The Vélo H2O is an ultra-lightweight, simple, moderately waterproof and breathable jacket for the active cyclist. Weighing in at less than an inner tube at 125g, with a vented back panel and 3M ScotchliteTM reflective flashes it's ideal for road and MTB riding in inclement weather day or night.
Details:
- Cycle specific active cut with extended drop tail and long arms
- Micro seam tape
- Back ventilation
- Full length front zip with 3M ScotchliteTM reflective trim
- Single hand adjustable elasticated draw-cord rear hem
- 360° 3M ScotchliteTM reflective trim
- Self fabric elasticated cuffs
- Own stuff sac
- Colours: Silver, Black, Fluoro yellow
Fabrics:
FREEFLOW® H2O
- 43g/m² 30 denier Nylon mini rip-stop with Monolithic PU coating
- Waterproof to a minimum of 1,500mm (JIS L 1092)
- Breathable with a minimum MVTR of 6,000g/m²/24hrs (JIS L 1099 A-1)
- Spray rating 80 / 20 (JIS L 1092)
3M ScotchliteTM
- Retro reflection technology
- Lightweight and flexible glass bead structure
- Light rays are returned in the direction from which they came, keeping the wearer safe and seen
Weight: 125g / 4oz: Medium size
Find out more from www.montane.co.uk
