UK based Sealskinz built their name on providing totally waterproof and windproof accessories to keep our hands & feet warm and dry in weather conditions that would otherwise make being outside for extended periods of time unbearable. While protecting fingers and toes has been their specialty across all outdoor activities, there have always been cyclists at the company. They’ve even produced a number of water-resistant pieces of riding kit for cyclists over the years. But now Sealskinz has gone all-in with a new fully waterproof line of apparel designed for the road cyclist – including a jacket, bib and standard tights, bib shorts, and leg warmers – for when the weather turns really foul…
Clearly wet weather cycling kit is a new thing. From the advent of Castelli’s Gabba jacket & even their water-repellent CX bibs from many years ago, to more recent developments such as Rapha’s Shadow kit and just last week’s more affordable Armour line from Void, the cycling apparel industry is offering more and more solutions for us to ride comfortably in the worst, wettest weather year round.
Sealskinz has taken what they know – the combination of waterproofness and breathability – and put it into a well thought out complete line of wet weather kit. The foundation of the new Waterproof Cycling Apparel are two key pieces the Waterproof Cycling Jacket & Waterproof Bib Tights, that combine to offer maximum protection. (As you can tell the naming is no-nonsense.)
Waterproof Cycling Jacket
The jacket uses a lightweight 3-layer stretch fabric to deliver complete protection from rain & wind with a close to the skin fit and laser perforated vents under the arms for optimized breathability and venting. The £190 jacket gets fully taped seams for total waterproofing, and an offset waterproof locking zipper with an inner storm flap.
Yes, it is black, as is everything else in the line, so it gets reflective detailing for visibility from all sides.
Storage wise it gets a waterproof front pocket, three traditional rear pockets with drain holes, and another waterproof zip pocket centered in the rear. Long extended sleeve cuffs, a soft extended collar, and an oversized drop tail aim to keep the elements out at all ends.
Waterproof Bib Tights
The bib tights use a combination of fabrics to keep water & wind out,with fully taped seams. From the waist down the fabric is again completely waterproof, designed here to have water bead up and roll off before it has a chance to seep in.
The £130 bib tights get a lighter set of bib straps that are said to breathe well, and a heat molded Liege HP chamois from Italian pad maker Cytech. To maintain a close fit and ease on & off, they also get waterproof locking leg cuff zips, as well as featuring reflective accents and small rear pocket on the bib straps.
Waterproof Bib Shorts & Tights
For more versatility beyond the absolute worst weather, Sealskinz also has some more modular solutions. The £110 Waterproof Cycling Shorts use exactly the same tech as the bib tights, minus the long legs for warmer wet weather riding. Or if you want the full leg protection without the comfort & convenience fit of straps over your shoulders, the £110 Waterproof Tights are identical to the bib tights minus the bibs.
Waterproof Leg Warmers
Lastly, if you get the shorts and want all-season range, or even if you are just tired of riding with wet legs with any other shorts, the £70 Waterproof Leg Warmers offer all of the protection of the tights from thigh to ankle. We’ve really come to appreciate even water-resistant leg warmers for winter road riding, and these fully seam taped, pre-shaped warmers would probably make a nice addition to and year-round cyclist’s closet.
One last note, if any of this sounds good to keep you riding through the rest of a wet winter into spring, Sealskinz is currently running a deal where if you buy any two of these pieces of kit together you will save 20% off of both. Use Valentine’s code “VL20” until midnight on February 14th to save.
