Rapha again partners with Gore-Tex to develop unique waterproof cycling jackets for riding in the most foul weather conditions, this time opting for more durable fabric and insulation for everyday road & commuting rides. Two new Pro Team Gore-Tex jackets offer protection for road and gravel riding in the rain and cold. Then, an all-new techy Insulated Gore-Tex Field Coat will keep city commuters dry and warm – whether on the bike, or just walking around town.
More Rapha + Gore-Tex waterproof cycling jackets
Rapha has expanded beyond the superlight yet more fragile Shakedry fabric that made the Pro Team Lightweight Gore-Tex shell incredibly packable and the original hooded Pro Team Insulated Gore-Tex jacket hard to beat for the wettest winter weather.
Now, these new jackets use Gore-Tex Active, Paclite Plus & C-Knit tech to offer extended durability for everyday wet weather riding, and combine with synthetic insulation to keep you comfy when it’s both cold AND wet on your regular rides & commutes.
Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Rain Jacket for road & gravel riders
The new Pro Team rain jackets are both made with recycled synthetic-faced versions of multi-layer Gore-Tex membrane for extra durability, with a less-harmful eco footprint. The Pro Team Gore-Tex Rain Jacket is the most simple, using Gore’s lightest 3-layer waterproof fabric Gore-Tex Active for an optimal balance of packability and long life, still with a C-Knit inner layer for improved breathability and next-to-skin comfort.
Meant for regular road racing & training in wet weather, the $270 / 230€ Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Rain Jacket is a bit cheaper than the Pro Team Lightweight Shakedry, but features a durable woven face fabric to make it more wear-resistant… and compatible with the straps of a lightweight backpack.
Rapha gives the new rain jacket a classic ergonomic road riding fit designed to be worm over a jersey and baselayer, but kept extra features to a minimum so it would still pack down small. The new Pro Team Gore-Tex Rain Jacket gets a light 84gsm fabric (70% heavier than Shakedry), doesn’t include its own pockets, uses a two-way waterproof zip, has a mesh-liner collar, and simple reflective details – in either dark navy blue or teal green.
Rapha Pro Team Insulated Gore-Tex Rain Jacket for cold & wet rides
The new Pro Team Insulated rain jacket is a bit more feature-packed, but still dialed back quite a bit from the wild hooded version debuted with the start of Rapha’s Gore-Tex partnership back in 2019. Again though, adding a lightweight synthetic insulation lining, this is a jacket for riding in really cold and wet riding, likely right around freezing temps.
The $355 / 310€ Rapha Pro Team Insulated Gore-Tex Rain Jacket uses Gore’s lightweight, abrasion-resistant 2-layer Paclite Plus waterproof fabric, then adds a third 65gsm synthetic insulated liner inside to boost warmth, while still allowing good breathability and sweat-wicking during hard efforts.
The new jacket features a wide stretchy waist gripper, zip-down cuffs, and a higher mesh-lined collar to keep cold rain and wind out. It also gets a zip chest pocket for phone & keys, plus two larger deep & drained back pockets that are supposed to be easy to access with gloves. Small reflective details and logos boost visibility on the jacket available in men’s & women’s cuts in an almost black dark navy or a lighter blue with orange details.
Rapha Insulated Gore-Tex Field Coat for commuters
The new Insulated Gore-Tex Field Coat might actually the most interesting of this new crop, even if it is the most expensive at $675 / 590€ and likely to be the hardest to get ahold of. Outside it’s pretty conventional-looking, based on a classic military field jacket design that doesn’t shout ‘cyclist’.
Of course, it’s waterproof & windproof, made from a standard 3-layer Gore-Tex fabric with a recycled nylon outer fabric and the more breathable & comfortable against the skin C-Knit backer, plus there are plenty of cycling-specific details hidden inside.
To keep commuters warm year-round, but still protected from the weather even when it’s not so cold, Rapha gives the jacket a detachable, recycled EcoDown polyester insulated liner. Essentially an extended short-sleeve, button-up T-shirt with quilted insulation, city commuters can even wear it separately to adapt to changing cool to cold to wet weather.
The Field Coat also gets a light & adjustable Paclite Plus hood that can be stowed away or worn with or without a helmet for full rain protection. It also gets waterproof zip handwarmer pockets, a waterproof zip chest pocket for your phone, three big flap-top pockets, and a two-way non-waterproof metal zip behind the snap-close storm flap so you can more easily adjust airflow while riding. It also features fold away hi-vis pink tabs for visibility, snap-adjust cuffs, and an adjustable waist to keep cold air out on the bike.
The Rapha Insulated Gore-Tex Field Coat comes only in dark navy blue and officially won’t be available until mid-December. RCC members will get first dibs when it goes on sale, but anyone can sign up on the product page now to get an email notification once it’s available.
