Madison’s DTE 3-Layer Waterproof jacket is the brand's flagship offering, retailing at £200. It's designed to tackle the nastiest weather and the harshest, filthiest riding conditions. It boasts 20k waterproofing and a whopping 40k breathability, with a great performance-oriented cut and massive pockets to aid airflow. Everything points to an extremely durable jacket that should survive hard riding and even harder conditions.
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Madison DTE 3-layer men’s waterproof jacket - Technical details
It’s not a lightweight jacket weighing 609g, but its MO is for hard riding in harsh weather conditions. The heavy-duty fabric certainly feels substantial. Constructed from four-way stretch triple-layer fabric with a DWR treatment and neatly taped seams, it boats a 20k waterproof rating and a massive 40k breathability rating. The cut is tailored for movement and performance, with pre-curved arms, elasticated scooped-shaped cuffs and a pre-shaped hood with drawstring adjustment. The collar has a small section of laser-cut holes to help with ventilation.
The dropped rear has a reinforced layer of material as it’s a high-wear area and also benefits from a drawstring toggle to cinch it in to help stop wind and mud ingress. It’s great to see the two full-length, deep side pockets are mesh-lined to act as air vents. There is also a good-sized chest pocket for valuables. Finishing off the jacket are a few reflective print details for nighttime visibility. Sizing ranges from S to XXL and it comes in black, midnight green and lake blue (pictured here).
Madison DTE 3-layer men’s waterproof jacket - Performance
The cut is fantastic; the arm length is spot on and the shape is well-tailored and avoids any excess bagginess. The scooped cuff shape is very pleasing and creates a great seal where the cuff meets my gloves. The tailored cut hugs the body without creating any bunching, and even with my phone stashed in the breast pocket, it stayed pretty close to my body when pedalling and there is ample room for layering up in colder weather. The hood stays in place due to the size, shape and rigidity of the material – and can be cinched in using the pull-toggle but I didn't find it necessary.
The material, although robust, does offer a large degree of stretch, which came into its own when riding trails that required a lot of input, it also made heaving my bike over gates a doddle. And so far, nothing has been able to put a snag in it or damage the material. It also pairs well when wearing a hip pack with enough length at the rear to cover my ass.
Of course, we need to talk about the weather... The recent weather conditions have provided an arduous mix of wind, rain and bitter cold snaps, all of this has created the perfect test bed for this jacket.
I wipe down my waterproof gear of mud when possible and hang them up to dry to try and preserve any DWR coatings, fighting off the wife’s protests to stick them in the machine unless necessary. So that's how I’ve been testing this jacket.
With such filthy weather at the moment, it's been easy to put this jacket through its paces. The DWR treatment shrugs off wet mud and spray from the trail effectively, and it’s stood up to the heaviest downpours, with rain beading off so far. Windproofing is very good, and at elevation, the full force of the wind couldn’t touch me, with the hem cinched in and the close-fitting hood up, I felt very well protected.
Another thing this jacket does really well is moisture management, I just didn’t get overly sweaty. It could be in part attributed to the 40k-rated breathability, but there is no denying the massive side pockets help regulate temperature and facilitate airflow effectively.
It’s surprisingly hard to fault this jacket based on its price, performance and excellent cut. I’d happily wear it while riding my local trails or laps of the bikepark.
Madison DTE 3-layer men’s waterproof jacket - Verdict
If you’re after a great value three-layer waterproof and windproof jacket that handles moisture build-up better than some of its contemporaries, this could be the jacket for you. Liam liked the Troy Lee Designs Descent jacket, which is similarly priced at £200, but the Madison DTE 3-layer men’s waterproof jacket trumps it on breathability.
While Madison isn’t a brand widely regarded as 'cool' – compared to Fox Racing and Troy Lee Designs, I’d easily say that the Madison DTE 3-layer men’s waterproof jacket looks as good as anything else. It has an excellent cut, allowing for dynamic movement on the bike, and it can take a beating, making it a great choice for those who are tough on their kit.