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The new Cube AM WS Storm jacket is a vast improvement on the previous version. It's superbly waterproof, breathes really well and offers a female-specific cut that's spot on. It lacks hand pockets and the hood could be a bit bigger, but aside from that, it's hard to find fault with this little gem.

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I reviewed the previous iteration of the Cube AM WS Storm jacket back in 2017, where I found it to be technically well-performing and hardwearing, but niggles from the zipper, hood and cuffs let it down. It's pleasing to see these have all been rectified for this 2020 version – in fact, it's become my 'go-to' coat for winter riding. 

It's built from a 2.5 layer nylon (water resistant outer, waterproof middle, very thin protective inner that counts as 0.5) and is superbly waterproof and breathable. It feels flimsy and thin overall, but I've put this jacket through the wringer (not literally), grinding in the muck, falling off and hosing it down over and over. It remains as good as new.

The welded seams and waterproof zips do a great job of keeping all of the water out and the light material breathes very well indeed. 

I've worn it both with just a base layer on warmer wet days and over a base and thermal jersey (this Castelli road one) on cold wet days, and found the fitted cut has plenty of room for insulating layers.

The collar is minimalist. There's no fleecy lining, but it's still one of the most comfortable jackets I've found to wear fully zipped up; the collar deflects the rain well without restricting head and neck movement.

The cuffs are well-shaped to protect the backs of your hands, and the rear is long with an arched cutaway to prevent you sitting on it. Not a problem I've really ever encountered, but it's a thoughful detail and doesn't detract from the performance. 

The hood just fits over a helmet... at least it does over a small one, such as my Giro Montara. But I can't zip the jacket up fully like that, and it won't fit over my bulkier Specialized Ambush at all.

There's a small lycra insert to help the peak lie close to your forehead, and it works well to stop the hood flapping. There's also a drawstring around the back to either winch it in further (when up) or scrunch it tight (when down) for fast sections.

Elsewhere there's a zipped chest pocket large enough for a big mobile like my iPhone 8 Plus. Personally I'd like hand pockets too – this is an outer layer, so I'd like a few more storage options. On the other hand, it's lightweight jacket that packs down small, and adding more pockets and zips would hamper this. 

There are reasonably-sized underarm vents with elastic strips to prevent the ports from opening too wide. They're positioned really well, channelling air up from the chest and around to the rear to cool the rider. Further neat details include large tabs to grab on the zippers, some reflective detailing for low light and a drawcord around the bottom. 

The Cube AM WS Storm jacket is a hidden gem: if you can find one for sale you'll be buying a comfortable, very waterproof, very versatile jacket with a cut and fit that is as good for downhill hooning as it is gravel grinding. At £141 it may seem a little pricey for a jacket from a bike brand, but the styling and logos are discrete – and you won't be disappointed by the performance. 

• www.cube.eu

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