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The Specialized Trail Rain Jacket is designed to be used out on the trails and is casual enough to wear around town. The 2.5-layer woven fabric and fully taped seams of this cycling jacket claim to be waterproof and breathable, paired with a relaxed fit.

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The jacket proved to be a comfortable and useable fit, however, the poor breathability let it down. The waterproof abilities diminished as the DWR coating wore off, although this can be topped up to keep up the performance. Along with only having one pocket and tight cuffs, this jacket leaves room for improvement. However, at this price point, it is still a dependable layer for winter riding. 

Specialized Trail Rain Jacket - Technical details

The Specialized Trail Rain Jacket is a lightweight and packable jacket that’s styled to be worn on the trail or casually around town. The 2.5-layer woven fabric (90% polyester, 10% Spandex) is breathable and completely waterproof with an additional DWR coating to help shed water droplets. The construction looks promising with fully taped seams and a waterproof zip. 

The jacket features one pocket on the chest which is big enough to stow your car key or a phone. This pocket doubles up as a pouch where the jacket can be stuffed and zipped up into a small package. The hood is designed to be big enough to fit over a helmet.

Specialized Waterproof Jacket-6.jpg, by Ty Rutherford

The jacket has a relaxed fit giving room to move on the bike and with sizes ranging from S-XXL there should be no problem finding a good fit. It’s available in two colours; black or “harvest gold”.

Specialized Trail Rain Jacket - Performance

Initially, the waterproof performance of this jacket was impressive, however, this diminished quickly and, after a handful of soggy rides, it soon started to let water in. To get the best out of the coat, a regular DWR coating top-up is required, either with a spray or wash-in product. Even after the “break-in” period, the waterproof qualities are still good for this price point but don’t expect to stay dry all day in the rain. 

Specialized Waterproof Jacket-3.jpg, by Ty Rutherford

The breathability of the material is poor. I found it to be a sweaty affair on anything other than a frosty ride - this is on an analogue bike though, e-MTBers would find this less of an issue. Unfortunately, there are no air vents to help with ventilation. 

Specialized Waterproof Jacket-2.jpg, by Ty Rutherford

I found the fit to be comfortable without being baggy. The cut is spot-on, the arm length is perfect and the jacket covers the back suitably. It’s a shame there is no drawstring or elasticated hem at the bottom of the jacket, as the fit could be tighter to stop mud and water from getting inside. The hood size is a little off. It’s slightly too big to fit under the helmet but not big enough to go over, especially on night rides where a head torch is involved. 

Specialized Waterproof Jacket-7.jpg, by Ty Rutherford

The arm cuffs need a mention - they’re surprisingly fitted, and taking the jacket off is a tricky affair. The upside is no water can get up the sleeve. 

Specialized Waterproof Jacket-8.jpg, by Ty Rutherford

The jacket stashes into a stowable package. Tucking it away into the chest pocket is an easy affair although the zip can be a little fiddly to fasten up. Once packed away it could be easily chucked in a backpack or hip pack for storage. 

Specialized Trail Rain Jacket - Verdict

Retailing at £125, the Specialized Trail Rain Jacket is well-priced. For the performance on offer and materials used it's right on the money. 

Other options include the £111 PNW Lander Jacket at similar money but it's a lighter option. It’ll need to have DWR coating topped up regularly just like the Trail Rain jacket.

Endura’s GV500 Waterproof jacket is perhaps a little more snug and retailing at £160 it's more expensive, too but worth the money as far as lightweight, waterproof and breathable jackets go.

The Specialized Trail Rain Jacket provides a relaxed fit, mediocre waterproof protection and subtle styling at a reasonable price. The cuffs are too tight and the lack of pockets is a little annoying but, for the money, it's dependable for the winter season as long as you don't plan to be in the rain all day.  

• www.specialized.com
• The reader’s guide to off-road.cc’s review scoring system

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