Sportful Hot Pack Hi-Viz Norain jacket reviewed

When you check the weather ahead of a ride and see rain in the forecast it can be deflating. Many cyclists try to avoid riding in the rain when they can but with proper apparel, it’s certainly become increasingly possible to head out and really enjoy a rainy day ride. Sportful’s Hot Pack Hi-Viz Norain jacket is light, packs up very nicely and does an excellent job of keeping you dry. The jacket also helps you stay seen in gloomy conditions with high visibility details.

For a good fit and water protection, Sportful use two fabrics. Most of the jacket is made from the companies Aquashield for water protection. Water beads and is quickly shed from the jacket in the rain thanks to this material. The jacket has a high collar for increased protection and stretchy reflective cuffs on the arms and at the waist to keep the rain out.

The Micro-Shell stretch fabric is used on the underarm and along the side. This ensures the jacket has a nice and comfortable fit allowing for good mobility in the arms and when crouched aggressively over the bike. The stretch fabric also provides better ventilation while still protecting from the rain.

The inner seams of the jacket are taped to prevent any seeping. The quality construction held up perfectly from my use and with the waterproofed zipper seal the jacket gets the job done in the rain. The jacket is also great for protecting against the wind and on more than one occasion I wore it simply for this purpose. This means that it’s useful if you are riding at different elevations, making it not simply useful in the rain .

One of the jackets greatest and simplest features was the built in bag in the rear pocket that makes it easy to pack up the jacket and put it in your jersey pocket. If you have ridden in variable conditions the versatility of a lightweight, compact and easy to pack up jacket is greatly appreciated. The bag ensures that it’s protected in your pocket from your sticky bars and gels. It ensures that when you reach back and pull the compact bag out your personal effects don’t follow suit in the case they got mixed up in the pocket.

The Sportful Hot Pack Hi-Viz Norain provides the protection required to tolerate or even enjoy riding in the rain, a lightweight and compact design that fits snuggly in your jersey pocket thanks to the built-in bag, and visibility to keep you seen out on the road. The MSRP on the Sportful Hot Pack Hi-Viz Norain is $285.