USWE WATERPROOF JACKET REVIEW

Tech features

USWE designed the Waterproof jacket to be lightweight, adequately breathable, and waterproof. It consists of three layers of fabric treated with a PFC (per- and poly-fluorinated chemicals)-free DWR (durable water-repellent) that is supposedly healthier on the environment than other waterproof treatments. They used YKK water-repellent zippers for both the main zipper and the two zippered pockets.

USWE shaped the hood to be worn underneath the helmet and designed it to roll up and stay in place with a snap-button strap when not in use. It has ventilation points underneath the armpit for airflow and a reflective Flash icon on the back to keep the rider visible and safe if worn on the road. It also features a two-way zipper in case you need to get something out of a pocket and don’t want to zip from the top down or just want ventilation.

Field test results

This jacket is comfortable and light enough to not be a hindrance when packing it in a daypack. When the time came to pull it out of the pack when rain struck, it was a quick process to put it on, zip it up and get the hood situated under the helmet, though it did fit over the helmet, too, which was nice as long as we weren’t trying to move too quickly. This helped with airflow when we were climbing.

It has a drawstring around the crown of the hood, which helped keep it in place nicely wherever we wore it. When we felt the need to stow the hood away so it didn’t billow up behind us in light rain, rolling it up was a simple process, though we did need to take the jacket off to do so.

As far as protection from the elements, the jacket performed admirably. It repelled water in beads that were easily shaken off before entering a building or vehicle. If any water did penetrate the first layer during extended use, the inner layers kept us nice and dry. It’s not labeled as a windbreaker, but it serves that purpose in a very basic sense, and we found ourselves comfortable when wearing it even if there was wind and rain together.

One of our favorite features in USWE’s Waterproof jacket was the way the sleeves overlapped the top of the gloves to provide a small waterproof section so the skin between the glove and jacket didn’t get wet or cold or give the chill the opportunity to spread up the arm as it normally does.

HITS:

• Lightweight
• Stylish
• Water-repellent
• Sleeves overlap the gloves conveniently

MISSES:

• None

STAR RATING: ★★★★★

Price: $250
Contact: www.uswe.com