This past weekend, the UK saw the arrival of Autumn, with driving rain and high winds ringing in the start of a few months of gloomy, wet riding for many of us. It also means my annual testing of the best waterproof cycling jackets could begin apace.
Over the last few years, I have made it my mission to keep you dry on the bike, whatever the weather, but it’s becoming clear that that job has become a lot harder.
Recent changes to environmental legislation, specifically around the banning of the use of PFAS chemicals (I’ll explain what these are in a second), has created a divide between the old and the new in terms of performance, with the consensus being that the old stuff is better. But is it?
Luckily for you, and somewhat unluckily for me, a weekend of torrential rain and a relatively short list of life admin to tick off meant I could back-to-back the current cream of the crop from Gore-Tex – Rapha’s new Pro Team Lightweight Gore-Tex Jacket – against the best of the old guard – Rapha’s Pro Team Lightweight Gore-Tex Shakedry Jacket.
How is the new Gore-Tex different from the old one?
Before I go into the differences, it’s probably worth a quick explainer on how waterproof fabrics work. At the core of each waterproof fabric, be that Gore-Tex, Pertex, or any other, is a waterproof membrane. Essentially, it’s a very, very thin plastic film that’s been heated and stretched so that there are holes through it big enough for water vapour (i.e. sweat) to pass through, but not big enough for liquid water (i.e. rain) to pass through.
The original Gore-Tex used expanded PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) as its membrane, with a monopoly on its use, while competitors had to opt for expanded PU (polyurethane) or expanded PE (polyethylene). The general consensus was that Gore-Tex’s ePTFE membrane was superior, but the issue comes with the letter ‘F’.
New legislation has outlawed the use of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) except in applications of strict necessity, which are primarily constrained to medical and military applications.
Now that the ban is in effect, modern Gore-Tex fabrics use an ePE membrane instead, effectively levelling the playing field versus the competition. On paper, though, PE and PTFE membranes offer similar waterproof and breathability ratings, with polyethylene also being lighter, but less durable.
The real difference, though, not just between old Gore-Tex and new Gore-Tex, comes down to the durable water repellent treatments applied either from the factory or at home when re-proofing.
Fluorine-based water repellent coatings, from a purely chemical point of view, are ‘better’. They are more water repellent, more durable, and to a lesser degree, they have an amount of oleophobicity (oil resistance), so grubby fingers don’t ruin things so easily too. This means the face fabric of your jacket or waterproof trousers stays free from saturation, and the water vapour can escape freely, rather than condensing inside.
Non-fluorine-based treatments still work, and are the backbone of at-home reproofing treatments, but just not to the same degree, meaning they’re more likely to result in a saturated fabric, condensation inside, and generally a wetter feeling. They are undoubtedly better for the environment; however, this isn’t a debate about the environmental credentials of different chemical treatments, just an investigation into performance.
How do they differ out on the road?
I will go on the record here before anyone assumes this is a slam piece on modern Gore-Tex, and say that there are plenty of very, very good waterproof jackets on the market that are PFAS-free. I adore the Albion Zoa Rain Shell, to the point I use it as my hiking jacket in the depths of winter, and the Maap Atmos is the pinnacle of lightweight but protective tech.
However, when the chips are down and the weather is truly abominable, nothing new has come close to matching the performance that not only the old Gore-Tex Shakedry offered, but also Gore-Tex Active in the likes of the Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Jacket, and the Rapha Explore Gore-Tex Jacket. I’m using Rapha for a lot of these examples primarily because the brand tended to make pretty incredible wet-weather gear out of the old stuff.
On this last stormy weekend, like every other time I have gone out dressed in Shakedry, I have been as dry and comfortable as it’s possible to be, despite rain so hard it was almost impossible to see, let alone ride. In the old Pro Team Gore-Tex (using a Gore-Tex Active membrane), I happily rode from work in a downpour for an hour, did an interval session back at home, and remained dry and relatively happy. The old stuff, and especially Shakedry, was so good I could basically pay no heed to the forecast. It had my back, kept my front dry, and made wet-weather riding if not a joy then certainly a more entertaining endeavour.
Contrast this to my escapades in the latest Gore-Tex and it leaves a lot to be desired. However good a waterproof is, there is always some ingress up from the sleeves, lower hem, and in from the neck, but after four hours, my shoulders and most of the front of my torso were soaked. This could be water ingress through the fabric itself, or it could be the DWR failing to keep the deluge at bay, resulting in condensation, but whatever the cause, I was more soggy and sooner than I would expect too.
This isn’t a Gore-Tex issue, though; this is an issue that has occurred when testing most post-PFAS waterproof garments, but I think it’s fair to say nowadays that Gore-Tex doesn’t offer a significant advantage over competitor fabrics, if it even has an advantage at all.
This makes my job harder. One can go off the stats for hydrostatic head and breathability, but there really isn't a gold standard anymore, which means even more time spent in the rain to make sure your wet-weather gear actually keeps you dry.
What can I do about it?
Last winter I wrote a piece about how waterproof jackets are getting worse, but that it ultimately doesn’t matter. Indoor training is better, weather forecasting too, and working patterns are increasingly flexible, meaning the likelihood of you having to ride in truly inclement conditions is greatly reduced.
If, like me, you absolutely must ride in a deluge, there are several things you can do to help yourself have the best possible time.
First up would be, if you’re comfortable – many are averse to having any contact with PFAS nowadays – just to use an old jacket. I have a stash of them in a box for when the worst conditions arise and I’m not required to test anything else, and I'll be using them until they fall apart.
Next, you can look after your new jacket better. Reproof it regularly, and keep oily hands away from the face fabric to stop the DWR deteriorating prematurely. Once the face fabric starts to saturate quickly, it’s time to get the reproofing chemicals out of the cupboard under the sink.
Layering can help too. Being wet and feeling wet are two different things, and humans don’t actually have a sensory receptor for ‘wet’ like we do for hot, cold, or pointy. ‘Wet’ is just a combination of pressure and cold, and so if you can keep your jacket off your skin, you’ll go a long way to feeling less soggy even if it isn’t performing at its best. Long sleeves and a decent base layer appropriate to the conditions will help a lot.
While riding at high intensity may keep you warmer, it’s also going to make you sweat more, so if it’s really grim out, I suggest you either ditch the jacket entirely, and swap it for something like a softshell jersey like the Castelli Perfetto, or a hybrid jacket like the Castelli Gabba R – You’ll get wet, but you’ll stay at a better temperature – or ride at a lower intensity to reduce the amount of water vapour your body produces. Both involve getting your layering right, but with practice, it’s far from impossible.
Will jackets eventually get better? Yes, of this I have no doubt, but I think modern layering strategies for cycling will have to adapt to account for the fact that they really aren’t ever going to be as good again.
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