Pearl Izumi Women's Attack WXB cycling jacket review

A rainy day in winter is inevitable and a good quality waterproof is going to make or break the ride. As a no-frills, no-fuss, easy-on-the-budget waterproof jacket, the Pearl Izumi Women’s Attack WXB stacks up well against other jackets in our guide to the best winter cycling jackets. Form fitting, and made from recycled polyester that still manages to display impressive waterproof capabilities, it is a marmite jacket - you’ll either love its minimalism, or hate the distinct lack of features. 

I tested this jacket in some of the worst rain I have experienced this winter. I'm not a rider who relishes the rain, like most, and it’s a testament to this jacket that I was able to keep on riding. All too often waterproof jackets tend to be weaker on either breathability, windproofing or waterproofing. Not the case with the Women’s Attack WXB Jacket, which offered itself as an impressive all-rounder. 

Design and Aesthetics

Pearl Izumi has created a really flattering cut on this jacket, or at least a cut that fits my body type - a longer torso with a small waist but slightly bigger chest. They call this cut ‘form fit’, which isn’t as 'second skin' as a race cut, but still offers a pleasant tailored cut. I liked the shape of it, finding that it gave me a proportionally curvaceous shape: rare in most cycling apparel that is considered ‘form fitting’ which often puts my waist just under my chest to give me the look of a half-used sack of potatoes. 

I also really liked Pearl Izumi’s sizing. Rather than just adding an additional 5 cm to every measurement as they sized up as many cycling brands tend to do in women’s clothing (case in point, the Rapha Explore Down Jacket), Pearl Izumi has considered that body shape look differently in each woman, and have varying measurements across bust/waist/hip at each size. This means that they offer a jacket that ranges from XS all the way up to XXXL, catering to a 116 cm waist, one of the broadest range of size offerings I have seen in winter jackets. 

I went for the small, and while it looked great on, I did find the jacket challenging to layer under. The arm holes are very small and fabric seemed to pull over my chest slightly which prevented too many bulky items underneath. I managed to work out a simple system though: a cropped bra, merino wool baselayer, looser fit top layer, all thin enough to slip beneath the jacket and still keep me warm in the rain chill, but that was about as much layering as I could fit without seriously impinging my movement. Realistically, this meant the jacket was only really usable down to about 7 degrees celsius, which, over the winter in the UK, still gives you a decent usage window. 

As with many brands, Pearl Izumi has gone for a darker colourway selecting  ‘urban sage’ (which is one of my favourite shades of green). It does, however, render you virtually invisible as soon as light begins to fade, so I was glad that they have added additional reflective detailing in a very aesthetic rose gold. The reflective panels on the arms, breast and droptail are super bright, I was pleased to find.

However, this is not a jacket full of features. It doesn’t have a hood or particularly fancy cuffs, or any pull toggles for extra form fitting, or even a fleecy collar, all of which I can forgive. What I found difficult to stomach though was the lack of pockets. No pockets on the front, no pockets on the back - Pearl Izumi hasn’t given us as much as even a tiny little zippered key pocket. This was disappointing, and rather akin to the treachery I feel upon buying a pair of jeans with those fake pockets. I know I could probably unzip from the bottom and reach around the back to some jersey pockets beneath, it’s not a total travesty, but it’s a faffy inconvenience I just don’t want when it is pouring with rain and I’ve got sodden gloves on. Come on Pearl Izumi, just give us one teensy little pocket. 

Performance

The Pearl Izumi Women’s Attack WXB is a soft shell jacket with no insulation to speak of. It's formed of three layers of recycled polyester and there are fully taped seams. Pearl Izumi states that it is ‘fully waterproof’, but the brand also says it's not quite as well suited to full rain as something you might find in the best waterproof cycling jackets. Given the lack of details around what it can actually handle, I decided to wear this jacket exclusively in the worst weather our British autumn and winter could offer and hope for the best. Considering the worst of it ended up being a 6 hour ride in torrential rain, I’d say I tested it pretty thoroughly. 

It held up for the most part. I noticed some leakage in the last few hours of my 6 hour ride, but I wasn’t soaked to the skin and I was impressed that it had resisted such an extensive downpour for so long. It certainly fared far better than I had expected, and much much better than my mental health did in that torrent. It dried out exceptionally quickly too; on other rides that were less brutal than a 6 hour dalliance with hypothermia, I found that a short break in the rain allowed the jacket to quickly air out before the next onslaught. The two layers of polyester were incredibly impressive against wind, and took most of the cold out of the weather as I rode, meaning that the lack of layering I needed for the cut wasn’t quite as noticeable over shorter distances.

Breathability is one of the most crucial aspects of a good waterproof jacket, and I had expected that recycled polyester wouldn’t be the most effective in keeping me sweat free on the inside. Even on a warmer winter day at 11 C / 52 F I didn’t find myself getting overly hot, and found the dual zip was enough to dump out the heat. I can imagine the jacket being a great addition all the way into spring, responding well to warmer temperatures. 

The breathability was so effective that I adopted the Women’s Attack WXB jacket into my running wardrobe too, managing several long runs in the rain and remaining comfortable inside the jacket and out. The fact it isn’t made at all for running but works far better than some of my dedicated running jackets was a serious bonus for me. I like garments with versatility; if I can use them in as many areas of my life as possible the investment in them becomes a lot more appealing. 

I’m picky about my zips, especially in waterproofs, and of the jackets I have tested this winter I found the zipper on the Attack WXB Jacket the most effective. It blocked the majority of the windchill, feeling reassuringly sturdy and offering a reinforced storm drain to remove any of the excess water. The zip moves well and holds perfectly, and is big enough to grab quickly with gloves.

On the bike, the fit worked well. Pearl Izumi has created a pretty nifty woven elastic design on the underside of the drop tail to keep it in place which was effective at preventing road spray, and I didn’t find the jacket moved about much. I perhaps should have sized it up, as I did feel some restriction in my shoulders when I added layers beneath it, but it wasn’t enough for the jacket to feel uncomfortable. The sleeves aren’t as long as in other jackets I have tried such as the Endura Women’s Pro SL Primaloft jacket and if I am being picky, I’d say that the cuffs weren’t quite tight enough on my wrists, though I know with some of the best winter cycling gloves this isn't likely to be a problem. Equally, though it is a lightweight jacket, it has little packability to it. You can stuff it down and tie it up with a hair band, but other than that it isn’t the easiest to store in bags or pockets. Again this isn’t the end of the world, but it does make it less usable as an emergency layer. 

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Value

Despite the relative lack of features, what there is in this jacket is excellent. It's a versatile, well made, and extremely protective shell that works well for runners too and has recycled credentials. For the price I think it's pretty spot on. 

Verdict

I said at the beginning of this review that the Pearl Izumi Women’s Attack WXB jacket is a ‘marmite jacket’, that you’ll love it or you’ll hate it. I am going to pledge my allegiance on the side of ‘liking it more than I hate it’. I think ‘love’ is perhaps a strong word; I've definitely worn better jackets, with more features to suit my riding (the lack of pockets has still left a sour taste in my mouth), but for the price, the performance is exceptional. A rain jacket boasting similar water repelling capabilities can easily set you back at least three times the amount this jacket costs, and for very few other features. 

Pearl Izumi additionally needs some recognition for creating a fairly size inclusive jacket from 100% recycled material that performs just as well as any other jacket. The environmental impact of clothing is a big interest of mine, and I am always pleased to find items that are flying the flag for a more circular economy of materials and doing it well.