TESTED: Bontrager Race Stormshell Jacket
The Bontrager Stormshell jacket is semi-fitted, waterproof, and might just be your ticket to staying dry this winter.
All photos by Timothy Arch.
As a wise person once said, and I have before; “there ain’t such thing as bad weather, just bad equipment”. And when it comes to mountain biking apparel for all year round riding, I couldn’t agree more.
The Race Stormshell jacket comes from the Bontrager stable as a lightweight waterproof outer shell designed to keep you warm and dry when the weather is anything but. It uses high-tech membrane technology to deliver a balance of breathability and waterproofing, with fabric that is anatomically arranged into a cycling-specific cut.
It’s available in Black or Red colours, and it comes in 5 different sizes from X-Small through to X-Large.
Snug & Cycling-Specific
Bontrager offer their Race-level jacket in two different versions; the Windshell and the Stormshell. Both jackets are lightweight and compact, but the Windshell misses out on the waterproofing features.
The Race Stormshell jacket is purpose-built for riding, with longer sleeves and a dropped tail providing a more ergonomic fit whilst positioned on the bike. The lowered tail is particularly useful for shielding your riding shorts from muddy spray off the rear wheel.
Helping the jacket to stay in place while moving around the bike, silicone grippers line the inside of the elasticated waist to stop the jacket from riding up your backside. There are also thumb loops at the end of each elasticated cuff.
In terms of fit, I’ve consistently found Bontrager’s sizing system to be free of any weird surprises. So a Medium is a Medium. Bontrager refer to the Race Stormshell as being “semi-fitted”, which means it offers a relatively snug fit overall, while still providing flexibility as well as room underneath for a long sleeve jersey and multiple base layers.
Membrane Technology
My favourite feature of the Race Stormshell jacket though is the high-tech fabric. As modern mountain bikes evolve with advances such as intelligent suspension, height-adjustable seatposts and carbon fibre tubeless rims, the apparel that we wear is also evolving too.
The Race Stormshell highlights this evolution thanks to the clever membrane technology used in the Profila Stormshell fabric. Not unlike Gore-Tex, this PU membrane has microscopic pores that prevent water droplets from making their way inside the jacket’s shell, while allowing water vapour to pass through to the outside.
As you heat up during a ride and begin to sweat, your sweat evaporates and turns into vapour. With cheap jackets, this vapour is trapped inside and causes you to overheat and sweat further, essentially rendering any kind of ‘waterproofing’ as useless. With the Profila Stormshell fabric however, this vapour is free to pass through the jacket’s shell to the outside. This helps you to stay cooler and drier on the inside.
I noticed this most on mountain bike rides that involved lots of varied terrain, where you might be battling a piercing cold gust on a descent, before huffing and puffing up a long steep climb. The Profila Stormshell fabric managed those temperature fluctuations incredibly well, to the point where I didn’t feel the need for additional venting. Of course the full-length zipper is there if you need to big rush of cool air, but overall the fabric does well to exhaust heat in the first place.
Minimalist Appeal
There’s no denying that the Race Stormshell is a minimalist piece of gear. There are no rear pockets, there are no additional vents, and there is definitely no Velcro to be seen. However, neat details that you will find useful include the mesh-lined collar, a small zippered breast pocket for your phone or MP3 player, and a stormflap backing for the full-length main zip.
But that minimalist approach really is the appeal of the Race Stormshell jacket. It’s lightweight and compact enough to stuff inside your backpack, and it offers excellent waterproofing, breathability and flexibility while on the bike. At less than $200 for a jacket with membrane technology, it’s also impressive value too.
Hits
- Excellent cycling-specific cut
- Great protection from rain, wind, and muddy tyre spray
- Super compact
Misses
RRP: $175
From: www.bontrager.com
