User submitted reviews
Review by Wilhelm
Well-constructed with tight stitching, wind-resistant, relatively light and compressible, somewhat tightrestrictive in the chest area, price is only major negative the mark-up must be extraordinary for an item made with cheap Chinese labor!
Review by Anonymous
Great shell for cold weather riding.
Review by Terry
First time using the jacket was a 37 degree ride in raincorn snow for 68 miles in northern Minnesota. Cold, but survived 6 hours.
Review by BigBike
6'-4, 230 lbs. Room for layers underneath.
Would love to know why zipper is backwards from typical male coats.
Zipper pulls could be larger.
Review by Starth15
I've been cycling since March 2011 as my main transportation. First cycling jacket I purchased was the Netti D4 that was waterproof for a few months and excellent for single digit temperatures. Like I said for a few months it was waterproof and no longer is the insides of the jacket started to fall apart. Jackets Junk.
This Showers Pass Elite 2.1 Jacket I purchased so I have a waterproof upper body cover. From how the inside was designed I'm sure this will last as a true waterproof cycling jacket compared to the Netti D4 that falls apart on the inside. I like how much the wrist area can be velcroed tight or snugged. For the waist the left and right side can be tightened to make the bottom more snugged so less to no air flow throw the bottom of the jacket.
This jacket is much warmer then I imagined it would be which is a plus for when I try it out during winter use.
Review by paul
I did hear back from the folks at SP and they are pretty cool. They also offered to replace the coat if it did not meet my expectations. No questions asked. Nice. As Theo mentions they intended the reflector strips to be quite subdued so when you are off the bike you blend a bit better. Not a fail then. Apologies to them. Now given that personally I'm keeping my coat for the positives and I find the lack of reflective strips to not be a significant issue. YMMV. If you are a duskdawn commuter consider some more lights. Than again you likely are not wearing black so perhaps a non issue. Gotta rate again so I will add a star. Make it two. Fast response and offer to replace deserves credit.
Review by Seattle Nate
I have been an every-day cycle commuter for the past five years. I commute on my road bike, no fenders, and I live in Seattle so I deal with wet weather a lot. I had a Novara hard shell jacket that I bought at REI, but it had lost all semblance of rainproofiness. Seattle has a lot of hills, and I always seemed to steam up in my jacket on wet days riding up hills. I needed something waterproof and vented. From the reviews I have found online, this seemed the best. So far, so good. I still get a little damp heading uphill from sweat, but that is primary because I ride fast uphill with a backpack. This is much, much better than the rain jackets I have owned in the past.
Review by Will
The jacket accompanied me on a bike ride of the Natchez Trace from Tennessee to Mississippi. We went through some rough storms but through all the rain I stayed dry and comfortable inside. There was great ventilation while peddling. Riders in nylon rain jackets were as wet inside as the rain was outside. The only thing I felt should have come with the jacket was a detachable hood.
Review by Siobhanachu
I bought this hoping for three major things staying dry, being visable and durability. I got that and more! I love this jacket and plan on buying the hood to take it camping. It packs nicely and I wear it at night even if it's not raining. It fits me 5'1, lady 125 lbs. Bought a size small and the only thing that doesn't fit perfectly is to be expected as I have a giant headneck so zipping up the collar is comfortable albeit snug.
Review by WWDefy
This is my road cycling shell from the mid-30's thru the upper 40's. Love the pit vent and long back to keep me dry.
Review by Sequim Sycler
I live on the Olympic Pennisula of Washington State, and I cycle year round. This jacket has been the perfect addition to my cycling gear. Encountering cold weather, rain, and wind, this jacket has made my rides more bearable, and comfortable. Have not found anything yet I don't like.
Review by Anonymous
Vents provides breathability.
Superior craftsmanship.
Very light.
Review by OldMarine
I use this jacket in rain or when it is on the chiily side (which happens rarely here in Hawaii). I have the hood also and leave it on the jacket (except I remove it when riding my roadbike because it inpedes view to the rear somewhat). I have tried a number of breathable rainjacketsraincoats and was disappointed in them all. This jacket is not perfect (it still gets sweaty in there when temperatures are warmer and relative humidity is high). These are the most difficult conditions for any breathable jacket (including the Elite 2.0), but this jacket does much better than anything else I've tried. Not only does it breathwick very well, it also has an EXCELLENT venting system consisting of a front zipper, pit zips, a vent across the shoulders in the back, and large cuffs which will let a lot of air into the jacket if they are open wide and the wrists are in a favorable posiion. (The cuff openings are a little stiff-which is good-but it would be even better if there was a built-in device of some sort for holding the cuffs fully open in a circular shape if the rider so desired.
Review by Allan S
I specifically bought this rain jacket for my 500 mile bike ride on the Camino de Santiago, Frances Route, in mid-spring though northern Spain. It worked well through the cold, rain, hail, wind and a combination of all the above. With a tee shirt and a medium thick merino wool base layer, I never felt any biting cold on my arms or chest. I also used a merino buff to cover my face when the cold wind whipped up. I can easily recommend this jacket for cycling in rain and 30F to 60F temperature range.
Review by JP
I have had many bicycle rain jackets over the years! This is by far the best I've ever had! It breaths well, doesn't seem to stick to your skin when sweaty, has a little extra room for layering, has ventilation options, is very waterproof and is very reflective for safety in low light! I love this jacket!
Review by somabill
This may not be okay, but here goes. I bought a Showers Pass Elite jacket in 1996, and it has been in use since. Two years ago, the pit zippers on both sides became unbonded, making them ineffective. I contacted Showers Pass about a repair on my then-26-year-old jacket, and they said to send it back to them along with prepaid postage, and they'd look at it. About two weeks later, Showers Pass returned it fully repaired with stitching and new waterproofing. Best customer service ever on a great product.
Review by epbob
I bought this jacket to take on a cycling trip to New Zealand's south island last month. Was traveling fairly light so I intended to use this a general purpose jacket off the bike as well. It worked great on the bike, kept me dry and warm. When it got a little warm, the pit zips provided enough air to cool things down. At 5'10" & 165#, I ordered a size L to allow a little layering. Good thing I did, it fit a little tighter than I expected but fit well while wearing a jersey with base layer underneath and had enough room for a light fleece when I was off the bike, although it was a little short to cover the waste in front. While wearing it off the bike, I kept searching for a place to put my hands when it got a little cool but no hand pockets. I know, it's a cycling jacket but my older REI Novara jacket, that I ahem outgrew, had them. The quality of the material and construction is top notch. I also got the optional hood which worked OK but it would separate from the velcro attaching points easier than I liked when I wasn't using it. The chest pocket is big enough to hold my phone and the rear pouch stored held my route maps and brochures easily and is big enough for a pair of full finger gloves.
Review by Stacia
I have owned the Elite 2.0 jacket since 2008 (I think) and have worn it pretty much daily for winter commuting for most of those years. Except for dirt stains on the yellow fabric, it still looks brand new - ZERO loose threads, worn fabric, anything. On a long bike tour a few years ago, I brought another Showers Pass jacket (the Century, maybe? - trying to save weight) and loaned my Elite 2.0 to my riding partner. By the end of my three-month tour, the lighter jacket was destroyed - no longer waterproof, with the fabric layers peeling apart, the pit zippers stuck. The Elite 2.0 was still kicking, and continues to keep me totally dry and comfortable in all kinds of weather.
I am a woman, but have the men's cut of this jacket. It fits fine and I can fit it over another jacket or sweater easily. I do find that it's cut a little too short in the front, but the long back hem is awesome. It's possible this is improved in the new 2.1 cut, which I haven't tried.
My only caveat is the cuff fabric. It soaks up water like crazy and takes a loooong time to dry. Why Showers Pass didn't make the cuffs out of the same awesome eVent fabric that the rest of the jacket is made of, I will never understand.
Review by Jay
I've been using the Shower's Pass Century jacket for the past couple years. The jacket has held up well, fits well and keeps the rain out, but it really doesn't breath particularly well. After a hard workout in Portland drizzle, I'm almost as moist as if I hadn't been wearing a jacket.
So this season, I decided to break down and spend the extra money on the Elite 2.0 jacket. Wow, what a difference. This jacket keeps me warm and dry without feeling like I'm wearing a plastic bag. Extremely well made with lots of venting options and the fabric seems to breath surprisingly well. I also feel a bit safer riding in the dark with the reflective stripes on the back and sleeves. Highly recommended.
Review by Andrew S.
I love my Elite 2.0! I mostly commute but If it looks like I'm going to brave the downpour to get a great rain ride in, this is what I'll be wearing. Excellent waterproof quality, without over heating, or becoming drenched in my own sweat. If you need a top of the line do all waterproof jacket, this is it!
Thanks for the update. We're glad to hear that things have worked out and that you had a good experience with Showers Pass. We've found them to be great about warranty issues as well as repairs.
The subdued reflective strips on the black jacket are certainly a plus for some, but we agree that riders who are looking to increase visibility in darker conditions should not rely solely on this jacket for visibility. Red rear lights are great for being seen (and, in Oregon, for example, a legal requirement). One might also consider one of the other colors of the Elite 2.1 Jacket if visibility is a primary requirement.
Thanks
Theo
Customer Service