The Sugoi RSE Neoshell jacket looks stunning. The cyan one I received is a gorgeous colour that will spruce up any dull cycling wardrobe. This jacket claims to be the “world’s most breathable waterproof cycling jacket”. That’s a pretty impressive statement to have to live up to. Because all cyclists know that a jacket that is waterproof and breathable is a bit like a unicorn, we are not entirely sure if they are a thing of myth or reality.
First off the jacket is practical. It has two rear pockets and a top chest pocket with a headphone hole and is the perfect size for an ipod. Although you would struggle to get anything bigger in there. Yet Sugoi tackle this by making the two rear pockets large and deep enough for any smartphone and they each have their own headphone hole, giving you all the choice you need. The rear pockets are narrow but spacious.
The material of the shell is a Polartec fabric, made to rival the other big brands on the market. The idea is that sweat can pass out whilst rain doesn’t get in. Well I tested one of these theories out quite well. The joy of wearing a winter jacket in summer is that it will make you sweat! Clearly it is designed for winter, so I was bound to sweat more than you would in colder months.
To give the Sugoi RSE Neoshell Jacket a fair chance I wore it on a cloudy and windy day and limited my miles. I did sweat, but I have to say it did feel like it was escaping. The fabric was living up to its claims. As for its waterproof ability, we are for once, lacking rain in Scotland. So it was a case of water pistols at noon in the garden. I was absolutely soaked but only in places where the jacket didn’t stretch too. It was very much waterproof. Water literally beads up and rolls off.
It has fully taped seams and the cuffs have velcro adjusters to fit over gloves, making it very streamlined. The jacket isn’t a fold away one as the fabric is quite stiff (a small price to pay for the waterproof abilities it has), so once its on, it’s staying on.
The tail on the jacket just isn’t long enough. If it was winter, I would want a reasonable tail to cover as much as it could. It has reflective areas on the rear and the front.
VerdictThe jacket lives up to its claims of breathability and does it very well. The pockets are decent and it looks great. The fit isn’t the best for the price. I would want a bigger tail drop.
ProsVery breathable.
Extremely good waterproofing.
ConNeeds a bigger tail drop
Price: £259.99, available from Wheelies.
