220Triathlon Edição 334

83 / 132

FEBRUARY 2017 I I 83
TEST
CENTRE
BEST
ONTEST
91%
Warm, breathable and waterproof. A
smart jacket at a smart price
››VERDICT
73 %
Awaterproof wonder that struggles to
breathe in the dry
››VERDICT
56%
Stylish, waterproof, reflective... but
lacking any semblance of breathability
›› VERDICT
For battling the rain, there are few
better than the Drift Shell. Made
with Brooks’ DriLayer SuperSeal
shell, the material ensures water
beads on the surface and there was
no infiltration during our wet runs
and indoor shower test. Elsewhere,
the pockets are all water resistant,
the zip has a draft flap and the
seams are taped. Pull the hem
toggle and the zip does protrude in
the centre, however – perfect for
mimicking John Hurt’s chest-buster
scene from Alien, less so for looking
normal on the run. But our main
issue came with breathability. Even
after a sub-zero low-intensity night
run we returned overheating badly
and with a sodden base layer, the
sweat marks clearly visible; the four
tiny holes under the armpits are
clearly unable to ventilate such a
water-resistant shell. Which is a
shame as it’s durable and has
reflectivity for night running.
BROOKS
DRIFTSHELL
£100.00
outer layer and it’s certainly toasty.
Try as we may, we couldn’t get cold
air to seep in. We even hopped on
the bike for some 25mph efforts in
-2ºC conditions and the three-layer
construction still deflected any
wafts of Siberian air. That triple
layer of thickness means we’d still
only use it for sub-5ºC conditions
but the breathability is impressive,
with a polyurethane membrane
promoting wicking and a sizeable
rear vent keeping ventilation
turning over. In a similar vein to the
Asics overleaf, the waterproofing in
this softshell surprised us, but it
was present and correct, with
precipitation kept at bay. The trio of
zipped pockets are also sizeable
and easy to access. For something
as visually prominent as a run
jacket, thankfully Zoot have toned
down their usual garish visuals. The
result is a winner across the board.
ZOOT
SPINDRIFT
£105.00
zootsports.com
Saucony tout this as the ‘lightest
waterproof running jacket on the
market’, and the 213g Razor
succeeds in the lean stakes. The
internal seams, and wind and
waterproof FlexShell laminate
thwarted an outdoor shower and
our own in-house water test to
leave the tee below drier than a
night with Jack Dee. With the
precipitation boxes ticked-off, the
Razor sadly fails in the dry. Despite
the trio of vents on the spine, no
jacket here bar the Brooks left us as
sweaty on sub-10ºC runs. This lack
of breathability combines with the
‘long and loose fit’, which billowed
in the wind and had us demotivated
running into headwinds, with the
lack of a drawstring ensuring we
were unable to find the required fit.
Which is a shame, as construction is
top-notch, the pockets well placed
and secure, and the reflectivity is
appreciated for nocturnal stints.
SAUCONY
RAZOR
£122.00
For manchilds of a certain
disposition, Rapido will always be
the TV company behind Eurotrash.
It’s also one of the more affordable
offerings from North Face’s
exhaustive range. If the brush
strokes prompted some Mr.
Motivator-themed heckling, the
Rapido Moda is a serious running
contender, offering windproofing to
rival the best hardshells here. The
durable water-repellent (DWR)
finish is able to handle showers but
surprisingly, unlike the similar Asics
and Brooks, water ingress is
noticeable for anything harder.
There are neat touches, with the
elasticated hems and cuffs keeping
things in place, useful pockets and
reflective elements. Like the
Saucony, however, the Rapido
suffers with breathability despite
some rear vents. With the temp at
0ºC and wearing just a tee below,
we still overheated.
FACE NORTH
RAPIDOMODA
£85.00
69 %
Neat features let down by breathability
of fabric and the jarring design
››VERDICT