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review

GripGrab RainMaster Waterproof Lightweight Jacket

8
£159.95

VERDICT:

8
10
Great waterproofing and well designed, as long as you like black
Great weatherproofing
Cuff shape is well designed
Tall neck stops draughts
Only available in black
Weight: 
189g

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Being light, breathable, waterproof and packable means the GripGrab RainMaster Waterproof Lightweight Jacket covers all the attributes required for poor weather protection, making it a useful winter wardrobe staple. The problem is, winter days are often dull and gloomy, so the lack of bright colours is a bit of an oversight.

For more – and brighter – options, check out our guides to the best winter cycling jackets and the best waterproof cycling jackets.

> Buy now: GripGrab RainMaster Waterproof Lightweight Jacket for £159.95 from GripGrab

A quality waterproof jacket is one of those essential items in your cycle clothing repertoire, especially a lightweight one like this GripGrab, which can be used as part of a layering system or folded down and stuffed in a rear jersey pocket for those days when you just don't know what the weather is going to do.

From my experience, decent waterproof jackets you can rely on to keep you dry in heavy rain need a hydrostatic head rating of at least 10,000mm, and the RainMaster is rated to 15,000mm.

2023 GripGrab Lightweight Waterproof Jacket - shoulders.jpg

In real world terms, the longest ride I achieved in the rain was just over three hours and the GripGrab delivered exactly what was asked of it. It wasn't heavy rain for the entire ride, with the intensity changing throughout, but the membrane and fully taped seams did their job of keeping the water out.

The high neck helps as it reduces the risk of water being able to drip or blow in, while the angled cuffs are the perfect shape for keeping the tops of your wrists covered, and the shorter bottom section means there is no fabric to get in the way between your palm and the handlebar.

2023 GripGrab Lightweight Waterproof Jacket - cuff.jpg

The RainMaster is also impressive against the wind, so you'll get plenty of use out of it on those dry, blowy days as well.

2023 GripGrab Lightweight Waterproof Jacket - hem.jpg

Breathability is decent for this kind of jacket, too. It's rated at 40,000g/m2/24hr, and I found that for riding at a steady average pace I remained dry and warm inside. Push things a bit on the climbs and moisture will build up; there's no getting away from that really – when the waterproofing is this good, you have to compromise a bit with perspiration management.

2023 GripGrab Lightweight Waterproof Jacket - back.jpg

There are no armpit vents, but if you pop the zip down a touch you'll soon cool down and dry out.

2023 GripGrab Lightweight Waterproof Jacket - collar.jpg

Speaking of the zip, it's a two-way design that allows you to undo the jacket from the bottom, so you can gain access to your rear pockets without fully opening the jacket.

2023 GripGrab Lightweight Waterproof Jacket - zip detail.jpg

The sizing is spot on with GripGrab's guide, and I'd say realistic to the UK market, too. You get a close fit here without it being tight, so you don't need to be super lean to get away with wearing it.

The tail is dropped a little lower than the front for coverage when leaning forward in the saddle, but it's not as low as some, like the Galibier Tourmalet 4 Jacket, which will provide more protection if you ride on wet roads without mudguards.

2023 GripGrab Lightweight Waterproof Jacket - back logo.jpg

The main downside with the RainMaster is the lack of colour options. I don't have a massive downer on black garments – if it's really gloomy then I'm happy to just run some sort of flashing lights to get noticed instead – but for many riders the option of something brighter is a must. It does have reflective details on the back and sleeves, but it's not the most visible.

2023 GripGrab Lightweight Waterproof Jacket - sleeve.jpg

Otherwise, the GripGrab is very well made, with neat stitching throughout, and the seams and material all seem durable and finished to a high level, as you'd expect for the price – although at £159.95 it isn't that extreme.

Velocio's Ultralight Rain Jacket shares many of the same attributes and costs over £280 (though currently discounted to £211). Albion's All Road Pertex Shield Rain jacket is £195 and does come with a higher waterproof rating of 20,000mm, but it only has half the breathability rating of the GripGrab.

The Galibier jacket I mentioned earlier, though, is just £83.22 and comes with a 20,000mm rating for waterproofing and a breathability.

Conclusion

If black being the only option doesn't bother you then I'd recommend the GripGrab. It has great waterproofing and is really well made. In fact there isn't really anything else to complain about, except that you can get jackets that do a similar job for less.

Verdict

Great waterproofing and well designed, as long as you like black

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road.cc test report

Make and model: GripGrab RainMaster Waterproof Lightweight Jacket

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the jacket is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

GripGrab says, "The GripGrab Lightweight Waterproof Jacket is your featherweight shield against the elements: it packs up small enough to be stashed in a jersey pocket, but it offers you a complete shield against wind and rain."

It's a good performer, but some brighter colour options would be good.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the jacket?

GripGrab lists:

1. Waterproof Lightweight protection – 15K (15,000mm) waterproof and windproof fabric with fully taped seams protects you against downpours and windchill

2. Extremely breathable – Lightweight 40K (40,000 g/m2/24h) breathable fabric allows perspiration to escape from within, enabling all-season use

3. Seal out the elements – Close-fitting cuffs and a high cut mesh-lined collar help to seal out wind and rain

4. Two-way YKK® Vislon AquaGuard zip – Allows you to regulate airflow and access jersey pockets beneath, without needing to take off the jacket

5. Reflective details – Enhance your visibility to other road users in low light conditions

Rate the jacket for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the jacket for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the jacket for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the jacket for waterproofing based on the manufacturer's rating:
 
8/10
Rate the jacket for breathability based on the manufacturer's rating:
 
7/10
Rate the jacket for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the jacket for sizing:
 
8/10
Rate the jacket for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the jacket for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the jacket for value:
 
5/10

How easy is the jacket to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

No issues with being washed, and the waterproofing hasn't been affected.

Tell us how the jacket performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Good waterproof rating, and more breathable than most.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the jacket

Cuff shape is a good design.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the jacket

No bright colour options.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It is cheaper than the two mentioned in the review by quite a bit, but the Galibier undercuts it by nearly 50%.

Did you enjoy using the jacket? Yes

Would you consider buying the jacket? Possibly

Would you recommend the jacket to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's very good: it performs very well and is good quality, with just the lack of bright colours limiting the appeal. It's not as good value as the Galibier, but few jackets are.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 44  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the Tech Hub here at F-At Digital, our senior product reviewer Stu uses the knowledge gained from putting well over a 1,000 products through their paces (including hundreds of bikes) to write in-depth reviews of a huge range of kit. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 160,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. Although, as he spends a fair bit of his time reviewing ebikes these days he's becoming an expert in letting the motor take the strain. He's also waiting for 23mm race tyres to make a comeback!

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