In 2010 we raced a 7-day stage race in Wales and wore a rainjacket the whole time. It did a great job of keeping rain off, but the internal build-up of condensation and sweat meant we were just as wet as if we rode without one. The design of the Sugoi RS Event Jacket eliminates that, and keeps you dry even on the hardest of downpours.
The success of this jacket is its construction from an amazing fabric called Event. On the outside it’s fully waterproof and windproof, but the inner material removes moisture build up, letting it escape to the outer shell. Hikers and bushwalkers have been using Event fabric for a number of years, and it has taken a while for cycling designers to see the value of using it. The jacket does have limits though so don’t expect to race and sweat hard and still be completely dry on the inside. However you still be slightly dryer than if you wore a jacket not made of Event.
Having an amazing material is good, but the jacket doesn’t become great if the design cut is poor. We were very pleased with the shape of the jacket, it was roomy enough to fit a couple of layers underneath and still had room to do head-checks on the road. Access to the single large pocket on the rear was good, however it took a while to lift the large flap covering the zip to get access. This flap is important though – it keeps what is inside dry by not allowing water to enter via the zip and it keeps mud away from the zip so it can still be used – even on the longest of muddy winter rides.
The jacket is further sealed from the wind and rain with adjustable cuffs. One thing we noted was that the cuffs have a slightly smaller unadjusted diameter, which meant getting the jacket on and off while wearing gloves wasn’t as easy compared to other brands.
The jacket also has a second small pocket, which is just inside (on the chest). Other jackets we have used tend to place the same chest pocket on the outside, meaning very easy access. Initially we didn’t like having to open up the jacket in the rain to access this pocket. However, after a very muddy ride the real benefit of an internal pocket became evident. We didn’t have to fiddle with a mud-encrusted zipper to gain access. The pocket is also wired for a MP3 player, so if you’re a rider that likes to ride to a beat, that feature is available.
One of the little details that ups this jacket from good to great, is the inclusion of a microfleece lined collar. It’s a joy to have this small comfort when riding and not have that direct feeling of a ‘rainjacket’ on your neck. We thought heavy rain would soak the microfleece and become cold on our neck but even on a ride in the rain above the snow line we didn’t experience this.
The last feature we liked was the reflective material in several places on the jacket. Once we ended a great singletrack session at night, our ride back home was so much safer.
Some of the best advice we have ever been given is to buy once, and have adventures forever. That rings true with this jacket, it has leading edge technology that won’t date anytime soon. It’s a great cut, looks good and would have to be one of the best rainjackets on the market.
