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Regatta Waterproof Jacket Review
By Sharon Parker
Review Date May 2013
I was going for a biking holiday to Scotland, sooooo.... I expected wet weather.
I was prepared. Waterproof jacket, boots, pants you know the works.
So first day on the way up to Scotland in rained and rained. Not problem....WRONG.... there was a problem, my waterproof jacket decided that of all the times it had remained waterproof now was not one of those times. And in came the rain.
It is not nice getting all cold and wet inside your bike gear. Even a stop at a supermarket to stand under the hand drier for ages to dry up the worse of my wet clothing didn't stop the oh so horrible soggy feeling.
So what to do????? We were in Ullapool. Plenty of shops sure but no Motorbike Clothing store. Besides I didn't have a spare £100+ on me right then to just get another jacket anyhow. There was however a rather large and well stocked Outdoor store. The BF.... general oracle and font of all knowledge....(he has an ego I need to keep inflated ok) suggested I purchase a waterproof jacket of some order to go over my bike jacket.
In the shop I spied a Regatta Packaway Waterproof Jacket. Well it was a brand name I know I could trust for quality and even better it could squash down into a tiny mesh sack. With all the camping gear loaded onto the bike space was a premium so this was perfect. It was £25 a little more than I had hoped to pay and it was Navy. I would have preferred black but right now beggars could not be choosers. I needed to stay dry and right here right now this was my best option.
Note exactly the height of fashion or style, but bloomin effective
I explained to the shop owner what I wanted the jacket for and he said it had a lot of bikers buy these jackets for the same purpose. He eyes me up and said right what size are you a 12? I am in fact a size 6 to 8 but with all my layers on and bike gear you bet I am a size 12. My bike jacket I got a size big for me, a size 10, just so I could put lots of layers underneath. So I choose a size 12 Regatta and tried it on over my bike jacket. Yep it fitted a treat.
So purchase was made and I donned my new waterproof layer. Hmmm I probably looked a size 14 now, or at least a budding Michelin Man. So what, I was fat and round you could roll me on the ground but was I dry and warm? You bet I was. The extra layer the jacket afforded not only kept me watertight it also made me even cosier by cutting out any wind chill. Snug as a bug in a rug ....toasty warm and dry....yeah that was what counted and I was a very happy if somewhat ugly bug.
So some stats on the jacket
Regatta Packaway II Waterproof Jacket
A lightweight breathable jacket that will keep you warm and dry. Easily packs away into a mesh stuff sack for maximum convenience.
- Waterproof and breathable Isolite 5000 lightweight polyamide fabric
- Taped seams
- Integral hood
- Studded stormflap with hook and loop
- 2 lower pockets
- Elasticated cuffs
- Mesh stuff sack
I have worn the Regatta since the trip to Scotland and in the 6 months I have had it it remains keeping me warm and dry. The hood rolls up easily into the collor so no need to have that flapping around while your riding. I am so happy with it that I still have not purchased another new winter bike jacket. It might not be pretty, it might not match my other gear but I can do fashion some other time. For winter bike riding this fits the bill for me. And if it does dry up it gets stuffed easily into its little bag and popped away.
The jacket stuffed into it's tiny bag, approximately 6 inches long.
So if you find yourself in an emergency soggy situation I can not think of anything better to get you to a warm dry cosy place than a Regatta Packaway Waterproof Jacket. If you love looking cool and good most of the time it would be handy to keep this little jacket all packed away neat and small in your tank bag for emergency use. Or if like me you don't really care what you look like but care more about how you feel then hell wear it all the time!! Even in the summer I may well take this little ugly bug out with me to go over my new summer jacket if needs be.
So in short for an emergency soggy situation this jacket gets a gold star 10 out of 10.
Reader's Comments
John. said :-
How much did you pay for it Sharon ? and i wonder if matching pants are available ?
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
John, yes you can get matching pants for this jacket. I paid £25 for my jacket but you can get it cheaper than that. For example at the moment in the sale from Go Outdoors it is £15. The matching pants are currently also about half price at £10. Both come in Navy or black.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
john said :-
cheers Sharon. :)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Think I might get one for myself in the summer. My current overjacket's a bit too much for summer
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
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